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Plans for a development officer for the Village of Belledune will proceed as scheduled.

Last year, the village hired a consultant who compiled the Belledune Economic Development Strategy report, a report with recommendations for improving Belledune's economics, population and quality of life. A key recommendation was creating a position for an economic development officer at a cost of $50,000 annually.

Last winter, the council of the day agreed to set up a committee to find a suitable economic development officer, but with the May 12 municipal election bringing in new council members, Mayor Nick Duivenvoorden felt the idea should be revisited.

"There was some suggestion that maybe this council wasn't quite synchronized with the thinking of the previous council because the concept originated with the previous council," said the mayor, who was re-elected to a second term on May 12. "So, I thought we needed to get some clarification on there for the benefit of the committee."

He said the hiring committee requested that the mayor see how the new council felt about an economic development officer, and the topic was raised at the July 7 regular meeting of Belledune village council.

"They (the hiring committee) just wanted some reassurance that they were not going to end up going through this whole process only to bring a recommendation to council and have it turned down simply because this council did not think the village warranted having a person in that position."

Councillors Elaine Levesque Godin, Paul Daley, Jerry Guitard, Emmie Flanagan and Mario Lapointe all agreed with the idea of a development officer so the hiring committee will carry on as planned.

The mayor said it is unknown when the committee will be ready to unveil its favoured candidate to council.

"I do know they are going through an interviewing process...and I think they want to make sure in the end that they bring a very credible recommendation to council," concluded Mayor Duivenvoorden.