Industrial development authority looking for vacant buildings
December 14, 2018
The Woods County Industrial Development Authority (WCIDA) meeting was held Tuesday morning at Northwest Technology Center and was attended by Randy McMurphy, Richard Ryerson, Stan Kline and, a little later, Rick Cunningham. Executive Director Sonja Williams was present as well. The agenda was handled quickly with the approval of minutes, financial reports and payment of outstanding bills. The only bill was the pledge transfer of $8,100 to WCEDC.
An update on the Waynoka Incubator project was given next. The space had been used solely for storage until recently. As of Nov. 1, tenants have moved in and rent is being paid in a timely manner. The rental agreement is for one year with a one-year extension. Overall, things are going well, Williams said.
In her Woods County Economic Development update, Williams said she attended a rural development workshop called Connect 2018 that focuses on the revitalization of rural areas. She learned a couple of things that she wasn’t aware of before, like grants and other programs that she plans on looking into.
She asked the group to be on the lookout for vacant buildings, as she’s been receiving calls from people looking for available spaces.
Ryerson spoke up and said Alva took a big blow with the upcoming closing of Brown’s Shoe Fit. He asked what could be done about it, to which Williams replied that they “aren’t doing nothing,” but the focus of the Woods County Industrial Development Authority is on industry and infrastructure, while the Alva Chamber of Commerce’s is on things like retail and restaurants. It was agreed that a collaboration between the two entities could be beneficial.
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