Title
Incorporated County Of Los Alamos Resolution No. 18-02; A Resolution Of Support And Funding Commitment By The Incorporated County Of Los Alamos For The Local Mainstreet Program, As Partner With Los Alamos Mainstreet, A Program Of The Los Alamos Commerce And Development Corporation (LACDC) To Expand The Borders Of The Los Alamos Mainstreet District To Include The Commercial Area In The Neighboring Community Of White Rock, Within Los Alamos County, Through A Non-Contiguous Boundary, As Part Of A Community Economic Development Downtown Revitalization Program And Approval Of LACDC’s Pursuit For Competitive Funding For Community And Economic Development And Improvement Projects
Recommended Action
I move that Council adopt Incorporated County Of Los Alamos Resolution No. 18-02; A Resolution Of Support And Funding Commitment By The Incorporated County Of Los Alamos For The Local Mainstreet Program, As Partner With Los Alamos MainStreet, A Program Of The Los Alamos Commerce And Development Corporation (LACDC) To Expand The Borders Of The Los Alamos Mainstreet District To Include The Commercial Area In The Neighboring Community Of White Rock, Within Los Alamos County, Through A Non-Contiguous Boundary, As Part Of A Community Economic Development Downtown Revitalization Program And Approval Of LACDC’s Pursuit For Competitive Funding For Community And Economic Development And Improvement Projects
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council adopt Incorporated County of Los Alamos Resolution No. 18-02.
Body
Adoption of the attached Resolution No. 18-02 provides the approval required by the New Mexico Main Street (NMMS), authorizing Los Alamos MainStreet, LLC (LAMS), a State-Certified and Nationally Accredited MainStreet Affiliate in accordance with the State of New Mexico Economic Development Department's (NMEDD) Main Street Program, as well as the National Trust MainStreet Center requirements to submit an application to expand the Los Alamos MainStreet District to include an area of White Rock. A copy of Resolution No. 18-02, as well as the required public notice is attached for reference (Attachments A and B, respectively).
Pending County Council approval, Resolution 18-02 will be signed and included in LAMS’ submittal packet for the Accelerator Process Community Application due to NMMS on Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
The recommendation to expand the Los Alamos MainStreet District to include White Rock is a result of discussion that occurred during the September 7, 2017 assessment of LAMS District, conducted by NMMS.
Pending NMMS approval of LAMS’ application, the new expanded district will be bound by the terms of the FY2017-FY2019 MOU, which defines the County's partnership with Los Alamos MainStreet from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019, establishing the partnership with the Los Alamos MainStreet Program and the NMEDD to pursue and manage capital outlay or other state and federal funds dedicated to revitalization, in coordination with matching public and private funds, for qualifying projects in the Los Alamos Main Street District. A copy of the MOU is attached for reference (Attachment C).
The FY2017-FY2019 MOU aligns with New Mexico’s Economic Development Department’s (NMEDD) goals to increase the number of jobs and businesses, sustain and expand existing businesses, mitigate commercial leakage, support local entrepreneurs in start-ups, and improve property values within traditional and historic commercial districts. To that end, it has dedicated resources, professional assistance and services to partnering municipalities and a local non-profit organization representing stakeholders within the designated commercial district through the New Mexico MainStreet program. The partners of this MOU agree to dedicate collaborative resources, adopt local governing body economic growth and revitalization tools, and establish economic development funding for operations and program implementation to restore economic vitality within the MainStreet economic redevelopment district according to the economic transformation strategies, including: 1) Promote and encourage niche tourism by capitalizing on Los Alamos’ historic and scientific significance; 2) Create a strong entrepreneurial support environment; and 3) Physically transform downtown Los Alamos into a place where people want to gather and do business.
The State of New Mexico has not appropriated funds for the capital outlay program at his time. However, this resolution as well as the FY17-FY19 MOU authorizes Los Alamos County to pursue matching grant opportunities should they be funded in the future, applying budgeted project funds toward the match.
Alternatives
Council could reject Resolution No.18-02, thereby foregoing eligibility to pursue expansion of the Los Alamos MainStreet District to include White Rock, and funding for capital projects through the New Mexico Economic Development Department or future grant funding opportunities.
Fiscal and Staff Impact/Unplanned Item
Minimal staff time will be required to manage MainStreet grants that may be received. The required minimum County contributions toward the program are already included in the existing MainStreet services agreement AGR16-907.
Attachments
A - Incorporated County of Los Alamos Resolution 18-02
B - Public Notice of Resolution No. 18-02
C - Biennial Memorandum of Understanding FY2017-2019
D - Map of White Rock Commercial Area