Officials hope committee can keep business

BROOKLYNCity leaders hope a committee charged with cultivating and preserving business opportunities here will keep at least one major employer from moving out of town.

At the same time, the newly formed committee is expected to offer suggestions on how best to promote the city's existing corporate residents and improve their bottom lines.

Economic Development Director Fran Migliorino said she recently pushed for legislation to be approved to form the committee partly in order to generate ideas on promoting economic development.

"We needed a system in place to make really good recommendations," she said.

But a cutthroat economic climate also had a lot to do with the committee's formation, she said, as nearby cities are offering Brooklyn businesses incentive packages to relocate within their borders.

The committee will hold a public meeting on July 22 for organizational purposes, Migliorino said.

According to legislation approved by council, the city's Economic Development Committee will include the mayor, law director, one member of council, the finance director and economic development director, along with the building commissioner and one citizen from the business community.

The council member will be approved by a majority vote of council, and the citizen from the business community will be appointed by the mayor and approved by council.

The business representative does not necessarily have to be a resident, nor own a business in the city, Migliorino said. Both candidates will be announced at the July 22 organizational meeting.

She said the committee would quickly begin putting in place a system for economic development to attract businesses and retain businesses in Brooklyn.

"This committee is not only a recommending body but it's also going to be a think-tank body as far as putting economic development programs in place," she said. "You have to get the visionaries together and I think we've done a good job of that."...