Downtown Durham Inc. hiring government relations director

Love downtown Durham? Love government? Want a chance to integrate the two interests to advance the Bull City's urban core?

Downtown Durham Inc. is hiring for a government relations director to support its mission in advocating for downtown's growth. See below; more details and information on applying if you're interested below the jump.

DOWNTOWN DURHAM, INC., a private non-profit organization charged with the revitalization of downtown Durham, is seeking a GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR.

The candidate must be able to handle multiple assignments, work as a member of a team, work independently, have knowledge of local government process and issues, be a self-starter, have strong organizational and consensus building skills, experience in representing the interests of an organization, have “hands-on” computer experience, and excellent communication skills. Knowledge of the Durham community is desirable.

A college degree, preferably in public policy, public administration, business or political science is desirable, but not required.

The candidate will work on projects related to public policy, regulatory issues, safety, appearance, and economic development. The candidate will advocate on behalf of DDI, build positive relationships with elected officials and professional local government staff, and represent DDI on various study committees that are established to address downtown issues. The position will require attendance at meetings that occur outside the regular office hours.

Starting salary: $32,000 - $40,000, with attractive benefit package.

APPLICATION: Please forward your cover letter and resume by August 10, 2008 to: Downtown Durham, Inc., 115 Market Street, Suite 213, Durham, NC, 27701.

Comments

[chris]

You've got to love Downtown Durham Inc's pay scale for a "director". I wonder what they pay a senior vice president. $50K?

[tina]

Just a curious question. I see that Downtown Durham Inc receives financial support from private business, foundations, The City of Durham, and The County of Durham. The city I moved from had a similar non-profit to market it's downtown. It was originally funded by the businesses downtown but then started getting City tax dollars. Many businesses that were outside of the urban downtown did not benefit from the marketing stragtegies and advertising. They were vocal about tax payer dollars supporting businesses in one area over another. I don't know what percentage of the Downtown Durham Inc's budget gets from the City and County, but I wondered if this was an issue here. Are businesses in other areas of Durham feeling "left out" when tax dollars are used to support one area?

I realize that revitalization downtown is good for the whole city & county. (More revenue, hopefully more industry & businesses and more jobs for Durhamites.) But I'm just wondering what the business community outside of downtown thinks of public funding of a non-profit who may serve as competition to them. ????

[Barry]

Tina - do you know John Schelp?

[tina]

I'm still fairly new to Durham. So no, I do not know John Schelp. I just googled him and see that he does post here occassionally. And I see he has been a huge catalyst for change in Downtown Durham and has some pretty incredible accomplishments to his name. (I realize my words probably do not give his achievements for Durham justice.)

So Barry, can you educate the ignorant here? And by that I mean me. Clue me in on the tie in to my original question?? Thxs! :)

[barry]

John has spent a lot of time pointing out the conflicts inherent in taxpayer funding of DDI that you mention, especially in regards to the Ninth St. and Broad St. shopping districts. If this is an area of concern to you, John is someone you should get to know.

[Tina]

Barry, thanks for the information! Being new I'm still trying to piece together the ins & outs of the political scene here. I'm not sure that it is an area of concern for me, as I do think Downtown Revitalization is necessary for Durham to grow in the right direction (up, instead of just out). But I'll keep a look out for John's comments. I like to hear all sides of the story... I always learn something new that way. Thanks again!!

[John Schelp]

Hi Tina. Thanks for your posts.

This column covers some of the issues you and Barry have raised.

have a great weekend,
John

Forum: DDI's shell game with our money
by John Schelp and Larry Holt, guest columnists
Herald-Sun, 7 April 2006

Downtown Development Inc. (DDI) receives more than $180,000 in taxpayer subsidies annually ($47,500 from the county and $134,027 from the city). By contrast, downtown booster organizations in Raleigh, Winston-Salem and Wilmington receive no taxpayer money for operations. Instead, they raise money from the private sector.

As part of annual budget deliberations, the city is getting ready to evaluate non-profit applications for city funds, one of which will be DDI. We believe that DDI has a history of using these taxpayer monies to build up downtown at the expense of other Durham neighborhoods and that these funds would be better and more fairly spent funding deserving non-profits that provide services to Durham citizens.

First, as part of its development strategy, DDI actively recruits existing Durham businesses to relocate downtown from other Durham locations, which DDI staff admitted in a letter to the editor: "If we are informed that a business is nearing the end of its lease in a location outside of downtown, we will discuss with the business whether it would be interested in locating downtown" (9/22/04, Herald-Sun).

It's not good public policy to move businesses from one part of Durham to another and pretend it's new business recruitment. Nor is it good policy to move jobs from one part of Durham to another and pretend it's new job creation.

Motricity, Glaxo, Little Consulting, and Duke all moved offices to American Tobacco from other parts of our city. While these efforts may benefit Raleigh-based Capitol Broadcasting, let's not pretend they're something else.

We now learn that the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants wanted to bring 400 jobs from New Jersey to our downtown and couldn't find enough space!

Moving old jobs around Durham and losing 400 new jobs downtown is not "economic development." It is, in fact, nothing but a shell game.

And sadly, this shell game can have multiple losers.

DDI recruited PeaceFire Galleries to move downtown from another location in Durham. After moving downtown and struggling to stay financially afloat while downtown street construction drove away its customers, the gallery went out of business and we have another vacant downtown storefront. Losers: PeaceFire's proprietors, the neighborhood it left and, ultimately, downtown Durham.

DDI actively lobbies for millions in corporate welfare for Capitol Broadcasting while gateway business districts such as Fayetteville Street and Northeast Central Durham get crumbs. DDI pushed hard to secure more than $60 million taxpayer dollars for Capitol's American Tobacco and Durham Bulls. The city then announces that seven key areas in neighborhoods that surround downtown will receive what comes out to a whopping $35,715 each. Seems like our priorities are messed up.

DDI's predatory tactics, which prop up downtown at the expense of other Durham neighborhoods, are troubling. It's especially troubling when they are subsidized by taxpayers. If DDI received no taxpayer money, they would have every right to lobby the city and county for whatever they wanted.

But why are local taxpayers subsidizing DDI to turn around and lobby elected bodies to spend millions of our tax dollars on wealthy corporations like Capitol Broadcasting?...

[Anon]

Does anyone see a conflict with hiring a government relations director with government funds? As Tina and John point out, DDI receives a significant amount of funding from the city and county governments. So are taxpayers paying DDI to lobby?

[Annie]

City and county governments pay lobbyists to lobby the legislature, though I think neither Durham City nor Durham County have lobbyists now. The UNC system pays a ton of money for a lobbyist in Raleigh and a system-level VP to do the same, while some of the individual schools also pay lobbyists. Local and state governments pay for lobbyists at the federal level. I'm sure there are plenty of other examples of government lobbying government with our tax dollars. Doesn't make it right; I'm just saying...

[David Rollins]

I would be curious if John applies the same standard to Preservation Durham, which I've argued should also be privately funded due to the conflict of interest with NIS's demolition agenda. (NB: I donate money to PD and have a house on the historic register.)

With regards to DDI, it is indeed a shell game. I'm glad someone has the guts to point this out. A key part of my Senate campaign platform is eliminating this type of corporate welfare which does nothing but enrich developers at the expense of urban sprawl, endless downtown construction disruptions, and the Durham taxpayer.

[nanette matthews]

I agree with many of the comments about DDI receiving tax monies. Let us not forget Durham Athletic Park and the American Tobacco building receiving huge tax subsidies. By the way, Durham Athletic Park and Camden Yards of Baltimore are both built by the same HOK Sport + Venue + Event. If anyone is concerned with the similarities between the two cities, they have good reason to be. Baltimore used to be a thriving steel town. Wages were comparitively high and there were plenty of jobs to go around. Durham was once a vibrant town as well. Now Downtown Durham is a ghost town. With the development of the American Tobacco Building now instead of empty warehouses we have a bunch of gentrified neighborhoods with a lot of people who do a real good job of pretending they are important. Durham has one of the highest rates of AIDS transmission in the state. High rates of violent crime. Service jobs are one of the few jobs a working class person could hope to get. Most of these jobs pay less than 85% of the poverty level. If you put Durham under a microscope, there really is not a lot a person would go downtown for. Durham looks as if it has followed the cue of many of our other thriving cities. I personally don't think it is coming back. Unless you count the overpriced highrises and loft apartments. And the entertainment it offers. While across the tracks, young kids kill each other for recreation. Fellas it seems like we have our priorities all mixed up. But what else is new.

[Ellen Dagenhart]

Nanette Matthews, you need to get in this century. Obviously you are not visiting the same downtown Durham that I am. When I go downtown, which is often, for both business and entertainment, I see a vibrant art scene, busy restaurants, a colorful & crowded farmers market, lots of construction underway all over the place, great ballgames at DBAP, shiny new/old buildings and plenty of pedestrians on foot. Open your eyes and your mind and come out on the walking tours focused on architecture, civil rights, and the tobacco heritage of Durham. Go visit the galleries at DAC. Go to the movies at the beautiful Carolina Theatre. There is plenty that is new and much that is restored.