Skinner Named Community Development Director For City
December 29, 2020 at 11:45 p.m.
Skinner Named Community Development Director For City
By David [email protected]
He will assume his new role on Friday.
Skinner has managed the Department of Building and Plan as department head since he was first hired by the city in 2004 as the city planner, according to a news release from the city. Skinner came from Huntington County where he worked as an associate planner after graduating from the Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning in 2001. He will be stepping down in his role as city planner and department head at the end of the year.
Under Skinner's leadership, he has strengthened and expanded building inspection, code enforcement and land use planning, and other traditional services of the Building and Plan Department, the release states.
As city planner, he also has focused on addressing the city goals of economic development. The department has grown to expand the role of tax increment finance in the promotion of business attraction and retention. The Redevelopment Commission now oversees three traditional and two residential tax-increment finance districts.
The release states Skinner “has played an important role in the development of the Warsaw Technology Park and the recent annexation and infrastructure improvements of the Airport Industrial Park.”
His department has grown to provide administration and oversight to critical infrastructure and building projects for the city, designed to improve quality of life and stimulate talent attraction.
Skinner’s new role will allow him to focus on the community development work responsibilities that have broadened under his leadership as city planner.
Among his first priorities will be to develop and expand market rate and affordable work-force housing opportunities for the city, the release states. Other areas of focus will include the continued development of opportunities for industrial growth and expansion at the Warsaw Tech Park and the Airport Industrial Park. He will continue to have leadership and oversight of Warsaw Redevelopment Commission tax increment finance districts and also maintaining the Warsaw Technology Park state certification.
In a telephone interview, Skinner said his new position and department has to do more with the maturation of the growth and development of the city. The Building and Planning Department deals primarily more with building taking place and zoning. Skinner said the Building and Planning Department has been in transition the last two to three years for Senior Planner Justin Taylor to take over as Skinner has worked more on economic development.
As the community development director, Skinner said he will be able to focus more on economic development.
“When we look at economic development in the city, it’s taken more of my time, so this prioritizes (my economic development work) by creating the new department,” he said.
For the first couple of years, the departments will be transitioning as the Building and Planning Department changes a little as far as management, Skinner said. He’ll still be working for the city so he’ll be able to assist the Building and Planning Department on projects as needed.
The Warsaw Common Council approved the position and salary in October. The maximum biweekly wage for the director of community development in the Economic and Redevelopment Department will be $3,192.31, or $83,000 per year, under the salary ordinance approved by the council. The salary would be the third highest in city government.
He will assume his new role on Friday.
Skinner has managed the Department of Building and Plan as department head since he was first hired by the city in 2004 as the city planner, according to a news release from the city. Skinner came from Huntington County where he worked as an associate planner after graduating from the Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning in 2001. He will be stepping down in his role as city planner and department head at the end of the year.
Under Skinner's leadership, he has strengthened and expanded building inspection, code enforcement and land use planning, and other traditional services of the Building and Plan Department, the release states.
As city planner, he also has focused on addressing the city goals of economic development. The department has grown to expand the role of tax increment finance in the promotion of business attraction and retention. The Redevelopment Commission now oversees three traditional and two residential tax-increment finance districts.
The release states Skinner “has played an important role in the development of the Warsaw Technology Park and the recent annexation and infrastructure improvements of the Airport Industrial Park.”
His department has grown to provide administration and oversight to critical infrastructure and building projects for the city, designed to improve quality of life and stimulate talent attraction.
Skinner’s new role will allow him to focus on the community development work responsibilities that have broadened under his leadership as city planner.
Among his first priorities will be to develop and expand market rate and affordable work-force housing opportunities for the city, the release states. Other areas of focus will include the continued development of opportunities for industrial growth and expansion at the Warsaw Tech Park and the Airport Industrial Park. He will continue to have leadership and oversight of Warsaw Redevelopment Commission tax increment finance districts and also maintaining the Warsaw Technology Park state certification.
In a telephone interview, Skinner said his new position and department has to do more with the maturation of the growth and development of the city. The Building and Planning Department deals primarily more with building taking place and zoning. Skinner said the Building and Planning Department has been in transition the last two to three years for Senior Planner Justin Taylor to take over as Skinner has worked more on economic development.
As the community development director, Skinner said he will be able to focus more on economic development.
“When we look at economic development in the city, it’s taken more of my time, so this prioritizes (my economic development work) by creating the new department,” he said.
For the first couple of years, the departments will be transitioning as the Building and Planning Department changes a little as far as management, Skinner said. He’ll still be working for the city so he’ll be able to assist the Building and Planning Department on projects as needed.
The Warsaw Common Council approved the position and salary in October. The maximum biweekly wage for the director of community development in the Economic and Redevelopment Department will be $3,192.31, or $83,000 per year, under the salary ordinance approved by the council. The salary would be the third highest in city government.
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