Opening creates ways to serve on JEDD board

One man’s decision to step down from the Joint Economic Development District led to another change.

The composition of the Perry Joint Economic Development District Board will change slightly after one member resigned.

Dick Dame, the JEDD board member who represents Perry area businesses, has resigned after serving on the panel for about nine years. The JEDD board voted to accept Dame’s resignation at a meeting on July 19, said Robert Dawson, who serves as chairman of the group.

Dame, a real estate developer and investor, said he stepped down for personal Perry Village Council not only must vote on Flenner’s move to the business representative seat on the JEDD board, but it also needs to choose a replacement for Flenner as the village’s JEDD member. and professional reasons.

“I just didn’t have enough time to do the job I wanted to do on the board,” said Dame, who described his four fellow members on the JEDD panel as “hard-working, wonderful people.” Dame resides in Madison Township, but has business interests in the Perry area, including Red Mill Golf, a mini-golf course and driving range located just off of North Ridge Road in North Perry Village.

He joined the JEDD board at the urging of then-Perry Township Administrator Wally Siegel.

“Wally asked me if I’d be interested, and I said, ‘Sure, I’d like to be of some help if I can.’ ”

Although Siegel has since retired from his administrative post, he serves on the JEDD board as Perry Township’s representative.

Dawson said Dame is “very knowledgable about the challenges of business” and has served the JEDD board well.

To replace him, the board is proposing to move Tim Flenner, who now acts on behalf of Perry Village on the JEDD panel, into the position of JEDD business representative.

Flenner, who lives in Perry Township, serves as vice president of commercial banking for ErieBank, and on Aug. 1 will be promoted to area manager of Lake County for the banking company.

JEDD board Vice Chairman Mike Cutler said Flenner is a good choice to fill the spot on the panel.

“(Flenner) has got a very strong financial background, which is very pertinent to JEDD and what we do there,” Cutler said, during the July 12 meeting of North Perry Village Council, on which he serves as president. “He’s very knowledgable with lending and money and the whole nine yards. So we would like to retain him on the board.”

For Flenner to be seated as JEDD business representative, he must be approved by North Perry and Perry village councils and Perry Township trustees. North Perry Village Council OK’d Flenner’s appointment on July 12, while township trustees are expected to vote on the same measure during their July 24 meeting. The next regular meeting of Perry Village Council is slated for Aug. 9.

Perry Village Council not only must vote on Flenner’s move to the business representative seat on the JEDD board, but it also needs to choose a replacement for Flenner as the village’s JEDD member.