Harry Colon, vice chairman of Coatesville's Redevelopment Authority, believes someone other than City Manager Harry Walker should be serving as its executive director.

"I'm just saying we should explore the options," Colon told the other three members of the five-member board present at last night's RDA meeting. "I feel you need a full-time RDA director not stressed out with running the city."

The RDA was formed shortly after Paul Janssen was hired as city manager. Since that time, the city manager also has served as executive director of the RDA. But, Colon suggested last night that Walker has enough to do running the city. "I just think we need a second set of eyes," said Colon.

Pat O'Donnell, solicitor for the RDA, said in big cities the RDA has its own executive director and staff. The question for Coatesville, he said, is whether the city is big enough to have its own RDA staff.

Colon suggested that a consultant could be hired and paid $1,000 plus commission on the sale of RDA owned land. Assistant City Manager Kirby Hudson, who also services as assistant RDA director, said the RDA doesn't own that much land.

The largest land tract owned by the RDA is the 26-acre Flats site. Mosaic Group of Philadelphia is hoping to purchase the former G.O. Carlson site and ArcelorMittal site for $5 million, more than twice the RDA purchase price.

Colon attempted to form a motion to find a replacement for Walker, but stopped when O'Donnell suggested Colon might want more time to find the exact wording for motion and revisit the issue at the RDA's next meeting on April 20.

Walker said the main reason for forming the RDA was because it could no things that the city could not do. The RDA is permitted to sell off property with a restriction on how it is to be development, something the city council can not do.

"How do you separate the two?" said Walker.