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Governor Schweitzer Announces Nearly $700,000 in Economic Development Funds for Projects in the Flathead – Glacier Stone Supply and Flathead Valley Community College

Governor Brian Schweitzer today presented a total of nearly $700,000 in funds from Montana Department of Commerce to two Flathead area economic development projects. Together these projects are expected to create 93 new jobs.

“These projects are a win-win for the Flathead community, its students, area businesses and the state economy,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “These funds are helping to create jobs that are in high demand and generate a skilled and educated workforce for our local businesses. At a time when Wall Street has forgotten about Main Street, we’re creating 93 new jobs for Montana families.”

Governor Schweitzer presented a total of $532,500 in funding to Glacier Stone Supply, LLC http://www.glacierstonesupply.com/ . and Flathead County. Glacier Stone will use the funds to expand its natural stone processing facility. Flathead County received $300,000 in funding from the Community Development Block Grant – Economic Development (CDBG-ED) Program. Flathead County will loan to $276,000 to Glacier Stone for the purchase of new equipment and machinery. The county will use the remaining balance for administration costs. Glacier Stone will use $232,500 from the Workforce Training Grant (WTG) Program to reimburse the costs associated with training 58 new employees over the next two years. Other contributing funding will be from Wells Fargo Bank. Jobs Now, Inc. will assist with the administration of the project.

Governor Schweitzer presented the City of Kalispell with a grant of $166,860 in Community Development Block Grant – Economic Development (CDBG-ED) Program funds for Flathead Valley Community College http://www.fvcc.edu/. FVCC will use $154,500 of the funds to assist with a welding and metals fabrication program. The City of Kalispell will use the remaining balance for administration costs. The college will focus on specific computer numerical control (CNC) training giving students experience in set-up and operation of CNC lathes and milling machines, as well as manual programming. FVCC expects at least 60 students to enroll in the program over a two year period. Upon completing the program, 35 of these students are expected to be recruited by Plum Creek, Semitool and Sonju Industrial among other local businesses. The City of Kalispell will administer the project. Flathead Valley Community College will also contribute $154,500 in funding and $15,000 in donated supplies towards this training program.

“The Montana Department of Commerce is proud to support Glacier Stone, Flathead Valley Community College and their contributing partners in these projects,” said Anthony Preite, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “The CDBG-ED and WTG programs are valuable tools for Montana’s economy and they prove their worth time and time again.”

Montana’s CDBG-ED program is designed to stimulate economic development activity by assisting Montana’s private sector in job creation or retention for low and moderate income persons. The program receives funding from the Community Development Block Grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

At Governor Schweitzer’s request, the 60th Montana Legislature increased funding for WTG from $1.4 million annually, to nearly $4 million annually. The program is designed to assist established businesses and new businesses in their expansion efforts. It is targeted toward businesses that create at least one net, new job that pays at least the lower of the current county average or the current state average. That wage can include fringe benefits. New employees must work at least thirty-five hours per week year round. Program applicants must demonstrate that at least fifty percent of their sales originate outside of Montana. The maximum funding available to train a single employee is $5,000.

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Marissa P. Kozel

Communications Director, Director’s Office

Montana Department of Commerce

406-841-2772 (o)

406-465-7208 (c)

[email protected]

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