Economic development grant recipients named

By Charlene Sims, Journal staff

LCJeditor@icloud.com

MOUND CITY - Ashlee Allen, part-time economic development, announced to the Linn County Commissioners on Monday, June 22,  that the economic development committee had awarded Summer Youth Grants, Daycare Grants, and a Community Grant. However, the recipients of  grants weren’t named and the commission did not ask who received the grants.

In a later email, County Clerk Chasity Ware sent the names of the recipients.

In the past, applications for the Summer Youth Grant Program, which encourages county employers to hire local youth from the county for summer jobs, are usually due April 1 and chosen businesses must find an employee and hire them by the first Tuesday in May.

Since there was no economic development director at that time, the employers were unsure whether they should apply. By the time the county commissioners made a decision to hire a part-time person to do the job on May 11, the usual application deadlines had passed.

The program, which has been very popular with Linn County businesses, offers 10 $1,200 grants to businesses that employ Linn County Youth. The county reimburses businesses the first $4 for every hour worked up to 30 hours per week for 10 weeks. Businesses are required to pay the employee at least $8 per hour. Some of the items considered in scoring the application include the amount of pay, whether the job might turn into a permanent position and how skilled the job is.

The number of applications was down this year from the 13 applicants that applied last year to only eight, likely because of the uncertainty and lateness of the grant announcement. Employers receiving the grant were Linn County News, Coleman Hardware, Stainbrooks, Peoples Telecommunications, Bloodgood Services, Hines Family Farms, Farmers & Merchants Bank and Roberts Family Dental Care.

The four Childcare Provider grants were awarded to Falicia Stogsdill, Jennifer Johnson, Melody Crooks and Casey Barker. These  $250 grants are for licensed childcare providers to reimburse them for eligible expenses like registration, education hours, supplies that are not covered by other funding mechanisms, educational materials and similar items.

The grant is not intended for food or construction. After being approved for the grant, the applicant purchases the items needed and is then reimbursed by the county.

Marsha Wunderly was awarded one of the $250 Community Development Grants, which are available for organizations that put on community events. Three of these first-come-first-served grants are still available. Wunderly, who works with Farmers and Merchants Bank, in the past has promoted musical events in Mound City for the entire community.

Historically, the Community Development grants have only been available to organizations, not government agencies or individuals. The Community Development grants can be used for advertising fundraising events.