Pryor Creek EDTA reviews renewed MOU with Main Street ahead of June deadline

The Pryor Creek Economic Development and Tourism Authority trustees on May (date not specified) reviewed a proposed memorandum of understanding with Pryor Creek Main Street that must be renewed before June 30 to continue the partnership for the coming year.

The MOU under discussion would expand Main Street’s expectations to include management of a streetscape project, administration of façade funding, activation of vacant storefronts and implementing downtown design standards, Main Street representative Bridget said. “This partnership is just 1 of many that it will take to make this happen,” Bridget said.

Trustees were asked to review the draft and return suggested changes at the next meeting; the item was placed on a future agenda for action. The EDTA emphasized that the proposed MOU does not itself give Main Street unilateral authority to submit grant applications on behalf of the city or the EDTA without express approval.

EDTA members clarified grant-application procedures after questions from trustees about a near-term grant deadline. The board said that if Main Street applies for a grant as the city’s lead applicant, the application must be approved by the Pryor Creek City Council. If Main Street would apply on behalf of the EDTA, the EDTA must give express approval beforehand because the MOU allows Main Street to manage grants and certain management fees could trigger payments to Main Street (the board discussed a 1–3% application fee and about 5% management payout in prior grants).

Trustees said some prior streetscape grant work had no payment built into the grant to reimburse Main Street because there was not clear, prior approval for those payments. Trustees and the mayor agreed that many grant opportunities require case-by-case review to determine whether the municipality or the EDTA must be the applicant and to avoid duplicate, disjointed applications.

The board did not vote to approve the MOU at the meeting; it will be held for further review and possible action at the next scheduled meeting.

The discussion included requests that Main Street and EDTA coordinate on timelines and that EDTA place any required grant-application approvals on a public agenda so the relationship and payment triggers are explicit.

The EDTA said Main Street may still apply for grants as an independent organization, but any application claiming city or EDTA sponsorship must include that entity up front.