By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Teresa Huffman, county economic development director, has resigned effective May 8.

After submitting her resignation to county commissioners Monday, Huffman said she said she plans to retire. She plans to enjoy camping and spending time with her grandchildren.

“It’s just time,” Huffman said. “I have other things I want to do. I’ve worked all my adult life. It’s time for a different chapter.”

Asked what her greatest accomplishment is, Huffman said that would be up to the people she’s worked with.

“I’ve worked with a lot of young start-up businesses,” Huffman said. “I wrote grants and helped businesses start up and I know they appreciate it.”

Huffman said her job description has three legs: Business development, marketing, and tourism.

“A lot of people don’t understand that,” Huffman said. “Tourism in the state of Kansas is a multimillion dollar business and we need to do it.”

She said she has worked with existing businesses to help them stay operating and expand, and recruited businesses to the area.

“I have certainly done an excellent job marketing Marion County so that people knew we were here,” Huffman said. “We’ve got a business coming here from Illinois. He’s purchased a large building and will move his business here.”

Huffman said the Illinois business will be located in one of the county’s smaller communities, but the owner is not yet ready to publicly release information.

“Like anyone who’s been in public service as long as she has, I appreciate her service and wish her well,” Marion city administrator Roger Holter said. “Any time there’s a transition, there’s an opportunity for things to slip. We’ll just have to see what other economic development groups in the community can do to pull together and make sure those commitments are met.”

Peabody mayor Larry Larsen, mayor of Peabody, said economic development is needed in a small county with a declining population.

“I hope and pray county commissioners find someone in that role who can hit the ground running,” Larsen said.