Pierre Implements Performance Measures on Economic Development Corporation

I was reading the Pierre Capitol Journal to learn more about our capital city's economic development efforts when I came across this interesting note:

Tuesday, Jim Protexter, PEDCO executive director, went before the city commission to give the first quarterly update on the organization’s performance measures agreed upon by the city commission and PEDCO....

The measures and quarterly updates before the commission are part of a financing agreement struck between the city and PEDCO, the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and River Cities Transit to reward work with financing.

“It’s a good guiding post as we go day to day,” said Protexter. “I’ll go a week and not even think about these things because something falls in our lap we absolutely have to deal with. But then get back on track with what is important to the commission and the community ultimately. It’s a nice pattern we can fall back on” [Jeff Bunn, "Jobs Remain for PEDCO," Pierre Capitol Journal, 2009.04.02].

Performance measures for the local economic development corporation, accountability for the local tax dollars that support it... what a novel concept! Does Madison have anything like that?

Of course, if I were PEDCO's exec Jim Protexter, I wouldn't mind having to answer to the city, not when I could point to coups like landing Eagle Creek Software, which Pierre lured to town, winning 49 jobs so far, 150 more to come, with starting salaries of $36,000.