The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming
The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming
Wyoming Business Council northeast regional director Brandi Harlow spoke to the town governing body recently regarding a grant available within the next fiscal year for a business readiness study on the MTC building. This $25,000 grant must be matched at 25 percent ($6250) by the town.
Moorcroft Mayor Dick Claar put the question of committing the matching funds by resolution to his council at Monday’s meeting. “I’d like to do it, get this kicked out of here and, hopefully, we can get some solid information and help to get some business started up there,” he said.
To apply for the grant at this time entails obligating $6250 from next year’s budget before said budget has been evaluated, which concerned members of the body. Councilman Ben Glenn wanted assurance that committing moneys from an upcoming budget is allowed and was assured that Harlow said that they simply needed to create a resolution.
An issue with this situation is that if the town is not awarded this grant, the $6250 is nonrefundable. The body was silent as they digested this information, before Glenn said, “I guess I’m alright with that” and made the motion to create a resolution to allocate said funds.
The motion was carried with only Councilman Dale Petersen speaking against obligating next year’s budget at this time, saying, “I have a problem earmarking money before the budget is done.” He also noted the incongruity of spending money for this when the town faces other expensive problems.
This would be a Business Ready grant, unlike the structural assessment previously paid for with a similar grant more than a decade ago.
Harlow explained at an earlier meeting that this study is the first step to applying for funding through one of the business council’s two programs designed to help municipalities with these types of potential assets, the community enhancement program, which allows a maximum grant of $500,000 with a 20 percent match and the community readiness program, from which a town can apply for a maximum of $3 million with a five percent match.
