Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Changes are coming to grant programs within the City of Kimball. Changes include the Facade Grand Program and the Infrastructure Loan Program and one new program that was passed by City Council is a New Business Start Up Grant.
Changes to the Façade Grant Program include: the cap was removed on the program, so grants will be given on a case-by-case basis with no cap on the project amount. Along with changes to the cap the match amount part of the grant has also been altered. It was 50/50 with a $4,000 cap and it now offers community businesses a 70/30 split if you use a contractor within 25-mile radius of Kimball, 60/40 if you use a contractor in the 11 counties of the Panhandle, or 50/50 anything outside the panhandle.Parking Lots and Sidewalks are also eligible to receive this grant as well.
“We added website and commerce sites as that might be someone’s main business ‘Façade,’” said Special Projects coordinator Amy Sapp of the City of Kimball.
The Infrastructure Loan Program was formerly a $5,000 50/50 loan. At the point after the business had repaid $2,500 in principal, the City of Kimball would “forgive” the remaining balance. The program was changed to a Grant Program instead of a loan. The same rules apply as mentioned above with the contractors and the 70/30, 60/40 and 50/50 splits.
The cap is a $10,000 match right now, but may increase as the City sees more projects coming through. This work is for anything code related (Fire Marshall, Building Code, Food and Health Code, etc). The City of Kimball will see projects like electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning.
Council also passed a New Business Start Up Grant.
“This mirrors Sidney’s plan,” Sapp said.”We (the City of Kimball) will pay up to $500 in rent, mortgage, or utilities for the first 6 months of a new business startup. The business must remain open for 2 years. If the business remains open, the $3,000 is written off but if they close their doors before then they are responsible to pay that back to the City.”
Through these new and updated programs, the City of Kimball has increased and continued its business incentives through grant and loan programs, officials said.