By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

PELHAM—The Industrial Development Board met for a final time on June 4 as it voted to disband, making way for Pelham’s new Commercial Development Authority.

Members of the IDB Michael Smith, Lenny Glenn, Clay Johnston and Clay Alford unanimously voted to disband the board. The Pelham City Council appointed Clay Alford and Lenny Glenn to the IDB during a June 2 meeting, in order to ensure the quorum necessary to dissolve the board.

“It has been multiple years since we’ve had any new business brought before this committee,” Smith said.

“We’re following a course set out by our legal advisors to the city,” Councilman Ron Scott said of the IDB’s last meeting, adding the CDA “will be able to officially receive” the $108,000 in the IDB’s account.

The money in the IDB’s account will be transferred to the city, and then appropriated to the CDA by the City Council, Pelham Finance Director Tom Seale explained.

Scott said he expects the five members of the CDA, Dr. Tim Alford, Tracey Morant Adams, Clay Alford, Lenny Glenn and Thomas Martin, to meet “within the next 30 days” to determine a mission statement and formulate “six month, one year and five year objectives.”

The CDA will immediately focus on identifying Pelham’s retail gaps, revitalizing the city’s current commercial sector and recruiting new retailers to the city.

Scott indicated particular interest in bringing clothing stores, “upper-end restaurants” and a “destination retailer” to Pelham.

“Our service area is much greater than the city of Pelham,” Scott said, expressing a desire to draw shoppers from across the state to Pelham.

The CDA will also evaluate the city’s available property, creating a “priority list of property” ready for retail development, Scott said.