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Commission urges Fedco and ARDUR committee to build grant capacity and finish SEDS work
Summary
Commissioners at the April 28 meeting pressed Fedco's ARDUR committee to develop a clearer plan for grant-seeking and to complete the SEDS economic-development and housing reports; commissioners suggested partnering with local institutions to build capacity and asked the borough administration for oversight and a timeline.
Commissioners told the mayor they want Fedco and the ARDUR committee to show a concrete plan for securing outside funds and completing key deliverables such as the SEDS economic development plan and a housing report. A committee member said the SEDS update is a required deliverable but should be accompanied by a realistic plan to attract outside grant dollars and build internal capacity to write grants.
"They don't have the capability," a committee member said of Fedco's current grant-writing capacity, noting Fedco hired and lost a grant writer and that the first ARDUR meeting felt like a kickoff without a clear plan. Commissioners suggested partnerships with local grant-writing organizations, the university, and the city to pursue the commission's target of $2,000,000 in outside funding over time.
Why it matters: Commissioners fund Fedco ($300,000 in the current borough budget) and expect deliverables. Several members questioned board rhythm, representation on Fedco's board, and whether the borough should exercise more oversight. One commissioner asked whether the borough has a non-voting seat; the mayor said the borough currently has a non-voting seat and that bylaw changes may have been made recently.
Next steps: Commissioners asked Mayor Kim Hopkins and staff to return with a clearer plan for oversight and to consider options to help Fedco build grant-writing capacity, including academic partnerships or staff-led strategies. The commission will monitor ARDUR committee progress and may make the item a standing agenda topic.
