By City needs assessment public hearing tonight
The City of Havre is holding a needs assessment public hearing tonight at 7 p.m. in the city council chambers at city hall.
Craig Erickson, planner at Bear Paw Development Corporation North Montana, will present information on options to apply for Community Development Block Grant program funds from the Montana Department of Commerce. He said part of what he will present includes information about the proposal for Advantage Line, Inc., a business out of Williston, N.D., to open a business in Havre. Advantage Line currently has businesses in Williston, Glendive and Billings.
Erickson said the hearing will be more to listen to what people in the community have to say about needs for the grant. He said the hearing will be both to inform the people attending what funds could be available and what they could be used for, and to take public comment on community needs for economic development, housing and public facilities.
Erickson said a key issue is how the projects could meet the needs of low- and middle-income people in the community. He said if the project doesn't meet the needs of these people, the city probably could not get a grant.
Erickson said up to $400,000 could be available through the CDBG program. He said he stresses the fact that there is no decision to submit a CDBG grant yet. He said this hearing is not project specific, but is just to gather information about the needs of the community that a grant could be used for.
Erickson said information gathered at the meeting could be used to update the city's strategic plan, which was adopted by the city council about a year ago. He encouraged anybody and everybody to attend the hearing.
