June 24th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
WCBC News has learned that Paul Kelly will be stepping down as executive director of the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation after nearly three years on the job. According to an internal memo obtained by WCBC News, the CEDC board is expected to address the situation at a mid July staffing meeting. Kelly, who worked as a private practice attorney for a decade before taking the CEDC job in July of 2017, declined to comment when contacted by WCBC News. CEDC board chair Jonathan Hutcherson was not immediately available. With Kelly’s resignation not yet officially submitted, several board members contacted by WCBC News declined to comment publicly, but did confirm the story. The CEDC was formed in July 2015 by vote of the mayor and City Council with the charge of trying to bring businesses and jobs to Cumberland. Among some of the higher profile projects: the Rolling Mill redevelopment and the redesign of the downtown mall. At least one source told WCBC News that Kelly was frustrated last month when long discussed merger plans between the CEDC and Allegany County fell through- and that may have played a part in his decision to leave the position.
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June 24, 2020 at 4:49 pm, mac said:
The CEDC was formed in 2015. Just exactly what do they have to show as a result of their efforts?
June 24, 2020 at 7:26 pm, Jay said:
Kelly’s resignation should make the crowd around here ecstatic.
June 24, 2020 at 8:34 pm, Ken said:
Jay, why shouldn’t we the taxpayers be excited? What has he done? What has he completed?
June 24, 2020 at 4:52 pm, Kevin said:
Well, some good news today . . .
June 24, 2020 at 5:39 pm, Hoagie said:
Matt Miller will have to continue to stand there looking like a doofus as usual while it crumbles around him! CEDC has been bending the town over with no lube for years.
Absolutely no completed projects. They just love spending other people’s money. Basically Cumberland’s gold-digging wife.
June 24, 2020 at 8:41 pm, Ken said:
Hey! Matt can still point to his Wing Off festival and what a success it is for the city! OHHH WAIT! He moved that festival outside the city to county property and created it into a camping event resulting in less city hotel rooms being occupied. Another flaming success for the CEDC!
June 24, 2020 at 6:48 pm, Steve said:
Oh Well…Maybe the walls are caving in. Mayor better watch, a Federal or official State Investigation could do a lot of damage. Once again, the Citizen’s of Cumberland are F’D
June 24, 2020 at 8:39 pm, Ken said:
Should we be shocked? Kelly didn’t get to take over County Economic Development the way he wanted; with no oversight and all the power and funds. Sounded like things were not going the way he wanted in terms of the Mall Manger position either because he wanted all the authority to oversee the position but didn’t want to fund the position. So he’s packing up his toys and leaving while the city is stuck to clean up his messes of projects he and Miller created all over the city.