City of Belleville’s director of economic development resigns
The city of Belleville’s director of economic development, planning and zoning has resigned.
Cliff Cross, 52, is moving to take a similar job in a small city in central Georgia. He described it as a good opportunity that will put him in a stronger position for retirement.
“I became a director when I was very young,” Cross said Monday. “I’ve been in that role for almost 25 years. At some point, I’ve got to start thinking about myself and my family and slow down a bit, too.”
The resignation comes two months after Mayor Jenny Meyer defeated former Mayor Patty Gregory in the April 1 election. Gregory hired Cross in 2021, shortly after defeating the late former Mayor Mark Eckert.
Cross said Monday that it made sense for him to start exploring other possible job opportunities earlier this year.
“When you go through these elections as an appointed director, you start putting out feelers a month or two before the election, just in case your mayor doesn’t get reelected and the new mayor says, ‘We don’t want you,’” he said.
“But I want to be clear, that’s not the case with Jenny. She has not done anything to make me feel I’m not wanted.”
Meyer verified that Cross wasn’t asked to resign. She said he verbally told her late Friday afternoon that he would be leaving and submitted a formal letter that evening.
Meyer announced Cross’s resignation to city employees in an email on Monday morning.
“We’re business as usual,” she told the BND. “We will start advertising for the position, I believe tomorrow, and we’re going to get the position filled. We wish Cliff nothing but the best of luck.”
Cross said he got several offers before accepting the job of community development director in Perry, Georgia, the county seat for Houston County, about 100 miles south of Atlanta.
The city’s current director is retiring in July, according to a May 22 story in The Houston Home Journal.
“The city went through a selection process last week during their special called meeting about personnel and their final selection was Clifford Cross,” the story stated.
Georgia tourist literature describes Perry as a slow-paced city with a “charming” historic downtown, fairgrounds and “agricenter” that hosts everything from rodeos to concerts.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Perry’s population went from 13,839 people in 2010 to 20,624 in 2020 and now is estimated at 24,792. That compares to 40,560 in Belleville.
Cross’s starting salary in Perry will be $123,000 a year, according to Communications Director Tabitha Clark. In Belleville, he went from earning $107,000 in 2021 to $119,267 today.
Cross’s last day will be Friday.
“I’ll make sure that everything’s set in place so there will be a smooth transition,” he said.
Cross said he’s proud of the economic growth and revitalization that took place in Belleville on his watch, as well as an economic-development strategy that he helped create.
“I hope it becomes a key component in moving forward,” he said.
In 2021, Cross replaced Annissa McCaskill, economic development director under Eckert. He had been serving as director of planning and development for University City, Missouri.
Cross previously worked in Kankakee and Salem, Illinois; South Padre Island, Texas; Duluth, Georgia; Martin County, Florida; and Auburn, Alabama.
Meyer said in April that she wasn’t taking office with a list of hirings and firings, as is common. She planned to make staff decisions in early June after having one-on-one meetings with department heads.
Reporter Mike Koziatek contributed to this story.
