Council has selected a consultant to assist with the development of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for the township.
At the Nov. 24 council meeting, business development and marketing coordinator Crystal Ellis reported Mapleton was successful with an application to the county’s BRE (Business Retention and Expansion) Municipal Implementation Fund for a $25,000 grant toward the creation of a CIP.
The plan implements policy initiatives toward a specifically-defined project area or areas and provides funding mechanisms geared towards those policy initiatives – for example grants to downtown businesses for façade improvements.
The intent of the CIP is to encourage the rehabilitation of lands and buildings and/or the stimulation of economic development.
In September, council directed staff to proceed with RFPs for a firm to assist in plan development, contingent on the funding application being approved by the county.
Ellis reported that six proposals were received and reviewed by herself and CAO Brad McRoberts based on a scoring system. Staff recommended the township accept the proposal of Meridian Planning, which scored highest in the review process although its proposed fee ($24,580) fell into the mid-range of proposals. Fees ranged from a low of $14,191 to a high of $39,129.
In its proposal, Meridian Planning notes it has been involved in the preparation of CIPs for two other Wellington County lower tier municipalities, Centre Wellington and Puslinch, and is currently advising Wellington County regarding community improvement policies and upper tier participation.
McRoberts told council he feels the timing of the plan development should fit well with the township’s budgeting process.
“We’re looking at a report in June or July that will feed very well into our budgeting and that we can incorporate into our 2017 budgeting process,” he noted.
Councillor Dennis Craven said, $25,000 “is a lot of money to pay these people for a Community Improvement Plan.”
While stating, “I think it’s important. We should go ahead and do it,” Craven asked how long it would be before the township would see “any payback,” from the plan.
Ellis said “we should start to see the results fairly quickly,” once the township has budgeted funds to provide incentives to local businesses.
However, McRoberts cautioned, “It’s important to realize a return on your investment is not usually measured in terms of days or weeks or months, or even years, it’s more typically measured in terms of decades.”
Mayor Neil Driscoll said, “It’s just a great opportunity for us to try and help our local businesses. We’ve got some great ones and we want to try and do everything we can to keep them.”
