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Economic development contractor LSCP reports progress on West End hub, grants and business support
Summary
Christopher, representing LSCP, presented the organization's quarterly update on its multi-year contract with the city, highlighting West End Economic Hub activity, business grants and outreach, Redevelopment Ready Communities work, a strategic-planning role and upcoming events.
Christopher, on behalf of the Leelanau / local economic development partner (LSCP), gave the council a quarterly contract update and an overview of work under the city’s professional-services agreement. He traced the contract’s origin to 2022 and described how labor-hour buckets and focused priorities have evolved while the overall direct contract cost has remained stable.
Christopher said the LSCP’s work supported a year of expanded services in the West End, including the West End Economic Hub, expanded business-retention and expansion visits, quarterly workshops and multiple grant-writing successes on behalf of the region. He said the contract’s flexible labor bucket has allowed staff to supply extra capacity when the city or other partners faced staffing gaps.
On Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC), Christopher said that Ishpeming has achieved “essential” status and that staff expect certification to proceed once a rebranding rollout is complete. He also described a council strategic-plan effort LSCP is supporting, with public engagement slated to coincide with an Oct. 30 State of the City/community open house.
Christopher outlined several programs and events tied to the contract: a business-facing Small Business Celebration on Nov. 6, an expanded workshop series (Breakfast and Business and Business After Hours), online business audits and a new West End business webpage. He also summarized grant activity LSCP has supported — including a revitalization/placemaking grant and other state funding that brought staff time and more than $553,000 in awarded dollars to Marquette County via LSCP-managed proposals.
Council discussion focused on the value of the contract’s flexible labor hours and the visibility of services in the West End. No council action was taken. Christopher said LSCP will continue to coordinate with city staff and bring event and program updates to council as projects progress.
Ending
LSCP will provide the city with ongoing reports on West End hub activity, grant outcomes and strategic-plan milestones; the council thanked LSCP for its partnership.
