St. Joseph Adds Community Development Director to City Staff

ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph is adding an economic development specialist to its city staff.

The city recently hired Therese Haffner as a Community Development Director. City Administrator Judy Weyrens says she will be starting on April 4th at a wage of $62,258.

"She was a former planner associate at Sartell and in 2014 she accepted a position as Community Development Director for the City of Becker," Weyrens says.

Weyrens previously said St. Joseph paid $35,000 in 2015 for an economic development consultant to do similar work for just one day a week. The consultant resigned for a new job last year and recommended the city hire a full-time development director.

The city council approved adding the position by a 3-2 vote in November.

The director will work on economic development and planning for the city. They will develop marketing strategies and coordinates meetings for the EDA.