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Marion County official seeks city input on five‑year economic strategy and lottery-funded programs
Summary
Kelly Lease of Marion County told the Mount Angel City Council the county is updating a five‑year economic development strategy and solicited city feedback; she said the county expects about $2.2 million in video‑lottery revenue this fiscal year and manages roughly $19 million in grant funding tied largely to wildfire recovery.
Kelly Lease, a representative of Marion County’s economic development program, presented a draft five‑year strategic plan update and asked Mount Angel councilors for local priorities and feedback.
Lease said the county channels 2.5% of Oregon video lottery proceeds to counties and that Marion County expects about $2,200,000 in lottery revenue for the current fiscal year. She added the county currently administers about $19,000,000 in grant funds—much of it focused on wildfire recovery in canyon communities—and aims to leverage lottery dollars with additional grants.
‘‘We want to hear from each of our 20 cities about what’s working and what could change,’’ Lease said, describing three program areas: lottery distribution and community prosperity intergovernmental agreements (approximately $15,000 per city annually), an ‘‘emerging economic opportunity’’ grant to fill timely funding gaps, and investments in business, workforce and infrastructure.
Councilors and residents raised questions about youth workforce supports, career‑technical education (CTE) partnerships, and outreach for chamber and small‑business grants. One councilor suggested internships and local job‑listing platforms to connect younger residents with employers. Lease said Marion County has supported local CTE efforts, including a welding‑room expansion, and encourages councils to share chamber contacts to improve outreach.
Lease also addressed broadband and public‑private approaches: the county has supported Internet service providers with partial capital funding for projects serving farms and remote homes. She said county staff are monitoring requirements from Business Oregon tied to federal infrastructure funds before expanding matching programs.
The county is collecting input through a local government survey and a public survey; both are due Nov. 17. Lease left flyers and encouraged councilors and residents to complete the surveys and offer project ideas and partnership requests.
The council did not take action on the presentation but thanked Lease for the briefing and for materials outlining current programs and funding sources.
