By Sara StrongWith the Luverne Economic Development Authority Director leaving in less than a month, the city started advertising the position.However the LEDA questions how that process started, and objected to it Tuesday.LEDA member Isaac DeBoer said to the City Council, "The EDA has been left in the blind on this."Advertising for the position comes on the heels of the LEDA trying to revamp how the position is supervised. The LEDA proposed at its last meeting that it, as a board, hire and supervise the director.Meanwhile, City Administrator Greg LaFond said the city needs to hire someone to fill the vacancy as soon as possible.The LEDA not only objected to the advertising without its supervision, but to the new job description of the position.The position was advertised as a "coordinator" rather than director, as it is currently.Coordinator is a lower ranking position.LEDA member Nate Golla said, "We’re concerned that we’re taking a step backward. Luverne is in a position to do more economic development than ever before, and this position seems like almost an administrative assistant. … It also puts more responsibility on the city administrator, who, as I understand it, already has a full-time job."Golla said that a director would be able to give his or her entire focus on economic development, rather than LaFond leading efforts with help from a coordinator.LEDA member Karis Gust said that while LaFond may have economic development and marketing skills — designing a system around an individual’s strengths doesn’t guarantee that individual will be working for the city in the future. In other words, a future administrator might not be suited to lead economic development.LaFond said, "Whether the title is coordinator or director or the job description changes, we’re getting good applicants who can fill the position."The job’s changesEven though the LEDA tried at its last meeting to get more control over the director’s position, the hiring and job profiling is still in the administrator’s hands.The new advertisement and job description includes more authority and involvement of the city administrator. The listed salary is in the range of $14.38 to $16.13 per hour.The general description includes assisting the administrator in planning and carrying out various economic development tools. The employee would also work as a liaison between the city and various community and state economic groups, as is currently the case.It was advertised as requiring a bachelor’s degree with major coursework in economic development, local and urban affairs, planning or related field and two years experience.