PANAMA CITY — The Panama City Downtown Improvement Board has named Jared Jones as its new director.
Chairman Jim Hayden told the board Jones agreed to a $42,000 a year salary with health benefits valued at $626 a month. The board also voted on a $40 a month cellphone credit for Jones’ personal phone. He was hired last week but not announced until Tuesday’s DIB meeting.
Jones has hit the ground running in his first two days, volunteering 18 and 15 hour days at Oktoberfest. He has also started pouring over the group’s financials. He has already suggested going with a new port-o-potty company to reduce overall costs for events by more than $300 and found that the group is paying on a postage meter it’s not even using.
“We need to make sure we’re running a responsible business,” Jones said. “We need to be responsible with the money we’re given.”
Jones has nine years of experience in sales, event management and logistics most of it spent with the cable company WOW! He has lived in Panama City since 1994 except for four years while attending the University of West Florida where he received his bachelor’s degree in 2004 and 10 months in Cincinnati right out of college working in logistics for GE Aviation: Aircraft Engines.
“I found out what Cincinnati winters are like and I came back,” he said.
He has an MBA from Phoenix University. Jones has experience with events helping to create the Panhandle Star event for WOW! and organize Acton Up With Downs Buddy Walk event for fundraising for Down syndrome.
Besides getting a picture of finances, the new director’s other immediate goals include selecting a Main Street coordinator, creating better cash management procedures and getting the DIB on a schedule to organize events three to four months ahead of time.
In addition to finances and event management, Jones other duties include economic development of the downtown area.
“There is a ton of potential downtown,” he said. “There’s unlimited potential waiting to be tapped into.”
Hayden has been volunteering as director since Dutch Sanger resigned effective in early September.
“I’m just happy he’s here,” Hayden said.
In other business, the board:
- Reported beer sales from Oktoberfest. The group brought in $6,576 with a cost of $2,149 for a profit of $4,427. This does not include the primary tent operated by Panache Tent and Event.
- Approved extending Hogs and Grogs events, the second Thursday of each month, into November. The group also discussed adding two food vendors for the one-block event.
- Renewed insurance with Preferred Government Insurance Trust for $7,500 a year, up from $5,000 the group paid last year.