CLINTON - The city of Clinton will move forward with a retail development strategy designed to bolster economic development in the city and DeWitt County.

The City Council on Monday night approved a $55,000 agreement with the Fort Worth, Texas-based Buxton Corporation, which provides marketing tools to identify and recruit prospective businesses and retail opportunities.

Although the council OK'd the plan with a 4-1 vote, Mayor Ed Wollet said he's asked the DeWitt County Board to consider helping pay for the three-year contract. The county's finance committee is expected to consider the request, and the full board may vote on it Thursday night.

The Buxton program helps connect companies that are looking to expand with the city. Once the initial connection is made, Buxton does not get involved with recruiting the company. Buxton gathers its information through sales receipts provided by local and national organizations, such as credit card companies.

Commissioner Bryan Hickman, who along with the other three commissioners and Wollet attended last month's public meeting with Buxton representatives, said the city needs the service.

"This company knows how to conduct the research to figure out how people will spend their money," he said. "It's about analytical purchasing and what types of products our residents are purchasing out of town. Once we know that, we can attract those businesses, and that money can be spent in town instead."

Wollet agreed, noting that 57 percent of the retail sales tax in Clinton comes from automotive sales and gas stations.

"If Detroit has a recession, so do we," said Wollett, who will be the city's main contact with the company. "We need to spread that risk around, and by attracting new businesses we can do that."

Commissioner Jerry Milton was the lone vote against the expenditure, calling for the city to expand its borders to attract residents and businesses.

But Commissioner John Wise countered by saying the city has spent large portions of money in the past on economic development and has little to show for it.

"We have to be proactive in order to attract new businesses into town, and I think this service will help," Wise said. "We can't sit here and be stagnant. As a city and as a county, we have looked for economic development and it just hasn't worked like we anticipated. We have a large area here with Clinton Lake nearby that is just untapped.

"In the past, we have been passed by, but I think we have to move forward."