City approves increased spending for Economic Development Services

Annually, the City contracts with the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce for economic development related services.  On Tuesday, December 17, the City Commission authorized execution of the Chamber’s contract for 2020, with an increase of $350,000, bringing their total to $493,080.

Along with the Chamber’s regularly contracted services, the Chamber intends to use the additional funding for three primary focus areas: economic diversification, talent sustainability, and entrepreneurial dynamism. Specific uses of the additional funds include hiring a Director of Economic Development and a Workforce Officer, as well as fund additional economic research, business and industrial park planning, developing a recruitment and retention marketing plan, and contract with an organization to maintain an entrepreneurial ecosystem to enable and empower small startups to grow.