 A ceremonial check was presented to Kristen Green-Morrow, president
of the Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership, and Joel
Smiley, executive director, along with other dignitaries, including Schock; Terry Carlton, Logan County Board chairman; Kathy Horn,
Lincoln mayor pro tem; Frank Shepke, chamber president; and state
Rep. Rich Brauer. The funding was awarded through Rural
Development's Rural Business Opportunity Grant program.
Funds from
the federal program will help the development partnership analyze
Logan County's comprehensive plan along with potential growth areas
and provide a road map for economic development for the entire
county. A key component of the master plan includes identifying
incentives to attract businesses to locate in the county.
"I'm grateful for this funding, which will help jump-start
economic development in Lincoln and Logan County," Schock said. "By
strategically preparing and mapping out the comprehensive plan,
placing an emphasis on the economic assets that exist in Logan
County communities already, and offering incentives to businesses to
come here, we will have our best chances for success."
Callahan, who took the helm at USDA Rural Development for
Illinois in July, congratulated the partnership for taking the
initiative to prepare a strategic business development plan that
encompasses all of Logan County. "This is a very competitive
national grant program," Callahan said. "One reason the partnership
was successful in receiving the grant is its focus on assessing the
needs and resources of the entire county. In these difficult
economic times, we are more likely to be successful when we work
together to achieve our goals."
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The master plan will look not only at the city of Lincoln, but the
agriculture areas and smaller outlying communities as well. The USDA
grant will be used to hire a major consulting firm that specializes
in these types of studies. The partnership's goal is to hire the
consultant by the end of the year and have a completed plan in hand
by September 2010. This will be Logan County's first economic
development master plan.
The Rural
Business Opportunity Grant program promotes sustainable economic
development in smaller communities. The funds can be used to provide
training and technical assistance for business development,
entrepreneurs and economic development officials and to assist with
economic development planning. The partnership is one of two
Illinois applicants to receive funding from the very competitive
program this year.
The Lincoln & Logan County
Development Partnership is the economic development agency for
Logan County, serving businesses, government and residents of Logan
County. The partnership's mission is to enhance the economic
prosperity and quality of life in Logan County. For further
information, contact Joel Smiley at 217-732-8739 or
econdev@lincolnlogan.com.
Rural Development provides financing and technical assistance to
foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical
community and technology infrastructure. The Mount Vernon office is
located at 221 Withers Drive. More information is available by
calling 618-244-0773, ext. 5, or online at
www.rurdev.usda.gov/il.
[Text from file received from
USDA Rural Development in
Illinois] |
