At the November meeting of the Cook County – Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA), Steve Grabko of Community Fundraising Solutions (CFS) reported on progress of the EDA’s commercial rehabilitation funding. Two projects in Grand Marais will be receiving grant funds from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)— The Garage and the Grand Marais Senior Center. However, Grabko reported that the projects had met with a bureaucratic roadblock.
Grabko explained that it is a requirement that any organization, such as the EDA, accepting commercial rehab funding must provide prevailing wage information. Unfortunately, Cook County is the only county in the state that has not had a prevailing wage study completed.
Grabko said this would push all of the paperwork for the commercial rehab projects behind about 30 days.
Grabko said fortunately he had gained approval from DEED to move ahead with the preliminary work on the project using prevailing wage information from Lake County. He said he will do all he can, but the projects cannot be finalized until the Cook County study is completed.
Nancy Grabko of CFS said the fact that this study was never done shows that Cook County has never been considered as a recipient of commercial rehab funds in the past. She said after this grant application, the county would not have this delay. “A few years from now, all of this will be completed and there won’t be any of this discussion,” said Nancy Grabko.
Nancy Grabko also reported on another housing initiative—rental assistance through the Section 8 program. She hopes to have a brochure for potential participants available soon.
She also presented a draft housing program mission statement and a five-year strategic plan. Both were reviewed and approved by the EDA board.
Finally, Nancy Grabko asked for authorization to hold an open house in December to give the community the chance to learn about the EDA Housing Program. The board agreed to hold the open house from 4 – 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 15. Grabko asked if a board member could help provide refreshments and Don Davison agreed to help.
In other business, the EDA board heard recommendations from the committee formed to make recommendations on marketing the Cedar Grove Business Park lots. A meeting was held, attended by Tim Kennedy, Jack McDonnell, Don Davison, Jim Boyd, Bruce Martinson and Hans Muessig of the University of Minnesota. The group gave a number of recommendations, but primary among them was that the EDA not hire the Golden Shovel agency at a cost of $12,500 for set-up and $350/ month maintenance. The group instead suggested that the EDA advertise for a website developer again, this time actively soliciting local website developers. The board directed the committee to proceed with advertising.
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