by Jewel Pickert

[email protected]

The local business grant program would be managed through an outside vendor, NextStage, with an administrative cost of around $9,000,” according to John Hinzman, Community Development Director. “Funding would be used to provide 25 grants to local businesses. This would supplement Dakota County’s Small Business Relief Grant Program providing 1,000 grants. Both programs would have identical qualifications and provide $10,000 grants through a random selection of qualified businesses.

“NextStage would provide a list of 25 businesses that were not funded through Dakota County’s program for funding by the City of Hastings.” Also,“$250,000 in funding would be allocated to HEDRA for disbursement to local nonprofit organizations. This would likely require development and management of a grant program in house.”

El Original Mexican Restaurant is slated to open in the Cub Foods strip mall.

“The Smokin’ Oak has purchased the former Provincial Bank building at 1309 Vermillion Street. A building permit has been submitted to convert the space into a restaurant similar to their Red Wing location.”

The Planning Commission will review two residential proposals on August 24th. One, called Villas at Pleasant, features 33 villa home sites aimed at empty nesters and seniors. The sites are located at the northwest corner of Pleasant Drive and Northridge Drive. The second, called Sieben Ridge, features 116 home sites, with half being villa homes and the other half, traditional single-family homes. Sieben Ridge would be located west of General Sieben Drive and south of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church.

An offer has been extended to a new Economic Development Coordinator, contingent on the satisfactory completion of a background check.