The task force charged with guiding the City of Charlotte through the State’s Project Rising Tide initiative will present its first action plan to Charlotte City Council at its Monday, Jan. 25 meeting.
Community Development Director Bryan Myrkle said conversations to this point have centered around Charlotte’s downtown core.
“I expect the task force to report that there is a consistent interest in greater downtown development throughout the community, and from all the groups they surveyed,” Myrkle said. “And, I think their action strategy will reflect that.”
The task force, which includes representation from the Michigan State Housing and Development Authority (MSHDA), Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Michigan Works, spent nearly two months analyzing economic factors facing the City of Charlotte. They have also spent that time gathering information from community members and local organizations.
Since this is a pilot program for the State of Michigan, Charlotte officials aren’t exactly sure what specific benefits Rising Tide will bring the city. Myrkle said Monday’s meeting may shed more light on that.
“I hope that Rising Tide benefits Charlotte by providing us with greater access to state-level resources like grants and technical assistance that we haven’t been able to take advantage of previously — either because we didn’t qualify, or because we didn’t have the necessary local resources,” he said.
Charlotte City Manager Gregg Guetschow said in November that the program comes at a perfect time for the Charlotte community.
“It fits really well with some of the things that we’ve already started with downtown revitalization,” Guetschow said following the Governor’s announcement in the fall. “It will open up access to some additional resources at the state level that will allow us to make our way a little further a little faster.”
The City of Charlotte was also recently accepted into the first year of the Michigan Main Street program, which will also enhance efforts being made to reinvigorate downtown.
“I hope that it inspires local stakeholders like the City, Chamber of Commerce, Can Do!, Hayes Green Beach Hospital and Charlotte Public Schools to focus even more on cooperative projects that benefit downtown,” Myrkle said of the two initiatives.
Other communities selected for Rising Tide include, Newberry, Central Lake, Grayling, Evart, Harrison, Sandusky, Paw Paw, River Rouge and Hillsdale.
The Charlotte City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in council’s chambers, located on the second floor of City Hall.
