FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 5, 2007
For more information contact:
Rachel Girt
Manager, Marketing and PR
Wyoming Business Council
Office: 307.777.2851 Cell: 307.631.4681
Wyoming Business Council Board to convene in Gillette
CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Business Council Board of Directors will be in Gillette to consider grants during their meeting at 8 a.m. on Sept. 13 at the Gillette City Hall.
The meeting is available via streaming audio atwww.wyomingbusiness.org/livemeeting.aspx.
In addition to the meeting, there is an open community dialog on Sept. 13 with the Wyoming Business Council Board from 3:30-4:45 at the second floor community room of City Hall in Gillette.
Highlighting the meeting will be recommendations or decisions on nearly $12 million in grant funding to Wyoming cities, towns and counties.
Business Ready Community Grant and Loan Program (BRC):
Four Business Ready Community Grants worth $7.1 million will go before the board in hopes of a positive recommendation. The Business Council Board’s recommendations of BRC applications will be forwarded to the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB) for final decision at their Oct. 4 meeting in Cheyenne. That meeting will be held at 8 a.m. in room 1699 of the Herschler Building. SLIB is made up of the five statewide elected officials, Gov. Dave Freudenthal, Secretary of State Max Maxfield, State Treasurer Joe Meyer, State Auditor Rita Meyer and Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride.
The board will consider the following Business Ready Community Grant and Loan projects:
Carbon County seeks a Business Committed grant of $1,912,500 to reconstruct 13.2 miles of County Roads No. 1 and 3 to industrial standards. This would access the site of the proposed DKRW Medicine Bow Fuel & Power LLC’s coal-to-liquids plant. The goal of the project is to get the road work done in advance of construction of its $2 billion facility. The facility will require a construction crew of 2,000 and long-term employment will be 300. The facility will be the first that converts coal and other hydrocarbons into liquid fuels and other energy products.
The Northern Arapaho Tribe, in partnership with the Community Development Organization, Wind River Development Fund, seeks Business Committed grant in the amount of $1,278,000 to purchase and renovate a 17,000 square foot building located in Riverton. The building will be owned by the community development organization, Wind River Development Fund (WRDF) and leased to Wind River Healthcare Systems, Inc, (WRHS) a start-up community healthcare center. The primary goals of the project are to create 26 full time equivalent health service jobs over a three year period, and increase the availability of comprehensive health services.
Albany County seeks a $3,000,000 Business Committed grant to construct roads for the Pete Lien & Sons, Inc. quarry and lime plant to be located nine miles north of Laramie on US30/Highway 287. Approximately four miles of the road will be a paved, public access road. One and a half miles of the road will be a crushed gravel access road. A plant operations (haul) road to the quarry will be 3.75 miles in length and will be leased to the business for its exclusive use. Pete Lien and Sons will maintain the entirety of the road until the business ceases operations. The primary goals of the project are to diversify Albany County’s economy, increase the tax base, and add 29 well paying jobs over a three year period.
Teton County, in partnership with the community development organization Imagine Jackson, requests a Business Committed grant of $1,000,000 to construct a 4,000 square foot building to be owned by Imagine Jackson and leased to Square One Systems Design, a high-tech research and development firm. The building will be constructed in Lot #1 of the South Park Service Center located a few miles south of Jackson. The site is currently owned by Imagine Jackson after having been purchased by the town of Jackson, in partnership with Imagine Jackson, using Business Committed grant funds in June 2006. The new building will be two stories and will include space for prototype development, offices, conference room and two small studio apartments. The facility will have conference space to be used by Square One.
Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program
The Business Council Board will also offer recommendations on four Community Facilities Grant and Loan Projects (CFP) totaling $5,541,028. CFP projects are also subject to SLIB approval. That meeting will be held at 8 a.m. in room 1699 of the Herschler Building.
The board will consider the following Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program:
The city of Cheyenne requests a $1,451,269 CFP grant for renovation and remodeling of a vacant city-owned facility at 1317 Parsley Blvd. Grant funds would be used for design, asbestos abatement, renovation of the structure and some site work including roads and paving into the facility. Once complete, the building will serve as a youth center focusing on Cheyenne’s Latchkey program, summer recreation program and teen center. The community will also have the opportunity to use the facility for meeting and training space.
The town of Dayton is requesting a $1,500,000 CFP grant to redesign and renovate portions of the existing Tongue River High School. The structure will be utilized by the town in conjunction with the nonprofit, Tongue River Valley Community Center (TRVCC) once it is renovated. The space will be used for civic, cultural and social events; recreation; local business development; workforce training; conferences; small conventions; outreach college classes; sports activities; community gatherings and senior citizen meeting place.
The town of Hulett requests a $1,475,158 CFP grant to renovate the former Hulett Elementary School into community space. Once renovated the spaces would be used for a public library, senior center, kitchen (shared use by seniors and community), general meeting space, offices for the Hulett Area Chamber of Commerce and Hulett Area Economic Development Corporation (HAEDC), town administration and a gymnasium for recreation and school use.
The town of Medicine Bow requests a $1,115,001 CFP grant for renovation efforts to bring their Community Hall back into use. Once renovated, the facility will serve the youth and adults from the towns of Medicine Bow, Elk Mountain and Hanna with events such as community meetings, election polling center, kid’s movie night, Scouts meetings, dances and recreation events.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Five Community Development Block Grants worth $537,948 will also be considered at the meeting. The Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) is a federally funded pass through grant program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Wyoming has received an annual allocation from a low of $2.2 million, to a high of $3.7 million. The allocation for 2007 is $3,245,104. SLIB approval is not required for CDBG grants.
The board will consider the following CDBG applications:
The city of Riverton requests a $282,948 CDBG infrastructure grant. This award will pay for engineering and design work necessary to lay the sewer line, as well as its actual construction. An 8 inch gravity sewer main will be laid, extending the existing line that follows Honor Farm Road across Highway 26 to the site of the R & R Rig Service’s expanded facility located at 10749 N. Highway 789.
The town of Upton requests a $200,000 CDBG downtown development grant. The CDBG funds will be partnered with federal and state highway funds, as well as town funds and in kind contributions, to upgrade the downtown roadway, sidewalks, curbs and gutters. CDBG funds will be used exclusively to bring the sidewalks on Main Street into Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
Johnson County requests a $25,000 CDBG planning only grant. An Economic Development District, comprised of the coal bed methane impacted counties of Big Horn, Johnson, Sheridan and Washakie, is being created which will make federal funding available to help mitigate the negative consequences of this growth. To do so a Community Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) plan must be developed. The CDBG funds will be used to help pay the cost of preparing the plan.
Niobrara County requests a $25,000 CDBG planning only grant. Funds would be used to hire a consultant primarily to develop a long term (5, 10 and 15 year) financial plan that is based on the level of health care services that can be reasonably sustained.
The town of Riverside requests a $25,000 CDBG planning only grant. The funds will be used to hire a consultant to update the town’s comprehensive plan. Deliverables include: development of a GIS map, updated town zoning and ordinances, a site survey for slum and blight and the feasibility of extending current water and sewer lines to undeveloped areas.
WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL
Board of Directors Meeting
September 13, 2007
Gillette City Hall
TENTATIVE PUBLIC AGENDA
8:00 AM Public Meeting Convenes
Welcome & Introductions – Co-Chair
Karla Fiebelkorn
8:20 Minutes Approval
May 30, 2007
8:30 - Community Development – Donna Kinskey, Chair
Business Ready Community Program
Community Facilities Grant/Loan Program
Community Development Block Grants
10:00 - Business Development – Ric Asherman, Chair
Loan/Portfolio
Wind River Development Fund
Bank of Star Valley
First National Bank of Laramie
Contracts
Small Business Development Center
GRO-Biz
WY Women’s Business Center
Travel & Tourism Contracts (FYI Only)
11:00 - Personnel, Budget & Audit – Gus Fleischli, Chair
Financials
Personnel
Strategic Plan
11:45 Other Business
Next Meeting Date & Location
December 5 & 6 – Cheyenne, WY
Noon Adjournment
Noon Lunch Break
1:00 PM - Tour Economic Development Sites of Gillette
(City will provide transportation)
3:30 – 4:45 PM Open Dialogue with Community – City Hall
The mission of the Wyoming Business Council is to facilitate the economic growth of Wyoming. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.wyomingbusiness.org.
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