Marion County Economic Development Council is moving too much toward tourism, Hillsboro City Administrator Larry Paine said Tuesday at City Council meeting.

The board’s bylaws call for members to assist with trade shows promoting the county, Paine said.

“It’s not the right direction,” he said.

Council member Shelby Dirks said MCEDC should focus more on businesses and jobs.

Mayor Delores Dalke said she was concerned that the bylaws put too much power in the county economic development director’s hands to pick board members. Teresa Huffman is the development director.

Paine said that would put the director in the position of dictating policy to the board. He compared it to if he told city council members how to vote.

He said he didn’t think county commission was setting the right direction for the board.

No Hillsboro representatives resigned from the county development council.

A week earlier, four of the five Marion representatives resigned, stating they did not believe the mission of MCEDC was being followed.

At that time, Huffman stated that smaller cities were being heard and indicated changes in bylaws were the wishes of the smaller cities.