Property at Highway 99 and to the west of Wagner Creek in Talent could be developed into a food-centric space with two buildings that would support culinary businesses. An incubator commissary kitchen is envisioned, along with retail space and food truck pull-ins.

A selection committee is wrestling with more than $23 million in funding requests for fire-recovery aid from a pot of $13.85 million in available state funds.

Proposed projects include a food-centric space in Talent, new sidewalks and parking lots to support businesses in Phoenix, and various forms of aid, including grants, education and loans for small businesses seeking to recover from the Almeda Fire. There were five applications.

Members of the selection committee made no decision on how to allocate the dollars among five competing grants they reviewed Oct. 5. Instead, they planned to review the process in a special meeting Wednesday.

Oregon Housing and Community Services has set up the Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization grant program using money from a federal Community Development Block Grant award designated for 2020 Labor Day fires relief. Jackson County was awarded $13.85 million in PIER funds by the state. A total of $42.12 million was made available to eight counties in Oregon to help with recovery.

Rogue Valley Community Long-term Recovery Group was tasked with the formation of the selection committee and handling of the application process, which is following guidelines from OHCS.

“My concern is that without a coordinated and strategic approach to encourage recovery, we are ensuring that gaps will remain,” Caryn Wheeler Clay, executive director of the recovery group, said in an interview last week.

Clay urged committee members to consider seeking a single application from Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc., Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon and the Talent Business Alliance to provide a coordinated approach and give a clear idea of where there may be gaps. The coordinated approach might also reduce administrative expenses.

Committee member and Jackson County Commissioner Dave Dotterrer recommended delaying an immediate vote on the applications and to hold the special meeting to discuss how to proceed, which was supported by other committee members.

While rebuilding residences in the fire area has proceeded at a strong pace, business and industrial recovery has been much slower. In Phoenix, over 90% of single- and multi-family residences have been rebuilt, but only 12% of commercial, industrial or government structures have been replaced.

Making decisions on the grants is an urgent matter because it has been three years since the Almeda Fire occurred, said Phoenix City Manager Eric Swanson, a selection committee member.

Four of the five grants are for economic revitalization and one is for infrastructure. The committee heard from all five applicants at the Oct. 5 session, The requests include:

• The city of Phoenix is requesting an infrastructure grant of $3.4 million. The money would be used for construction of sidewalks along Highway 99 in the south part of town where businesses are expected to develop. The funds would also be used for creation of four shared public parking lots and stormwater infrastructure to support business development in the downtown area. Land purchases and construction costs are put at $2.44 million, and there is a $407,000 contingency fund. Fast-tracking of the Phoenix request, the only infrastructure application, was requested by Phoenix Community and Economic Development Director Joe Slaughter. Clay and Dotterrer supported the request. A November vote on the Phoenix proposal was suggested.
• Micro Enterprise Service of Oregon is requesting $4.11 million to provide technical assistance and access to capital to help smaller businesses. The Portland-based organization would provide grants of up to $25,000 and loans of $50,000 or less to firms with five or fewer employees. The emphasis would be on helping underserved populations. An office would be set up in Talent, and technical assistance and advising would be given. Grant funding is projected at $1.6 million with $500,000 for loans. Program activities are listed at $1.33 million.
• Rogue Food Hub is asking for the largest amount of revitalization funds at $7.27 million. The proposal includes land purchase and construction costing $5.14 million on Wagner Creek adjacent to Highway 99 in Talent. The concept is a food-centric space with two buildings that would support culinary businesses and attract residents and visitors. Classes would be offered. An incubator commissary kitchen is envisioned, along with retail space and food truck pull-ins.
• Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development Inc. proposes programs for economic revitalization that include grants, low-interest loans, technical assistance and a commercial land readiness project to aid the business community. SOREDI is seeking $5.54 million of the PIER funding. SOREDI has provided such programs since 1987. Current staff would be used, along with hiring a grant coordinator and a project manager for the land program. The agency would set aside 20% of the grant amount to be used as needs are identified.
• Talent Business Alliance proposes supporting Talent’s businesses through events, support of vendor markets and networking, training and education, and assistance with loan applications. It has requested $3.45 million, with $1.73 million earmarked for grant funding and another $1.43 for program delivery.

Talent Mayor Darby Ayers-Flood is board president of the business alliance. Ayers-Flood is also listed as a contact for the Rogue Food Rack application along with Awan Zegzdyn, who is board treasurer for the business alliance.

Selection committee members include Clay, Dotterrer, Swanson, Terrill Roper with SOREDI and Talent City Councilor Eleanor Ponomareff.

At the start of the session, Alex Campbell with OHCS explained that the agency is looking for a set aside of 30% of the funding as a contingency to ensure successful completion of projects.

The Wednesday meeting was scheduled in-person at Phoenix City Hall and also was on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85620921952. The applications and other information can be viewed at jccltrg.org/pier-grant-application.