What is the Fairbanks North Star Borough's
Economic Development Commission?

• The purpose of the commission is to actively promote, foster and coordinate public and private initiatives that create or increase profitable employment opportunities which improve our community's standard of living, quality of life, and the sustainability of our diverse urban and rural life styles.

• It's a new organization created by the Assembly in December of 1998 after more than a year of research, discussion, community involvement and political compromise. Seven of the Commission's full seventeen members have been serving since May as a Steering Committee. The remaining ten Commissioners were appointed in July or 1998.

• The commission has the following responsibilities:
  1. Oversee the creation, with significant public involvement including private initiatives, of an Overall Economic Development Plan. A part of this plan will be goals and policies recommended to the Planning Commission and Assembly for adoption into the borough Comprehensive Plan;
  2. Implement, monitor and update the Overall Economic Development Plan to insure that it effectively reflects current community goals and objectives;
  3. Serve as the board for whichever state and federally recognized development organizations are appropriate and approved by the Assembly and carry out all responsibilities required by state law;
  4. Maintain an economic information and research capability useful to both public and private sectors in dealing with local and regional economic issues and opportunities by working through the Borough Administration with the Community Research Center, UAF and other activities;
  5. Seek appropriate funding sources for economic development activities, including the development of infrastructure necessary to support such economic activities;
  6. Coordinate public and private resources to support economic growth and development and actively encourage public input and participation in specific development projects as they are proposed;
  7. Act as a facilitator and resource for local government and business with state and federal government;
  8. Serve as a referral source to large corporate and small business interests inquiring about establishing or relocating business or industry in the borough;
  9. Review and comment on relevant aspects of economic development and taxation and engage in additional economic development activities as deemed appropriate.

• The Commission consists of 17 voting members nominated from the following organizations: Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, Fairbanks Industrial Development Corporation, Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, Downtown Association/Mainstreet Fairbanks, North Pole Chamber of Commerce, Minority run small business, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Native interests, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Fairbanks Central Labor Council, Fairbanks Arts Association, FNSB Mayor's designee, Fairbanks Mayor/City Council's designee, North Pole Mayor/City Council's designee, and two from the community at large.

  This information was extracted from FNSB Ordinance 98-053 which established the EDC

Return to Cole Sonafrank's Political Page