COOS BAY — The city of Coos Bay is looking more closely at hiring an economic developer, though it’s still a question whether that means the city will operate its visitor information center.

City Manager Chuck Freeman presented a proposal to the City Council on Tuesday that would add the position, while distancing the city from two community partners. The council agreed that a developer would help and assigned a committee to look at how to fund a position. But councilors sharply divided on the merits of Freeman’s proposal.

The most contentious issue revolved around where the developer fits in with discussions about the visitor center. Also simmering at the edge of the discussion was the question of what kind of businesses the councilors think should be the focus of economic development. Some argued that they need to fill up empty storefronts, while others see a need for a big industrial employer.

The city has issued a request for proposals to supervise volunteers at the center, a task currently overseen by the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. But Freeman’s proposal has the city’s Joyce Jansen doing the work, while continuing to manage its virtual business incubator. He also suggests discontinuing the $25,000 annual payments to South Coast Development Council. The city would continue to pay its $10,000 membership fee.

Assuming the economic developer costs the city $123,500 in wages and benefits, Freeman said the changes would only net the city $67,000 in additional costs.

“It is a game changer,” he said, noting the city currently doesn’t have the expertise in-house to attract new retail businesses.

Everyone at the table agreed the city needs to do more to attract business to the area, but they disagreed about whether to include the visitor center in the discussion.

Councilors Mark Daily, Stephanie Kramer and John Pundt said it made sense to deal with them together.

“I think the visitor center is a tool for economic development,” Daily said. “That’s a major contact to the outside world.”

The other councilors and Mayor Jeff McKeown had several reservations about the proposal.

Councilor Joanie Johnson argued that the new SCDC director should get a year to try and attract new businesses to Coos Bay. Councilors Jon Eck and Gene Melton raised concerns about whether it was fair to expect Jansen to run the center while continuing with her current assignments.

And all four were reluctant to put money toward an economic developer at the expense of efforts to attract a large employer to the area.

“Economic development needs to be community-based, not city-based,” said Eck.

Freeman defended his proposal, saying the city needs to look out for its own interests in addition to the community-based approach. He also suggested the new developer would create greater efficiencies so that Jansen could get both jobs done.

“I’ve been managing people since 1981,” he said. “This will work.”

Daily agreed with the councilors who supported the SCDC, noting that the area’s cities need to work together to promote themselves. But he said it is foolhardy not to look out for Coos Bay’s interests, too.

“SCDC was established to bring in bigger entities because we are in competition with other counties,” he said. “But at another scale, the city is in competition with our partners. It’s a dance.”

The discussion about management of the visitor center ended in a stalemate — the council is waiting for bids from prospective managers.