FAIRMONT — The Fairmont Economic Development Authority received some strong economic news earlier this week. Linsey Preuss, Fairmont economic development coordinator, reported a “flurry of activity” in local businesses.

“Since 2016, the average year for commercial development building permits has been about $5.25 million. As of the end of September, the commercial permits this year are already past the $27 million mark,” Preuss said. “About half of that amount, $14 million, is for the CHS expansion, but that still leaves another $13 million. I think that is absolutely phenomenal.”

She pointed out that the building permits only measure the value of new construction.

“They don’t measure the investment businesses are making in machinery and equipment or in their people,” she said. “There’s a lot of confidence in our economy. Good things are happening here.”

Preuss updated the board on her work to secure a Small Cities Development Program grant to generate improvement in single-family owner-occupied housing in an area east of downtown. If Fairmont receives the grant, funds will be available to fix up the homes in designated area, with the homeowner paying only a minor portion of the cost.

When letters sent to homeowners did not generate enough applicants for the city to apply for the grant, Preuss joined with Peter Bode, Fairmont’s planner/code enforcement technician, and Ned Koppen, president of the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce, to go door to door to explain the benefits of the grant. The personal canvassing technique secured enough applicants to apply for the grant.

Preuss said that some people she talked to recalled receiving the letter but threw it away thinking the program was too good to be true.

Her next step will be to plat all the interested applicants on a map after which she can submit the grant application in November. Whether Fairmont receives the grant will be announced in February or March.

FEDA members asked about grants available to renovate rental housing or commercial properties. Preuss said such grants are available through the Small Cities Development Program, but a community is allowed to have only one active grant at a time.