Time for the Oxford Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to once again dust off the old Help Wanted sign and hang it on the front door.
That’s because Virginia ‘Ginny? Schomisch, the current executive director, is leaving after less than a year on the job.
On Friday, after speaking with DDA Chairman Pete Scholz and village President Sue Bossardet, Schomisch informed the DDA board via e-mail that she’s accepted a job with PM Environmental, a Lansing-based firm focused on environmental consulting and engineering. She’ll be working out of the Berkley office.
May 15 is her last day with the DDA.
‘My decision to leave was by and large a personal decision to advance my career,? Schomisch explained. ‘In addition, I’m getting married in the fall, and this new job puts me 50 minutes closer to my fiance and my home.?
Scholz is ‘extremely disappointed? that Schomisch is leaving.
‘I thought she had a lot of potential,? he said. ‘I thought her knowledge was a good fit for Oxford. I thought we were going to be able to start moving forward. I hate to lose her and have to start over again.?
That being said, Scholz doesn’t blame her for leaving.
‘I never want to fault anybody that’s trying to improve themselves or (take advantage of) the better opportunity,? he said. ‘I just wish her the best going forward.?
PM Environmental first appeared on Schomisch’s radar when she met the company’s CEO about a year ago as a finalist for a fellowship program.
When Schomisch recently saw a job posting for the company, she said, ‘I just decided to apply on a whim.?
Next thing she knew, she landed the job and is scheduled to start May 18.
‘It happened really quick,? Schomisch explained. ‘I couldn’t say no.?
Schomisch explained she’ll be doing architectural consulting, which ties in with her education ‘in a more direct way.? She has a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan(Ann Arbor) and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Eastern Michigan University.
‘It seems to fit a little bit more with my background,? Schomisch said ‘It will (involve) using my degrees on a more regular basis.?
Although she’s excited about her new job, Schomisch feels bad about leaving the DDA after such a brief tenure.
‘I definitely feel guilty,? she said. ‘That’s been my biggest struggle, really. It was a great position and it’s a great place to be. I’m definitely sad to leave. I’m going to miss it.?
Schomisch was hired as the DDA director on a part-time basis last July. The board voted to change her status to full-time in January and agreed to pay her an annual salary of $40,040 plus benefits, making her total employment package worth $52,155.
Prior to Schomisch, the DDA had been without a director, period, since July 2013.
The position had been eliminated from the budget in order to save money for the cash-strapped DDA, which was facing a deficit.
Schomisch is willing to help the DDA tie up loose ends before she leaves and serve as a resource to the next DDA director, should the board hire one.
‘It is not my intention to leave you all hanging, and I am more than willing to assist in the transition and help to keep things moving in a positive direction, as my time allows,? she wrote in her May 1 e-mail to the DDA board.
DDA officials are expected to discuss Schomisch’s resignation and what comes next at their 6 p.m. Monday, May 11 meeting.
Schomisch had many kind things to say about her experience in Oxford.
‘The people that I’ve met have been very welcoming and most people have been very, very nice to work with,? she said. ‘The board has been very supportive of a lot of the things that we’ve been trying to do.?
Ultimately, Schomisch believes one of the biggest issues the DDA must resolve is how the community views it.
‘Everybody does have a negative perception of the DDA,? she said. ‘I deal with (it) on a daily basis.?
The DDA has to work towards ‘correcting? this, in her view. Some of the process to accomplish this began on her watch and she hopes it will continue.
‘We’ve been working diligently (on) every single committee that we have to really make an impact in the downtown,? Schomisch said.
As an example, she cited the DDA board’s desire to set aside more money for the facade grant program, which provides financial assistance to business and property owners who wish to fix up the exteriors of their downtown storefronts and buildings.
The DDA’s proposed 2015-16 budget calls for increasing the facade grant budget from $5,449 to $15,449.
DDA officials recently approved a facade grant request for Valor Salon, located at 26 E. Burdick St., for an amount not to exceed $3,900, which is 50 percent of the project’s proposed cost.
Schomisch noted the DDA’s also been working to combat its negative public perception by looking into potentially extending the decorative street lights along Washington St. to the downtown district’s north and south ends as opposed to having them all concentrated in what’s considered the core area.
Over the years, business and property owners in the downtown district’s north and south ends have complained that ‘the majority of the (DDA) money has gone to the core couple blocks? and they receive no benefits for the taxes they pay, according to Schomisch.
‘Everybody’s aware of that concern.?