Greeley city manager to oversee economic-development department

GREELEY — The city of Greeley has come up with a plan to run its economic-development department, eight months after the resignation of Chadwick E. Howell, who served 15 months as the director of the department.

City Manager Roy Otto will oversee the department that consists of two economic-development coordinators — Audrey Herbison, who was an assistant project manager in the previous structure, and new hire Chris Helwick.

Under the previous structure, the department had three employees, including Howell.

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Since Howell’s departure in October, Otto and Assistant City Manager Becky Safarik worked as a tag-team to lead the department.

Otto said the city spent time analyzing the operation and determined that it would be best for him to oversee the two employees.

“We aren’t looking to hire an economic-development director,” Otto said. “We will use this structure for the foreseeable future, unless we reach a point that workload or lack of expertise causes us to suffer.”  

Otto said Herbison will focus on business recruitment and business growth, and Helwick will focus on business relations.