Myerstown and Lebanon discuss economic development partnership
(Myerstown) — Myerstown Borough is offering to share with the City of Lebanon a small business facilitator it plans to hire this summer.
Myerstown recently received a three-year $99,000 grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Municipal Assistance Program to hire an economic development specialist. The grant requires that the borough match it with $50,000 and share the specialist with another municipality, in what is termed a circuit rider program.
Myerstown Borough manager Chris Moonis explained at Thursday’s Lebanon City Council meeting that the borough would like to partner with the city.
“The good thing about this program is that it is a three year program and it is currently going to be financed entirely by the Department of Community and Economic Development and the borough,” he said. “We are asking you for a partnership to embark on this program with us, so that 65 percent of the time the circuit rider would be working within the municipal boundaries of Myerstown and 35 percent of the time this person would be working within the municipal boundaries of the City of Lebanon. “
The duties of the economic development specialist would be to assist existing small businesses and start-ups with things like developing business plans, acquiring funding, and working their way through the zoning process.
“Essentially, this is an on the ground economic development person, working directly with both existing and new business owners, coming into Myerstown Borough and the City of Lebanon,” Moonis said.
Although partnering with the borough would not cost the city in the first three years of the program, Moonis said, if the program takes root he would hope the city would help maintain it.
“We are asking you for a partnership but no up front financial cost to do that partnership,” he said. “If the program, or when the program becomes a huge success, we would probably come back to the mayor and council to say, would you help participate in a formal regional program and help the funding of this project beyond the grant?
Moonis said he anticipates other municipalities would join, which would help offset the cost.
“We expect other municipalities in the county to come on board,” he said. “As we develop capacity and as the city develops additional capacity, some of the other municipalities in the county may very well want to join on. And then we are hoping that into year three and beyond this program becomes self-financing.”
Council and the mayor were receptive to the offer and a resolution to adopt the partnership agreement is expected to be introduced at council’s May meeting.
Moonis said the borough plans to hire the economic specialist in July.
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