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Entrepreneurs and small-business beneficiaries urge Carroll County to continue funding Miller Resources program
Summary
Directors, small-business clients and beneficiaries described Miller Resources for Entrepreneurs as a critical local support program and asked commissioners to maintain funding or provide a transition plan if funding ends. Speakers said Miller has helped start hundreds of businesses and that 40 clients were in process.
Tom Mazurski, director of Miller Resources for Entrepreneurs, told commissioners the county-funded program helps people without formal business training start and run companies and urged officials to review the program's monthly reports and economic analysis when making a funding decision.
"Last season, when we had the budget debate, we were asked to do monthly reports and economic analysis. I need you to review them," Mazurski said. He said Miller has helped start "over 300 businesses" and served "over a thousand clients since I came here," and that "we have 40 clients in process" who would be affected if funding were cut. He asked commissioners to provide a transition plan if they choose to stop funding the program so clients in active cohorts are not left without support.
Several small-business owners and program alumni spoke in support. James Darryl Jones and Brian Cox described how Miller helped them with marketing, business-forming and bookkeeping basics; Cox said Mazurski "has always been positive and encouraging" during his attempt to purchase a local business. Registered nurse and entrepreneur BJ Phelps said she relied on the Miller Resource Center to start her business and would not have been able to afford the consultants and licensing work without that support.
Speakers emphasized the economic and community benefits of the program, including job creation and local entrepreneurship training, and asked commissioners either to continue funding or to provide time for the program to transition to other support partners.
Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the testimony and reminded attendees about upcoming budget sessions and the adoption timeline.
