FAIRMONT – Instead of going forward, the Martin County Economic Development Authority (EDA) opted to hold off on submitting a Federal EDA Grant request until they have approval from cities at their meeting on Monday.

The Martin County EDA, along with other counties in Region Nine, had submitted requests for federal disaster relief grants due to the flash flooding that occurred from June 15-24 of 2024. Unfortunately, none of them were approved, including Martin County’s.

Given this, CEDA Consultant Amber Patten asked if they should take the work they put into that and turn it around into a nearly identical Economic Adjustment Assistance application.

“The revised application would be structured as a county-led economic development initiative serving all cities within Martin County,” Patten said. “The program request is approximately $320,000 in federal EPA funding to support economic development services countywide over a two-year period. The goal of the program would be to provide coordinated high-quality economic development support to each community as a no direct financial cost to participating cities.”

Having this be at no cost to the cities was a big point of importance according to Patten.

“Using an average staff rate of approximately $80,000 per year, including fringe benefits and 1,800 work hours per year. Each participating city would need to commit an average of about two hours per week, roughly 100 hours per year over the two-year agreement. The staff time could include participation from city clerk, administrators, or local staff, and would be tracked for grant documentation purposes.”

Board Member Richard Koons asked if they have received any guidance from the other cities’ EDAs, and Patten said they wanted to ask the EDA first before they moved forward in that area.

“Most of these communities don’t have an EDA at all,” Koons said. “If they do, it’s pretty inactive. [It’s] a federal deal. They’re going to come and expect that we’re spending money in Fairmont, Truman, Northrop, Trimont, Sherburn, Dunnell, Ceylon and Granada. If we can’t get them on board, then it’s a waste of your time.”

Board Member Tim Terfehr asked how much staff time the application itself would take. Patten said it would take very little time because the information can just be pivoted from the previous application to now, and Region Nine will help with the submission process.

After all the discussion, Koons recommended they make contact with the cities and see who would be on board and who would not to make sure they don’t waste their time by moving forward and not having any support. Board Member Ean Sinn said from his time with the Sherburn EDA, he feels that they would be on board.

Koons made the motion to go to the cities and get all the information needed before the next board meeting in August. Board Member Billeye Rabbe seconded the motion, and the motion was approved unanimously.

In other news:

— Ean Sinn will be taking over the board spot of Wes Anderson. He will serve the remaining time on Anderson’s term, and then could be reappointed for a full term at the end of this year.

— Patten said a draft lease from one business and a letter of intent from another have been received by the Five Lakes Centre Mall in the last month. One of these businesses is the retail store that was announced as moving forward at May’s meeting, while the other is a separate emerging venture.

— Danielle Hayter-Johnson was introduced to the Martin County EDA as a new CEDA Staff Member who will assist with CEDA business and reports moving forward.