PORT TOWNSEND — Mark Jochems wastes no time setting the record straight:

The Jefferson County Economic Development Council is not an “evil” organization out to pave over the county and Port Townsend with thoughtless business development.

“We’re not promoting evil developers. We’re not promoting strip malls or Wal-Mart,” says Jochems, a marine diesel business owner who took over as the Economic Development Council’s board president late last year.

“What we’re doing is promoting jobs and opportunities to create jobs.

“And we’re promoting to create jobs on a scale compatible with Jefferson County.”

What that means, says Jochems, is small-scale business operations and manufacturers having five to 12 employees.

Achieving a balance between small, light industry and the environment is the direction EDC is headed, Jochems assured Wednesday in an interview at the council’s offices.

Those offices are now shared with the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce on the second floor of the Frontier Bank Building, 2200 Sims Way.

Listening to community

Jochems, joined by EDC Executive Director Tamer Kirac, said the EDC board is open to listening to every segment of the community, even those with concerns about what types of business locate in Port Townsend.

For example, he said, Stop Hollywood Video, a grass-roots Port Townsend group unhappy with corporate video rental giant Hollywood Video coming to a building on Sims Way, was invited to attend the EDC’s recent board meeting.

Although EDC is not taking a stand on Hollywood Video’s outlet, which is slated to open in July, Jochems says a new, more open EDC wants to clearly define its mission to the community.

“We’re trying to dispel the fears of strip malls,” Jochems says, adding that the county’s uniform development code is now more restrictive than Kitsap County’s.