Cloverdale moving forward on Downtown Revitalization

CLOVERDALE -- Two members of the Cloverdale Town Council and several local business owners heard updates and had their questions answered during a public hearing on Downtown Revitalization Monday morning.

Ten minutes after the scheduled time, the council started the meeting hoping a third member would appear, but he did not.

The Downtown Revitalization project is part of the Comprehensive Planning Study Planning Grant Cloverdale received in November 2016 to do research on improving the look and economy of Cloverdale’s downtown.

Total cost of the planning study was $40,000; with $36,000 in grant funds and $4,000 in local match funds, which came from the town’s cumulative capital fund.

The planning study is now complete, and Kristy Jerrell of Jerrell Consulting, responsible for administrating the grant, said the town could begin applying for a maximum $500,000 construction grant in April 2018. The town will know if it received the grant by June, and could then start construction in the fall.

But the construction phase comes with a disclaimer: The construction grant is competitive, and Jerrell reported that of eight applicants, only two were selected in the last round of funding.

Jerrell did reassure the council and audience that, based on her nine years’ experience, Cloverdale has a good chance of receiving the grant.

Ten business owners have decided to participate, and Clerk-Treasurer Cheryl Galloway has been asking businesses like Endeavor Communications, First National Bank and Owen County Bank to donate to the cause.

Donations help participating business owners meet the required 20 percent match funds and additional soft costs (architect fees, grant administration fees, etc.) for their individual buildings. All match funds from business owners and donations from others are designated to a special fund that the town cannot use for any other purpose.

Clerk-Treasurer Galloway said that five business owners have chosen not to participate, and at least two of them declined due to costs, although all improvements are optional so that a business owner can spend as little or as much as he or she wants.

If worse comes to worst, Jerrell said, the town can simply apply for the grant again a few months later, and if that happens it is more likely to receive the grant on a second application.