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Mananak EDC outlines housing, childcare and brownfields work to Cheshire County commissioners
Summary
The Mananak Economic Development Corporation told commissioners it is shifting toward housing gap financing, childcare facility renovations and EPA-funded environmental remediation, and flagged a pending EPA grant announcement and local zoning hurdles for childcare providers.
Cody Morrison, executive director of the Mananak Economic Development Corporation, told the Cheshire County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 12 that the nonprofit is shifting program priorities toward housing, childcare and environmental remediation to support business growth and workforce needs. "We have developed a regional housing development fund that can provide gap funding for developers," Morrison said, describing the agency’s role filling the "last 10%" of project financing that private lenders and traditional programs will not cover.
Morrison said MEDC recently helped close on a 57-unit apartment project in Keene using gap capital and is working with local businesses to line up additional investments. He also described a newly refined childcare renovation program — developed in partnership with New Hampshire Child Care Aware — that helps home-based providers navigate licensure and zoning while funding small physical upgrades (fencing, handrails, boiler enclosures) to meet safety requirements.
On environmental work, Morrison said the organization’s board approved a grant request for a local EPA-funded remediation project and that a formal announcement is expected in March, subject to federal paperwork. He said the EPA-funded program focuses on cleaning contaminants from old industrial sites so properties can be redeveloped for housing or business uses.
Commissioners and attendees pressed for details on two local properties: the Troy Mills site and the King Prairie property. Morrison said MEDC had previously owned some properties and that Troy Mills was acquired by an individual before his tenure; he noted a pending lawsuit involving the water commission that has constrained utility hookups and slowed potential housing build-out. County staff described that water-commission issues determine hookup counts and therefore affect how many units can be built.
Morrison also outlined organizational changes: plans to expand the MEDC board, a strategic-planning process to clarify governance and operations, and a renewed focus on both legacy development projects and newer programs. "We're at a growth point right now," he said, adding the nonprofit expects to hire at least one additional full-time staff member this year.
The presentation closed with reminders that MEDC works regionally and coordinates with municipal partners, nonprofit planners and state entities to assemble financing packages and ensure projects can reach the finish line. The presentation informed commissioners but did not include a formal action or vote; Morrison invited further questions and offered contact information for follow-ups.
