Monmouth reports on ARPA-backed business support; urban renewal agency approves two grants

Suzanne Duffner, Monmouth’s community and economic development director, reported to the city council on February 18 on several business-support programs funded with U.S. ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars and local partnerships.

The programs included a “Love Local” utility credit, a one-on-one business technical assistance program run with consultant Tori Stutzman of Sparklet Designs, rotating “Marketing Mondays” workshops with Independence, and a small-business resiliency grant program. Duffner said the city used ARPA funds to help businesses recover from COVID-19 and to build capacity for future shocks.

Duffner told the council the Love Local utility-credit program issued about $4,200 in credits in 2023 and $3,300 in 2024; those credits leveraged roughly $14,500 in local spending in 2023 and about $13,000 in 2024. She said the technical assistance program served 15 businesses, 11 of them minority-owned, providing services such as websites, photography and marketing. The small-business resiliency grants awarded about $131,000 and—according to the city—leveraged roughly $905,000 in private investment for projects such as HVAC upgrades and window replacements.

Councilors praised the programs’ effect on local vibrancy and cross-business collaboration. Several asked how the city could continue the one-on-one technical assistance—Duffner said staff are pursuing additional grants (including a tourism-strengthening opportunity) and local partnerships to extend the work, and suggested the Monmouth Business Association and Indie Commons as collaborators.

Separately, the Monmouth Urban Renewal Agency, sitting as a separate body later in the meeting, considered two general assistance grant requests tied to commercial properties in the city’s urban renewal district. The agency approved both requests by unanimous roll call votes.

- A grant of up to $4,300 (50% of an $8,645 project) to the owners of 1270–1282 Main Street E (known as Sonny’s Coffee and Plant Shop, which also houses a dog grooming and tattoo business) to replace 19 single-pane metal windows with higher-efficiency windows. The agency noted the property had received prior urban renewal assistance in 2023 and that the proposed work aligns with urban renewal goals for energy efficiency and tenant retention.

- A grant of up to $11,023.50 (50% of an estimated $22,047 project) to Homestead Property Management for a sewer-line replacement at 297 Pacific Highway North. Staff told the agency the existing line had failed during repair attempts; the proposed work would install a new, larger (6-inch) line on the Powell Street side to preserve future redevelopment capacity. Staff said the applicant was currently without water and sewer service and recommended expedited action.

Both grants require a signed grant agreement before work starts, inspections and receipts for reimbursement, and completion within one year. Staff said funds for the grants were budgeted in the urban renewal district’s grant line and that unspent grant funds roll forward for future eligible projects.

Duffner and Stutzman said city staff continue to use materials produced under the programs — photographs and video — for marketing and tourism outreach, and they emphasized that several training and peer-networking opportunities had improved local business cooperation. The council requested staff pursue additional grant funding and low-cost ways to sustain one-on-one technical assistance.

The meeting later moved on to other agenda items.