Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council told Community and Economic Development Director Jerry Sorte by consensus to move forward with a proposed economic development strategy last week.
Sorte outlined the city’s efforts in economic development and plans during the council’s regular meeting on March 27. Present were Bob Briana, Susan Coleman, Mayor Greg Mahler, Dave Trask, James Goble and Diane Gerson. Lisa Gourley was absent.
Sorte told the council that he’s been working with different groups, including the Sweet Home Active Revitalization Effort, which regularly includes representation from the school district, Chamber of Commerce, Linn-Benton Community College Business Development Center, the U.S. Forest Service, the city, downtown business and property owners, and other interested citizens, and “what I’ve tried to do is compile a diversified approach to helping the city take steps toward economic development.”
City staff also has started meeting regularly with small cities in the region to coordinate development efforts, Sorte said. Those include Philomath, Monroe, Harrisburg, Halsey, Brownsville, Lebanon and Adair Village.
Staff has compiled a list of projects to create a one-page Economic Development Strategy, Sorte said. It was purposefully kept to one page to keep the list of objectives manageable.
The strategy includes four elements:
n Grow and maintain an economic development coalition.
n Retain existing businesses.
n Attract new businesses.
n Promote entrepreneurship.
Staff is recommending that the $200,000 budgeted this fiscal year for economic development be directed to a new commercial exterior improvement program and a “gap financing” program, Sorte said.
Sorte said staff has been talking to SHARE about a commercial exterior program for the past several months using the old program as a template for the new program. SHARE was instrumental in implementing a commercial exterior improvement program with proceeds from the Oregon Jamboree, provided by SHEDG, between 2010 and 2015.
The primary objective of the proposed program is to improve the aesthetics of commercial property in the city, providing an incentive to existing businesses and potentially new businesses seeking to locate in Sweet Home.
Among features discussed so far, the grant program would pay a high percentage of the improvement up to a certain threshold, $5,000, and the business would provide a match. Projects that exceed the threshold could be financed through a low-interest loan. All businesses in commercial zones would be eligible.
Projects could include facade improvements, painting, landscaping, parking lot improvements and similar activities. The program may incentivize a unified theme with higher levels of grant funding for those who meet the requirements of the theme.
A committee would review and approve applications under the program, and the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments would act as the fiscal agent for the program, managing fund distribution. COG currently manages Lincoln County’s commercial exterior improvement program.
Once the program is up and running, Sorte said, staff would like to investigate whether the community needs a “gap financing” loan program for businesses.
A gap financing program would provide small business loans at a low interest rate for projects that may not be eligible for conventional loans, Sorte said. The objective would not to be to compete with conventional lenders but to fill potential funding gaps.
“This is what we put the money there for,” Trask said. Whether it’s cleaning up the streets or helping keep businesses, “I’m saying, ‘get going.’”
Mahler agreed with Trask, he said. “I’d like to know more about the loan program.”
He is concerned about “fly-by-night” business owners, he said, and he wondered about who would serve as a business mentor.
Sorte said that’s something he would follow up later with the council.
Coleman told Sorte he’s headed in the right direction.
Chamber of Commerce President Bill Matthews said the chamber has approached business owners about improving their properties. They’ve told him they would be interested if someone brought a program to them.
“Left on their own devices, they’re not going to do it,” Matthews said. There hasn’t been a proactive approach to improving the appearance of businesses and blocks. They’ll need to be encouraged, or it won’t work.
George Medellin, chamber vice president, member of SHARE and adviser with the LBCC Small Business Development Center, reported his recent activities to the council.
In the past six months, “we’ve launched a small business program,” Medellin said, and owners of eight businesses are taking classes in the nine-month program – five from Sweet Home, two from Lebanon and one from Brownsville.
One business owner was enjoying the class because it forced that person to look at the business operations instead of constantly running the business, Medellin said.
The SBDC also has conducted two going-into-business seminars with Key Bank, Medellin said.
Coming up, the SBDC staff would like to conduct workshops, perhaps at the Chamber of Commerce, to focus on various topics of interest, he said.
“It feels like there’s a spark in Sweet Home businesses,” Medellin said.
In other business, the council:
n Approved new project management and tracking software for Public Works.
Public Works has used a system called PubWorks since 2012, said Finance Director Brandon Neish. As the system’s database has grown in size and scope, it has been unable to perform effectively and is proving to be unusable, no longer meeting the needs of Public Works.
Staff viewed multiple demonstrations of a new system, Facility Dude, and recommended purchasing it.
Besides accurate reporting, the software will allow the council and the public to track progress on projects in real time, helping bridge communication gaps and engage constituents, Neish said. Residents will be able to submit various issues, such as potholes and water leaks, to the city, expanding their ability to be the eyes and ears for the city and aiding Public Works in repairing infrastructure in need of repair.
The software will provide additional information to Public Works employees additional information while in the field and integrate the city’s GIS maps. It also will allow Public Works to track its resources on projects across the city.
It also will give citizens a fast, easy way to report code violations to the code enforcement official and track progress toward resolution of reported issues.
The implementation cost is $12,700, Neish said. The current system costs $5,500 per year. Facility Dude will cost some $11,500 annually.
n Appointed Derek Dix to the Budget Committee. His term expires March 27, 2021.
The committee has three remaining vacancies.
The Budget Committee reviews the city’s proposed budget in the spring and sends a recommended budget to the City Council for adoption.
For more information about the Budget Committee or to apply, call the city manager’s office at (541) 367-8969 or stop by City Hall, 1140 12th Ave.
n Held the first and second readings of an ordinance annexing 845 Alder St. into the city. The council held a public hearing on the annexation during its regular meeting on March 13.
A third reading is scheduled for April 10. Following the third reading, the council may vote to adopt the ordinance.