Rem Fox and Rob Pilote gave an outstanding presentation of the Caldwell Downtown Master Framework Committee Report to the citizens of Caldwell at a noon meeting held at the Police Station meeting room.
The committee is a sub-function of the Downtown Steering Committee and their task was to come up with a plan to get downtown Caldwell back on track and refocus how our urban renewal property tax dollars get spent on this effort.
It came to light in the meeting, Caldwell East Urban Renewal Agency has about $4 million in funds they expect to receive between now and the sunset of the agency not already dedicated to a project or purpose. It was suggested that a portion of the undedicated funds of the agency be directed to funding a RED CARPET effort for stimulus of downtown in the form of rent subsidy, permit refunds, and one not heard before.... RELOCATION FUNDS TO LOCATE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN CALDWELL. CEURA (urban renewal) has funded businesses leaving our downtown and this idea is brilliant. Incentives to locate downtown may create a tipping point for desirable operations to locate in Caldwell Downtown core.
Mayor Nancolas gave Fox and Pilote the directions to petition the Urban Renewal agency in March for funding of this effort. Their focus is to get out of the gates and they have the spring months of this year to move forward with their program. It was a "green light moment" when Mayor Nancolas gave Mr. Fox the instructions to put a formal request forward for urban renewal money to create downtown incentives for people to locate in Caldwell.
We hope this effort bears some economic fruit for downtown. We have all witnessed a net loss of economic activity downtown over the last ten years. We have witnessed the life and near death of our downtown and perhaps this will be just what is needed to turn the corner. Mayor Nancolas appeared to understand the essence of time needed to move this effort forward.
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