If you had to pick two problems the city of Hoquiam should focus on, what would you pick? One condition: They have to fit within the scope of influence of the state Department of Commerce.
A group of business owners, community members and City of Hoquiam officials met with state Department of Commerce staff Thursday to narrow down a list of more than 50 city priorities to five.
And soon, the City Council will narrow that to just two as part of a Department of Commerce pilot project called New Horizons, designed to identify the city’s top two priorities and specifically define how Commerce’s nearly 100 programs could help the city develop plans and potentially find funding for them. Hoquiam is one of three cities chosen for the pilot project; the others are Chewelah and Toppenish.
A list of 57 priorities was developed through three community outreach events held in December and a previous meeting with the group that met at the Hoquiam Timberland Library on Thursday, known for the project as the leadership group. Commerce took that list and compared it to Commerce programs; the priorities that did not fall under the umbrella of the department were trimmed out, leaving 36, and it was up to the leadership group to further trim that list to five.
Commerce Community Outreach Program Manager Stephen Dunk explained the goal of the pilot project is to provide technical assistance to the city, identifying priorities, and narrowing that list to efforts that could be helped by Commerce programs. There are no guarantees that the priorities will be funded, but Commerce will supply its expertise to create a community action plan and report the city can use to focus its efforts, which helps when the city goes looking for grants and other funding sources.
“The pilot program is designed to give technical assistance and a community action report to help along the way,” said Dunk.
Commerce’s Emerging Issues Grant is a tool the city can use when it decides on its top two priorities, said Dunk. He said the grant was “pretty much set aside for these pilot programs for comprehensive planning,” and could be used to develop a comprehensive plan to address the selected issues.
In the end, after much discussion, the group chose as its top five priorities:
• Flooding and flood insurance. Hoquiam City Administrator Brian Shay said it’s the mandatory flood insurance requirement that has created some of the other issues the group discussed, including scarce affordable housing. Investors are often unwilling to look at developing housing with the flood insurance requirement, and Police Chief Jeff Myers noted the number of vacant houses and buildings the city has currently because of the requirements of properties in flood zones to improve those homes.
• Commercial development. Attracting more commercial businesses to the city, not just downtown. This could include finding programs to encourage entrepreneurial startups.
• Industrial development. The Port of Grays Harbor has property on a deepwater port that is ripe for industry, not just shipping related. Shay noted the state’s permitting process is a discouraging factor in the development of such properties.
• Revitalization of downtown. After much discussion several other priorities — redevelopment of waterfront and existing properties, creation of multi-use living space and the preservation of existing buildings, and the ultimate marketing of Hoquiam — could be part of this effort. “Something that’s often lost in conversations like these is Hoquiam is already a great place to live,” said Shay. The marketing component, said Commerce outreach specialist Karen Francis-McWhite, could help the city promote its efforts to potential investors and others.
• Olympic Stadium. The historic city-owned stadium has received state money for improvements. Community Development Block Grants are a possible source of funding for more improvements, and Shay said it would be helpful to bring all users to the table to develop a long-term plan for the stadium’s usage.
These five priorities will be summarized and presented to the City Council. Shay said the list will be the major topic of an upcoming council retreat March 2.
The pilot project is about six months into its year-long life. The top two priorities, as chosen by the City Council, will be forwarded to Commerce. There, the agency will develop its action plan.
“We hope the insight and technical assistance leads to the next steps you can take,” said Commerce Community Outreach Specialist Julia Havens.
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Leadership group
Dean Brydon, Timberland Bank CFO
Moira Connor, community relations manager at Channel Point
Kayla Dunlap, Port of Grays Harbor
Kent Gravley, Immanuel Baptist Church Pastor
Grant Jones, Greater Grays Harbor Inc. Director of Business Development
Cassie Lentz, Social Services Manager Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services
Chris Majors, marketing and public relations, Grays Harbor Community Hospital
Ken McDonald, citizen and former member of the 7th Street Theatre board of directors
Jeff Myers, Hoquiam Chief of Police
Jody Peterson, Hoquiam Business Association president
Franzine Potts, YMCA of Grays Harbor CEO
Corri Schmid, City of Hoquiam Finance Director
Brian Shay, Hoquiam City Administrator
Mary Thornton, Hoquiam Library manager
DAN HAMMOCK | GRAYS HARBOR NEWS GROUP Department of Commerce Community Outreach Specialist Julia Havens and Community Outreach Program Manager Stephen Dunk listen as members of the Hoquiam leadership group discuss the city’s priorities at the Hoquiam Library Thursday.
DAN HAMMOCK | GRAYS HARBOR NEWS GROUP People from the Hoquiam business community and city officials met with the Department of Commerce Thursday, another step as part of Commerce’s pilot project designed to match up the city’s top needs with Commerce programs.
