Crossville city council selected 2 representatives for the oversight of the Horizon funding program
funded by private donations along with funds by the city and county
totaling $200,000 towards economic development.
During discussion of the item, the
chamber's Brad Allamong reported to the council that the chamber had
collected more then the full amount of $120,000 in the bank, one of
the requirements to receive the city $40,000 funding match. The
other requirement approved at a previous council meeting was the
appointment of one or two representatives to the oversight committee.
Council members L-R Danny Wyatt, Mayor James Mayberry, Pamala Harris, Jesse Kerley
While the funds have gone to the
chamber of commerce, the funds are reserved only for use on the
Horizon Initiative funding program spelled out in fund raising
efforts. According to Allamong, the funds will not be used for
general chamber operation.
The funding will be used for a target
market analysis costing between $100,000 and $150,000 to study the
area and determine industries that would be likely to find Cumberland
County a good match for their business.
Workforce development strategies would
be studied at an estimated cost of $15,000 to address the many issues
revealed by the visioning meetings held. Some expected projects
include supervisor training, study of daycare needs, work ethics and
mentoring and support for a community wide anti-drug coalition.
Up to $48,000 will be used to fund a
basic economic development office. Up to $30,000 would be spent on a
study looking at the feasibility of further fund raising for Horizon
programs.
A number of names were placed into
nomination to represent the city on the oversight committee of the
funding and with the votes of the four council members present, Anne
Looney and Ray Evans were selected.
The first business they need to contact is Costco. Good union jobs and would give people a Wal Mart alternative. It would be interesting to see what they say. They would have an eager workforce with their long established good paying retail jobs. I would be amazed to see the Chamber contact them as it goes against everything the Chamber of Commerce stands for in principal. Union jobs and good pay.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone in the media care to ask who these two overseers are? Who will determine who they are and by what process? Will it be transparent? Will the people get a say or will this be the same rigged system Crossville has endured for 30 years or more?
ReplyDeleteAnn Looney is the wife of retired Crossville attorney Tom Looney and Ray Evans is a long time economic development consultant who also represents the Plateau Partnership Park. The story above tells what the money will be used for.
Delete