Grand Traverse County commissioners will consider restructuring the county's economic development corporation (EDC) board at their 6pm meeting Wednesday at the Governmental Center.

Though a nine-member board by statute, the EDC currently only has four members serving: Peter Strom, Peter Albers, Gerald Chefalo and Commissioner Alisa Kroupa. County staff are recommending changing the structure of the board from eight citizens-at-large and one county commissioner to six citizens-at-large and three county representatives (two county commissioners and the county administrator or a designee). Responsibilities for the board have dwindled in recent years after the region's revolving loan fund was transferred over to the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority - formerly overseen by the EDC board - split off into a separate board in 2008. The EDC board is still responsible for issuing tax-exempt revenue bonds. and staff hope restructuring its membership will help renew "the emphasis to retain and attract new businesses, re-energizing/repurposing the EDC board." Board members will serve six-year terms.

If commissioners approve the changes, they will also consider appointing an additional county commissioner and County Administrator Tom Menzel to the EDC board Wednesday, as well as forming an ad hoc committee to select three new citizen-at-large members for the board.