Council for the County of Huron voted to dissolve its Economic Development Board as it continues to deal with fallout from this year's budget cuts.
The current board, made up of two members of council and eight members of the public, was tasked with advising the County on local and regional economic development initiatives.
In April, a steering committee reviewed all of county's Boards and Committees, and recommended that Economic Development be dissolved for now.
Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan said it could always be brought back by future councils, but for now it had run its course.
"Unfortunately sometimes, I think our committees get into a routine and we don't get as much accomplished," he said. "Is there a purpose for the board? Absolutely. I think when the board first started, there was a lot that got brought back to county council and a lot of changes that did make a difference, but I'm not convinced that I've seen as much difference made from that board in the last few years."
Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn said, as the chair of the Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus Economic Development Committee, he couldn't support the decision.
"Every other county, in my opinion, is going in the opposite direction. They're doing more in the lines of economic development," said Ginn. "I think it was a bad decision to make some of the cuts we did in the personnel, in the budget meeting. I think this is one of the repercussions that maybe people didn't see when those cuts were made."
CAO Meighan Wark told council that with the terminations made this spring, the present economic development staff doesn't have the capacity to engage with the board.
Council already dissolved its Water Protection Steering Committee, Huron Clean Water Review Committee, Poverty to Prosperity, Sustainability Plan Steering Committee, Heritage Fund and Stewardship Council.
