GUERNSEY—The Town of Guernsey got a thumbs up in a big way from the State Loan and Investment Board and Wyoming Business Council this week with their full endorsement and approval of a Business Ready Community Grant in the amount of $717,792 to extend 260 feet of single-rail across Buffalo Road in the Guernsey Business/Industrial Park. The expansion of rail will allow Bunning Transfer, a privately-owned transportation and logistics company, the ability to grow their business, creating eight to 10 new jobs. The expansion also makes the community more marketable to companies looking for new or additional locations.
Obtaining funding from the Business Ready Community grant program is a two-part process. The Wyoming Business Council administers the BRC grant and loan program to provide financing for publicly-owned infrastructure that serves the needs of businesses and promotes economic development within Wyoming communities. Once the Business Council accepts and reviews an application, conducts visits to the site and makes their recommendation, the application moves to a final approval decision made by the State Land and Investment Board. That board is comprised of elected officials that include the governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer and state superintendent of public instruction.
Guernsey City Clerk-Treasurer wrote the grant and presented the application to the Business Council. Word was received in December that the grant would be recommended to the State Land and Investment Board for full funding approval, which was received this week.
The Wyoming Business Council has been instrumental in several large projects in the community in recent years, including the renovation of an old hotel in the downtown area. The Wyoming Business Council has a number of programs that assist communities in providing growth and promotion of established and new businesses. More information about the Wyoming Business Council may be found at www.wyomingbusiness.org