Mitzelfelt Fights for Area Businesses

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For months, business leaders sent letters lobbying San Bernardino County to keep 10 staffers assigned to work as liaisons with the business community.
Their letters of support may have helped save those county positions. …
… From the San Bernardino County Sun, September 4, 2008… ‘County shuffles group of jobs; Liaisons for businesses go to different agency’ … By Lauren McSherry, Staff Writer… Link to online article: http://www.sbsun.com/sanbernardino/ci_10376107 …
Initially, there was concern that the Economic Development Agency, which houses the employees known as “business specialists,” would transfer the positions to another department and then have the county employees re-apply for their jobs, potentially jeopardizing their job security.
The Board of Supervisors voted Aug. 26 to transfer the positions to the Workforce Development Department and add four positions focusing on economic development.
Under the revised reorganization, the specialists will not have to re-apply for their jobs, said Paul Herrera, marketing director for the Economic Development Agency.
Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, one of the founders of the Economic Development Agency, voted against the reshuffling. He remains wary of the change and worries that it could hurt the county’s retention of businesses during the current economic downturn.
He also alleges the reorganization was fueled by “petty jealousies and misunderstandings.”

“I believe there is absolutely no good reason for the reorganization, whatsoever,” Mitzelfelt said Tuesday.
The positions were created so that businesses would have a single point of contact with the county, but, with the reorganization, that does not seem to be a sure thing, Mitzelfelt said.
“I hope I’m proven wrong,” Mitzelfelt said. “I hope there’s no interruption in services.”
Herrera said the 10 business specialists will continue with most of their duties.
“In terms of how they interact with the business community, it doesn’t change at all,” he said. “They’ll be working with the same folks on the same exact things. They’ll just have different business cards.”
Herrera attempted to dispel rumors that the reorganization had been politically motivated, explaining that the change was made to bring the Economic Development Agency into compliance with federal funding guidelines.
Dating back as early as May, numerous letters were sent to the county by business leaders who expressed appreciation for business specialists tasked with assisting job recruitment and fostering business opportunities.
Alicia Carrizales and her husband, Andy, who operate Coffee Nutz in Colton, sent one letter to the county praising Business Specialist Laura Harbison because Harbison helped match their business with qualified employees.
In another letter, Ed Ferguson of the Tire Guys Goodyear in Colton wrote about the impact of the specialists: “They make doing business in San Bernardino County easier and certainly most cost efficient.”
lauren.mcsherry@inlandnewspapers.com (909) 386-3875