COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The City of Coldwater has been one of ten communities in Michigan which has hosted a community development fellow since October of 2021 through the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan.
The fellow is primarily funded through CEDAM, with a small contribution from the city as a host site.
The fellowship is made possible with funding and partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. It was created to help address a challenge Michigan’s diverse communities face which is a lack of sufficient capacity to achieve their economic development potential.
Fellows work directly with existing municipalities or organizations in communities for 15 months on projects that expand organizational capacity, increase local collaboration, and remove barriers to development.
Katie Higgs will be concluding her time as a Community Development Fellow for the City of Coldwater at the end of December.
She gave a power point presentation to the Coldwater City Council this past Monday night which showed how nearly a quarter of the city’s population are struggling financially.
In 15 months of work, she helped the city secure three grant awards totaling over $253,000 in funds.
She also help Coldwater development boards and commissions update their by laws.
Higgs recommended a Strategic Alignment which would include an annual Joint Meeting between the City Council, the Downtown Development Authority and the Planning Commission.
She also said the city should utilize its Master Plan as a basis for decision making across all bodies and that leadership should be diversified.
Higgs also recommended the city become a Certified Local Government to Access Historic Preservation resources.
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