Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

$9 million in grants obtained with help of Ecnomic Office

Since its inception, the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office has helped get more than $9 million in grants for the city and county.

Jon Chadwell, executive director of the EDO, told the Prescott City Council, at its regular monthly meeting Monday, Jan. 21, in the seven years the EDO has existed it has dealt with 80 prospects and located eight of them to Prescott and Nevada County.

Five have stayed, those that were lost left their buildings in better condition than when they first located in Prescott. These facilities are being shown to other prospects as well.

Chadwell said seven of those 80 prospects are still viable and could possibly locate in Prescott or Nevada County at some point in the future.

Getting back to the grants, Chadwell said the EDO has averaged obtaining $1,275,014 per year. With the total being in excess of $9 million, this is a return of 1,084 percent on the city and county's investment in the office.

During the EDO's existence, he said, the directors have had 72 goals to achieve. So far, 62 have been accomplished, and the rest could be finished by the end of this year.

"A lot of this couldn't have been done without the money from the sales tax," he said, "as this money has been used as match for many grants."

Recently, the city was notified it had been approved for a $405,000 grant to redo the downtown sidewalks. The city's portion of the 80-20 match will be $81,000, which will come out of the sales tax monies next year.

In 1997, Chadwell said, the Prescott Beautification Committee, through the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, had plans for developing the downtown area drawn up. The plans cost $8,000, but have resulted in the city's receiving three different grants totaling $600,000.

The sidewalk improvements will help improve drainage on the streets, and make the sidewalks handicap accessible.

The EDO, he said, helped the Fair Hills Volunteer Fire Department obtain a grant for $1,018. This, too, is a 50-50 match, and the FHVFD must come up with $1,018 of its own. The money will be used to purchase equipment.

This grant, Chadwell said, is for communities with populations under 3,000.

The drawings have been made for the city's pocket parks, but there are no specifications for them yet. The specifications, he said, will be drawn up by Rico Harris so bids can be let on the projects.

Rough dimensions for a fire station on the south side of the railroad tracks have been made, he said. Representatives with the EDO and Prescott Fire Department have been trying to meet with Rosston Mayor Lewis Jackson and see if Prescott can use those Rosston had for its new fire station.

The idea, Chadwell said, is for Prescott to have a two-bay fire station on the south side of the tracks. The question, though, is where will it be built. He asked the council if it should be built on land the city already owns or if property should be bought for it to be constructed on.

All the easements have been mailed out for the Prescott Rural Water Project, he said. Some residents have said they don't want a meter, but do want a fire plug near their house.

He said those with technical questions about the project can call him or Perry Nelson, city water superintendent.

At this time, about half the easements have not been signed. Those who don't sign their easements, he said, will have the property condemned so the project can be constructed.

However, not all of a person's property would be condemned, just the portion needed to lay the water line.

The contractor will avoid cutting trees down when possible, and will be willing to work with the people, Chadwell said.

Packing up the exhibits at the Depot Museum began Tuesday, Jan. 22, with the move to be made soon so the depot can be renovated.

Joyce Gibson, the librarian at the Prescott Library, said the Friends of the Library have massive plans for April, but didn't expand on what those plans may be.

She challenged everyone to stop by the library and get a comparison of how the old one will stack up to the new one when it's finally built.

The council voted to purchase a new firetruck for the PFD for $150,000, even though the PFD only has $113,000 in its budget to buy the vehicle.

Fire Chief Barry Higginbotham said two of the trucks need mechanical repairs at this time, and the department is also in need of other equipment.

He asked the council for permission to add another training session so the firemen could learn about confined space rescue. Currently, he said, there isn't time for this class with all the other classes they must have.

Higginbotham suggested the council increase the amount it puts in the fund for a new firetruck from $10,000 to $15,000 a year.

He asked if the fire department can charge for trips made outside the city limits. He said the department needs to be able to charge so it can pay the firemen for making the run.

Generally, one truck and five men are sent out of town when needed.

Billy House said the PFD can charge $200 per call under the law.

Higginbotham was also told the fire department can hold fund raisers if the firemen want to.

Carl Dalrymple, the city's accountant, said the PFD has never submitted a budget proposal, but one would be welcome.

Dalrymple said the department's budget has been based on what was spent the previous year. He asked Higginbotham if he could have one ready by the first of November this year.

The council agreed to double the fire chief's expense account from $125 to $250 per month.