The Harrison Township Committee announced during its meeting on June 2 that it plans to bring back an economic development group.
The goal of the Economic Development Committee (EDC) will be to attract new businesses to Mullica Hill in order to address the needs of residents, as well as to support existing businesses both small and large in the community. It will work closely with the joint land use board on how to handle things.
Committeeman TJ Coakley will lead the returning committee during its initial stages. He owned two businesses on Main Street and was a member of the Mullica Hill Business Association’s board for seven years.
“I see a vibrant and well-balanced combination of businesses on Main Street and in areas throughout town,” he said. “That’s important to the quality of life here in Harrison Township. I’m sure we’ve seen all those social media posts saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if there was an XYZ type of restaurant in town or what about bringing this business into town?’
“I always thought about how we could make that happen,” Coakley added. “I’m hoping that the EDC will be an avenue for meeting some of those needs within our town.”
The main difference between the EDC and the township business association is that while the former helps bring in and develop new businesses, the latter mainly manages them. EDC members are expected to be named over the summer.
The inspiration for the committee, according to Mayor Adam Wingate, was Pitman’s success with the idea.
“I’ve seen Pitman do a phenomenal job with their EDC over the last couple decades,” Wingate explained. “They’ve brought a lot of businesses into town. I’m very hopeful (for the EDC).”
The original EDC was disbanded about eight years ago, according to Township Administrator Dennis Chambers, partly because of division between members and the township government at the time. The concept of the returning EDC was introduced during the Harrison committee meeting through an ordinance, a public hearing for which will be held at the next committee session on Monday, June 16.
The committee will then vote on whether or not to officially approve the returning EDC.
