Economic Development Committee OKs minutes, plans property walkabout and pursues state grants

The Economic Development Committee approved last month’s meeting minutes and discussed a planned walkabout to inventory vacant properties as part of downtown revitalization efforts.

The committee’s public comment period opened with Patty Curran, of North Maple, urging the committee to investigate why past businesses left town. “I don't usually come to these meetings... I was just wondering if there has been any talk of it among you all as far as contacting the old businesses to find out exactly why they've left,” Curran said, asking whether departures reflected lack of community support, costs, or poor market fit.

Committee members said that reviewing turnover and contacting former business owners had been discussed previously and remains part of the committee’s thinking. One member said they have compiled corporate filings from the state for recent businesses and noted a list of businesses active in the past five years; that member said, “I have a complete list of every business and name and past business, in the last 5 years.” The committee agreed to use findings from those records during a planned walkabout to confirm vacant properties and refine applications for grant funding.

At the meeting, a committee member summarized recent YDA activity and grant pursuits. The member said the group is revising plans for a Beverly Cleary–themed community event and is preparing to attend an Oregon Main Street midyear meeting in Estuary to learn about resources and historic designation. The committee has submitted a revitalization grant application and discussed the state’s Diamonds in the Rough grant, which the member described as a $20,000 program that requires matching funds and is administered to property owners rather than through the committee. The member said Bellwether Insurance expressed interest in a grant conversation but may not meet the program’s 50-year building-age preference.

Formal action taken at the meeting was limited to approval of the prior meeting minutes. “I would motion to approve last month's meeting minutes as presented,” one committee member said; members answered “Aye,” and the presiding member directed that the record show the motion carried.

Committee members scheduled a walkabout to inventory downtown properties and said they will debrief afterward and continue work on grant details at the YDA meeting the following day. Several administrative clarifications — including the exact Diamonds in the Rough award amount (speakers alternately referenced $25,000 and $20,000) — remain to be confirmed by staff.

The meeting featured brief discussion and planning rather than policy decisions or funding approvals. The committee did not take further formal votes on grants or property actions during the session.