Business Council board approves nearly $5 million in grant requests
Pinedale received $48,000 for a downtown revitalization plan
by Wyoming Business Council
December 3, 2010
The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors approved over $2 million in Business Ready Community grants and $2.8 million in Community Development Block Grants during its meeting today in Cheyenne, Wyo.
Division directors from the Business Council’s Business and Industry Division, Agribusiness Division, Rural Development and Main Street Division and the Director of Field Operations also provided updates to the Board.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
The board reviewed and approved 13 Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program applications totaling $2,863,713. The Business Council administers the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), which is a federally funded pass through grant program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Requests approved included:
Albany County
• Albany County received $299,843 for the Lincoln Community Center.
Big Horn County
• Lovell received $490,974 for demolition of its old hospital.
• Basin received $32,000 for a community master plan.
Carbon County
• Medicine Bow received $50,000 for town surveying and a zoning plan.
Fremont County
• Riverton received $500,000 for child development services facility improvements.
• Lander received $233,082 for child development services facility improvements.
• Lander received $50,000 for a Comprehensive Development Plan.
Natrona County
• Evansville received $335,064 for 5th Street road paving and storm drainage.
Sweetwater County
• Rock Springs received $500,000 for the Reliance Water Project.
Sheridan County
• The city of Sheridan received $9,750 for a North Main Neighborhood Study.
Sublette County
• Pinedale received $48,000 for a downtown revitalization plan.
Uinta County
• Mountain View received $15,000 for a school rehabilitation study.
Washakie County
• Washakie County received $300,000 for the Worland Children’s Resource Center.
BUSINESS READY GRANT APPLICATIONS
The board also reviewed four Business Ready Community Grant applications totaling $2,068,194. The funding is from the $53,923,898 available for this biennium. All recommendations for Business Ready Community (BRC) projects will be forwarded to the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB).
ABOUT THE BRC PROGRAM: The Business Council administers the BRC program, which provides the financing for publicly owned infrastructure that serves the needs of businesses and promotes economic development within Wyoming communities. The Business Council board is required by statute to forward BRC grant recommendations to the SLIB for a final decision.
The SLIB will meet Jan. 20, 2011 at 8 a.m. in Room B-63 of the Herschler Building, in Cheyenne, Wyo. The SLIB is made up of the five statewide elected officials: Gov. (elect) Matt Mead, Secretary of State Max Maxfield, State Treasurer Joe Meyer, State Auditor (elect) Cynthia Cloud, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction (elect) Cindy Hill.
Business Ready Community Business Committed applications:
Park County
• Approval was recommended for Powell to receive an additional $267,795 to complete the new building for Gluten Free Oats. Powell was awarded a $450,000 Business Committed Grant on Jan. 28, 2009 for the construction of a 2,880 square foot building for the expansion of Gluten Free Oats, LLC.
Platte County
• Approval was recommended for Guernsey to receive $495,639 to construct a 5,625 square foot metal building to house the expansion of Applied Research Associates (ARA) -Joint Training & Experimentation Center (JTEC).
Business Ready Community Readiness applications
Albany County
• Approval was recommended for Laramie to receive $805,050 for a 1,640 foot rail spur to be owned by the Laramie Economic Development Corporation, LLC for the creation of the South Laramie Trans-Modal site.
Goshen County
• Approval was recommended for Torrington to receive $499,710 to purchase and renovate a building for the purpose of an incubator, the Goshen Enterprise Center.
In additional business, Dr. William Gern from the University of Wyoming addressed the board about the importance of technology and innovation to the state’s economic development.
The mission of the Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. The Business Council, a state government agency, concentrates its efforts on providing assistance for existing Wyoming companies and start-ups, helping communities meet their development and diversification needs, and recruiting new firms and industries targeted to complement the state’s assets. For more information, please visit www.wyomingbusiness.org.
|
