Monday deadline for local govt. grant requests
Local government officials have until Monday to apply for money from a new economic development grant program that was created in this year's bonding bill.
State lawmakers set aside $47.5 million for unspecified local projects, and directed the Department of Employment and Economic Development to decide the winners and losers.
Kim Isenberg, the department's director of communications, analysis and research, said the agency has already received 35 applications.
She says the commissioner will use criteria established by the legislation to select the grant winners. Isenberg said a key requirement is a local funding match.
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"The local government ... by Monday, will have to have passed a resolution by their governing body showing that they have the matching amount of funds and that they're committed to completing the project," she said.
Isenberg said it's not yet clear how long the selection process will take.
"Our hope is to move through this process as swiftly as possible, and by perhaps the beginning of September to have an answer to that," said Isenberg. "But if we get considerably more applications by Monday, it could take longer just because of the volume."
Several cities that had local projects rejected from the larger bonding bill are planning to apply for grants. Isenberg said it's likely some of those communities will be disappointed again.