 First, the partnership has
received word from the Peoria Economic Development Council that all
of the final documents for the Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy have been received by the Economic Development
Administration. This process has taken nearly three years to
complete. Once Logan County is approved, we will become part of the
Peoria Economic Development District, enabling Logan County to
become eligible for EDA grants for economic development projects.
This designation will also enable Logan County to partner with the
other communities in the district on regional grants and studies.
The Center of Success business incubator began in November. The
partnership is currently working with three prospects who are
looking for large space and will add several jobs to Logan County.
To attract other new companies, during the first quarter, the
partnership began the process of organizing a business plan contest
to attract entrepreneurs to Logan County. The contest is slated to
begin in June, and details will be released soon. The partnership
also submitted a $100,000 grant application to USDA to create a
centralized business incubator in Lincoln.
The partnership has hired an auditing firm to conduct a
first-ever audit. This will assure our partners and contributors
that all of our funding is going to appropriate usage.
The partnership has hired a highly regarded consulting firm to
conduct a study for the Economic Development Master Plan. In
November 2009, the partnership received a supporting grant for
$50,000 from USDA. Vandewalle and Associates is the firm that will
be in Lincoln May 20-21 and will have a kick-off on May 21 at
Lincoln College. Details on this event will be released soon. The
Economic Development Master Plan will be complete by Oct. 1.
The partnership is planning a fundraising luncheon at Lincoln
College on June 18 with the theme "Logan County's Future is in the
Wind." Details will be available in the near future.
[to top of second column] |
On April 21, the partnership will facilitate the first Logan
County Manufacturer’s Council at Sysco. The purpose of the meeting
is to bring the manufacturers in the community together. The
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will be represented
to discuss manufacturing tax credits.
Finally, the partnership has taken a leadership role in
coordinating efforts with Wind for Illinois, DCEO, the Illinois
Finance Authority, the Wind Working Group at Illinois State
University, and Illinois Development Council to have a major
Illinois presence at Windpower 2010. This is the largest wind show
in the United States, focusing on the wind developers and
manufacturers. Currently, the partnership is working with three wind
developers that have placed meteorological towers in Logan County to
test wind conditions for potential wind farms. Wind farms not only
provide tax revenue to the school districts and Logan County, but
provide construction jobs and permanent maintenance jobs. In
addition, the wind developer pays rent to local farmers.
For more information, please contact Joel Smiley, executive
director of the Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership, at
217-732-8739.
[Text from file received from
Lincoln & Logan County
Development Partnership]
 |
