Randy Barta of the Tioga Industrial Corporation Board gave a reminder to the Tioga City Council about the $275,000 the board has set aside to help with the Tioga Museum and Community Center project.
Barta added that the board hopes to move forward soon with the project.
'We're in pretty darn good shape to be able to help the city when they move on that project,' he said.
Mayor Craig Jezek acknowledged what Barta said, adding that the project is one of many priorities the city is working on.
'The engineer has submitted partial drawings,' he said, adding, '… hopefully, we can get some better renderings and nail it down and get a plan moving forward.'
The TIDC has about $384,000 in the bank, Barta also said, which includes the amount allocated for the museum project.
'We have the funds now approved to start paying any invoices you may have or invoices that are coming in,' he said.
Council member Galen Jones asked whether any of the bills for the project had made it to the IDC's desk.
'No,' Barta said. After that discussion, Tioga resident Patty Wheeler asked the council to consider working with the TIDC and the Tioga Economic Development Corporation to provide grants for downtown building owners.
'I would hate to lose Medina's for safety reasons,' Wheeler said of one of the community's downtown staples.
Wheeler thanked the city staff and mayor for repairs that were made in the downtown area that she had called in.
She also encouraged the city to promote any grant opportunities as well as ways to be engaged with the boards.
'If we don't know, they don't know,' Wheeler said about the business owners. 'I didn't even know that there was that much money.'
Following the meeting, Jezek added that the IDC has contributed money to cover the matching portion of the city's sidewalk grant.
Also during the meeting, the council considered a request for a special use permit that would have allowed applicant Mike McGarry to have an apartment in a commercial property.
'If there's any questions, I would be more than glad to answer them,' he said during the public hearing.
No one else spoke during that public hearing.
Mayor Pro Tem Kurt Hall asked whether allowing for the permit would require the city to allow all subsequent similar requests. Jezek confirmed that.
'But, if you deny the next one that comes in, … legal action could be taken then at that point,' Jezek said.
Tommy Hunter asked about the city code, which Jezek said does not typically allow a building to be both a commercial space and a residence.
City Secretary Donna Carney added that an SUP would be necessary because the city does not have a mixed-use zoning designation.
After some brief discussion, the council voted unanimously to deny the request.
McGarry was present but was not asked any questions and refrained from commenting about the denial after the meeting.
Also at the meeting, the council accepted Janet Groff's resignation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and appointed Duane McGurk to fill that seat.
The council also called the May 2 election, for which only incumbents Hall, Place 1; Hunter, Place 3; and council member Heather Nesmith, Place 5, had filed for as of Wednesday afternoon.
It also approved an agreement to partner with the school district and Grayson County if the city has to hold the election.
