By Sara StrongDan Statema will serve his last meeting as Luverne Economic Development Director next month. He is resigning from the position effective mid-July.He said, "I’ve enjoyed working with the supportive EDA board."During his nearly two years with the city, Statema is proud of gaining designation in the Job Opportunity Building Zones and his work securing Greater Minnesota Infrastructure and the Small Cities Grants.The city is about to receive a special award from the Economic Development Association of Minnesota for business attraction, which is a noteworthy testament to Statema.He also worked with Total Card Inc. to get them to Luverne. That deal utilized JOB Zones and filled the vacant Tri-State building while bringing the promise of hundreds of new jobs to town. Nate Golla, LEDA board member, said that while big deals get more attention, smaller, frequent interactions with many businesses made Statema an effective LEDA director."I think he’s been a tremendous asset to the community and the position," Golla said. "He has served the city and the EDA well and he will be missed." Statema said, "I’ve enjoyed meeting many residents of the city and serving the community. … It’s a wonderful city with a lot of potential."Golla said he hoped Statema would find a way to stay in Luverne, because he’s a good person to have in the community — whether he’s employed by the city or not.Statema has no immediate plans for employment.Future of the positionThe LEDA board has said it’s interested in changing the way it does business.It formed a subcommittee of Golla, Isaac DeBoer and Mike Engesser to explore a contract that would give the LEDA board more control over the director.The director is a city employee now, and doesn’t answer directly to the LEDA.DeBoer said, "As an EDA board, we feel we should be able to give direction to the director, keeping in mind the city’s goals, because what we do, obviously, has to be approved by the City Council."With the council having to approve most LEDA action, the subcommittee proposed that the director be more accountable to the LEDA directly. The LEDA would hire, fire, review and set the salary for the director under this proposal.City Administrator Greg LaFond said giving the LEDA more power may be a good idea, but using other city staff, time and resources may not fit with the concept. "I am concerned about the city’s fiduciary responsibility," LaFond said.The LEDA will take action on the position and how it’s handled at a future meeting.