News editor
Finding a new economic development director for Hillsboro seems to be like shopping for a new pair of shoes. Some may look great, but in the end, it’s the fit that matters most.
“We know the right combination has not yet come along,” administrator Larry Paine said. “We’ve looked at a number of people, and the combination is not exactly what we need here.”
The city came close in June when it made an offer to a candidate, but the city was turned down.
“The last person had another position, and I don’t think they were willing to leave it for what we were offereing,” Mayor Delores Dalke said.
Paine re-advertised the position regionally, and though there were more applicants to consider, none have panned out.
“We’re going nowhere fast,” Paine said. “Everybody that I talk to is immediately interested, then they fall off the table.”
Paine fell back on a cliché as he talked about what might come next in the search.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” he said. “We’re going to try to figure out other ways to find people that are interested and qualified to do this job.”
Paine indirectly suggested some candidates may have more interest in the job than they do in Hillsboro itself.
“At this point, it’s really trying to find somebody who will be an advocate for Hillsboro economic development like we’ve had in the past,” he said.