Stillwater City Council Directs Staff to Look into Creating Event Coordinator Position

The Stillwater City Council on Tuesday night directed staff to look into the cost of hiring an events coordinator to organize a large community event in downtown Stillwater.

City staff will now look at list serves, determine what type of job descriptions would be applicable to a possible event coordinator position in Stillwater and how that position could be funded.

After doing research, city staff will bring the information back to the council for further discussion.

“We can go on Minnesota list serves and see what people are out there to be event coordinators,” City Administrator Larry Hansen said. “I’m sure we can find you a person, but once we find someone how do we fund it? That’s a question I have. But lets find a person with the skills, and worry about how to fund it after we hire them.”

Hansen’s comment drew laughs from the council, but Ward 3 Council Member Tom Weidner said because these events can be money-makers, the position could potentially be funded from revenues created as a result of the event.

“Frankly,” Hansen said, “I think we will have to be very creative in how we fund it. I’m not saying it can’t be done, but to fund it out of tax dollars is pretty tough.”

The council’s hope would be to hire a person this year, so an event could take place in downtown Stillwater next summer.