Mayors come and go, but the legacy they leave behind can affect communities for a long, long time.

For example, consider Randy Stephenson, mayor of Dexter.

Stephenson didn't run for reelection this year, ending a 22-year career in public service, including eight years as a council member and 14 as mayor.

He will remain as the town's fire chief and a part of the Dexter Community Club.

Stephenson has no "parting shots" for his successor, Joe Gardner, newly elected mayor, or the Dexter City Council. Instead, Stephenson has nothing but praise and best wishes.

That and a few words about a controversial economic development tool that, he says, has worked for Dexter.

"Dexter was one of the first to use Tax Increment Financing and it worked well for us," Stephenson said.

It was 15 years ago that the Dexter City Council approved creating a TIF district to spur economic development and take care of blighted areas in the community.

By abating the payment of taxes for a definite period of time, the TIF district allowed developers to pour money into projects, that otherwise might have been impossible to develop.

The Mill Inn motel and bar project is proof positive how TIF worked well for Dexter.

"It proved to be a valuable economic development tool for us as far as the Mill Inn project was concerned," Stephenson said. "Now, that the city has recouped its monies -- $40,000, I think, was the amount we put into the project -- you can see how TIF helped us," he said.

The Mill Inn TIF district was one of five created by the Dexter City Council.

Others helped the community take care of blighted areas including an old abandoned creamery and a Main Street storefront.

"TIF in Dexter did exactly what it was created to do: clean up blighted areas and rehabilitate properties and help economic development," Stephenson said.

Stephenson said, "I don't take credit for any of this. It's the city council. I just presented ideas. They studied them and then approved them. They're the people who deserve the credit for helping Dexter with TIF."

The out-going mayor said he believes the latest McNeilus Companies of Dodge Center, Inc. project will be the "biggest and most successful TIF project yet" for Dexter.

The Dodge Center-based company is building a new distributor and/or manufacturing facility near the Mill Inn with the help of TIF benefits.

The Development Corporation of Austin and Mower County also have substantial roles in the project, which could result in the creation of a minimum of 12 new jobs and as many as 40.

The city of Dexter is extending water and other utilities to the site and building a new water tower to handle the anticipated capacity of the new plant.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com