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A memorandum of understanding was approved between the city of Tahlequah and Tahlequah Regional Development Authority on a grant to make the Business and Technology Park shovel-ready.
Nathan Reed, CEO and president of the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce, said the city will do project management on the grant that pays for regional stormwater efforts and roads – and the bridge on Woodard Road – surrounding the park.
“This is for [the city] to do project management and I will do grant management from TRDA standpoint,” Reed said.
According to the Oklahoma Commerce website, the Supporting Industrial Transportation and Economic Success Program was launched Feb. 1, 2023. The grant will proactively address statewide site infrastructure needs to meet the demand of existing businesses, as well as companies looking to establish operations in Oklahoma.
“The Department of Commerce set aside $29 million in funding for rural industrial parks. This is for infrastructure – what is called last-mile projects – so our park is going to be ready for anyone to take a look and it will be shovel-ready,” Reed said.
The work with Heartland Area Medical Manufacturing Regional Cluster is continuing, and the last meeting was held in Stilwell in the new city hall. At this time, no new manufacturing facilities have come forward to work with HAMMRC on developing a corridor of local medical equipment manufacturers, Reed said.
The economic development meetings among TRDA, Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and the city of Tahlequah are going well. The collaboration between the three has been good, Reed said.
“Instead of us doing it in addition or separate from, we partner and two entities working together always goes better,” Reed said.
The business retention and expansion visits are ongoing. Charlotte Howe, regional representative from the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce, came to Tahlequah, and she and Reed talked with a local business about workforce needs. A couple of site visits for the business expansion efforts are planned.
In the strategic plan work, one of the items discussed was housing, and a small group has been working on that in conjunction with the city.
“What the need is, how to address it, all the things that go into that,” Reed said. “What do we need to do? We feel the perception that we need housing, but is it single-family, multifamily, large, custom – we just need more information.”
The lease for Provalus for the new site in the old Workman building needs to be prepared, and Reed gained approval from the board to use City Attorney John Hammon’s firm to consult on drafting the document.
“He’s also the council for the city and it’s good all the way around,” said Josh Allen, Ward 4 Tahlequah city councilor.
The sign for Provalus on the Workman building was approved. The letters will be red and be backlit at night. There will also be a “V” on the end of the awning that faces Downing, and itn will be backlit.
“They have requested the Workman signs and things that go with it to be used inside as decoration,” Reed said.
The Workman sign belongs to TRDA and will remain with the building if Provalus moves from the site. The new sign is in the approval process with the city.
The strategic plan is close to final for approval. It started in October 2023, and the date for the plan will be 2024-2025.
What’s next
The next TRDA meeting is April 9, 4 p.m. at TACC.
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