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EDA staff: pickleball courts well used; facade grants on hold as staff eyes 2025 funding and other community grant options
Summary
Goodhue Economic Development staff reported strong use of new pickleball courts, encouraged businesses to prepare for 2025 facade grant funding, highlighted childcare and small-business support resources, and said staff is exploring sewer/water funding, tree-replanting grants and farmers market programming.
Economic Development Authority staff told the council on Oct. 23 that the town’s new pickleball courts are getting regular use and generated positive feedback from residents and users.
"People really like them and they're using them a lot," the staff presenter said, adding that nets will be taken down for winter storage and staff recommends locking the gate when nets are removed.
Staff also reported that proposed EDA bylaws and a membership resolution were forwarded to outside counsel (Julie Edington of Kennedy Graven) for language updates clarifying that the EDA has been in existence since 1993. Staff expects a draft to review at the November working session.
On small-business support, staff said facade improvement grant funding is on hold for 2024 because of budget constraints but that two businesses expressed interest in applying if the program is funded in 2025. Staff encouraged proprietors to consider the 'Paint the Town' grant opening in January and noted low-interest loan programs and training resources available to entrepreneurs and child-care providers. The presenter highlighted the Grow a Farmer Fund as a potential financing source, describing it as offering up to $115,000 at roughly 3% interest for qualifying small farmers and entrepreneurs, with local examples of past awardees.
Staff further said they are pursuing sewer and water funding through the Small Cities Development program for a planned four-block street reconstruction, which is currently on hold for lack of budgeted funds. At Cranon Park, tree removal has been completed and staff is investigating tree-replanting grant opportunities and potential shelter improvements.
On events and promotion, staff said coordination with Carolyn on the farmers market continues and suggested pairing market days with small community celebrations to draw visitors.
The EDA and council also handled routine business that evening: the council approved a consent agenda covering items including registration and enforcement of cannabis retail sales, changes to November and December meeting dates, declining participation in certain county programs and an updated housing study, acceptance of a township into the local ambulance association, and sale of surplus police equipment. Staff noted one vendor invoice (training for firefighters) will be checked for potential reimbursement before payment.
What happens next: staff will follow up on the EDA bylaw language with counsel, pursue grant program inquiries for 2025 funding opportunities, and report back at the November working session.
