“You all are to be congratulated for the great work that you have done,” Gloria O’Rourke from the Montana Economic Development Association (MEDA) told listeners at the February 2 Boulder Transition Advisory Committee (BTAC) meeting. O’Rourke was invited to address the group about services offered by MEDA. MEDA helped Anaconda recover from an economic downturn there, she said, including the formation of a tax increment financing district.
In the last two years roughly $2 million has been available thanks to that, she said. Another program, called “Pop Up Shop” raised $13,000 and opened seven new businesses in Anaconda, said O’Rourke. She recommended Boulder get more information about that program as well as visit with a Main Street Montana program representative.
She also said Anaconda printed a promotional brochure funded by a grant from the local community foundation. She encouraged community members to keep up the work. “You can’t stop now,” she said. The BTAC decided to refer the MEDA recommendations to a subcommittee for review, prioritization and assignment of action steps.
