WC Iowa News

The Carroll City Council discussed the possibility of creating a new catalyst grant program during its April 10 meeting, one that would feature funds from the city available to residents for a variety of purposes.

The proposed Carroll First Economic Development Grant Match Program came about, City Manager Aaron Kooiker said, because the city had received several catalyst grants during the past year, but there were guidelines for matching funds or allocations from the city budget, meaning the funding sources would have to be created. Kooiker submitted a memo to the council for its approval, which included grant amounts, requirements and processes.

"I just kind of want everybody at least on the same page," Mayor Mark Beardmore said. "I think the purpose behind this... (is) to have a process in place and, more importantly, a policy that is something we can live with. You know, we can all debate whether or not government needs to play a role in economic development or not and whether or not we provide stimulus money for it. But it is truly our primary cause, and we want to be able to, you know, project a receptiveness to participation, I believe. And what I had hoped that this would do, this was something that I just had in mind ever since the downtown issues earlier this winter."

The city would fund up to $100,000 under the proposal, through a few city revenue paths. Beardmore said the project had long been in the making, but it was necessary to have guidelines in place before undertaking it, both for security purposes and to show residents that the city is there to help them and improve their lives. Beardmorr and Kooiker have created an initial program based on the past requests they have received, as well as similar programs at nearby municipalities.

Partner agencies said they were happy to see the program moving forward, as it could benefit the community greatly. Council members were pleased with the process in its early stages and approved the criteria and application requirements with an eye toward implementing it. The grant focuses on building remediation, not development and original construction. 

Since the concept is not yet fully developed, the council did not take further action on the grant program, but it did give its verbal support for the work done so far and plans to vote on it within the coming months.