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Williston approves Flex PACE incentives for three businesses and a $50,000 grant for CHI birthing center
Summary
The commission approved Flex PACE interest buy‑downs for Coffee Post ($6,000), The Shop Bar ($27,000) and Safari Trampoline Park ($82,000) and granted CHI St. Alexius Williston $50,000 toward birthing‑center upgrades; all motions passed 4‑0 where recorded.
The Williston Board of City Commissioners on May 10 approved business incentive requests from the Star Fund and a community growth grant intended to expand local services.
Shawn Wenko, Executive Director of Economic Development, presented three Flex PACE recommendations: Coffee Post (Gretchen Johnson) to receive up to $6,000 for equipment and building upgrades; The Shop Bar, Lounge & Casino (purchased by Deran Hasting) to receive up to $27,000 toward purchase of the business; and American Amusement Authority LLC (Safari Trampoline Park) to receive up to $82,000 toward construction and equipment for a roughly 25,000‑square‑foot trampoline and entertainment facility in Harvest Hills. "This is approximately a $2.8 million project; the Star Fund recommends an interest buy down not to exceed $82,000," Wenko said. Each Flex PACE motion carried on voice votes recorded 4‑0.
Wenko also described a Community Growth grant request from CHI St. Alexius (Mercy Medical Center) to convert an outpatient birth center to inpatient capacity, add a C‑section suite and increase labor and monitoring capacity. The total estimated project cost is about $3 million, with $1.1 million already donated; staff recommended a $50,000 grant and the commission approved that recommendation 4‑0. Wenko and a commissioner explained the upgrade is intended to reduce the need to transfer newborns or mothers to other facilities by enabling higher‑level neonatal care locally.
Why it matters: The incentives and grant aim to support local business investment and expand birthing capacity in Williston as population and birth rates rise. Approved funds are conditional on contract terms and Star Fund limits.
All incentive approvals and the CHI grant were recorded during the Economic Development agenda item.
