WRAP under fire in Warren

WARREN — City council members questioned Warren Redevelopment and Planning Corp. leaders about the status of economic development in Warren and WRAP’s role in revitalization efforts.

During a special council meeting today, Councilman Robert L. Dean Jr.   said he has been inundated with calls from concerned citizens about WRAP’s role and the lack of economic development and downtown revitalization in Warren.

WRAP is an independent non-profit organization that the city hires for $60,000 per year to help administer loans, purchase properties and negotiate contracts, Community Development Director Michael Keys said.

Dean also gave WRAP Director Anthony Iannucci and Keys a two-page list of questions that he would like them to answer in writing about WRAP’s activities.

He also gave them copies of e-mails and phone calls from citizens   expressing their concerns about current and former WRAP employees, WRAP’s finances and whether WRAP’s role could be performed by other city employees or agencies.

Keys gave a presentation at the meeting explaining WRAP’s role in the city. There is no official economic development agency in Warren, so WRAP works with the CD department in that area.

Keys said he thinks WRAP is doing an excellent job — at a low cost — for the city. When Keys became CD director, the city was paying $84,195 to work with an outside firm and WRAP on economic development.

The outside economic development firm did not renew its contract with Warren because it felt the city would be better served through WRAP, he said. That decision has saved taxpayers $24,195 per year, according to CD department calculations.

“We’re doing a lot more for a lot less,” he said.

Working with Leedsworld to bring the factory to Warren and helping Diane Sauer Chevrolet expand and stay in the city were two of the 2006 accomplishments Keys cited as examples of WRAPs effectiveness.

Councilman Andrew Barkley, D-3rd, said there needs to be a citywide reassessment of economic development.

“I think we need to be more proactive instead of reactive,” said Barkley, who has advocated strategic planning for Warren. “We were able to get Leeds and that’s fantastic for us, but they approached us. We need to be going out and bringing these businesses in.”