After two unsuccessful Be Lisbon grant offerings this past year, the City of Lisbon is looking to utilize that $5,000 to pay for signage along Hwy. 30 that lists amenities in the community.
Lisbon city administrator Brandon Siggins said that the reason non one applied for the Be Lisbon grant this year was most likely rising construction costs in the past year, making that $5,000 too little for smaller construction projects for area businesses.
Siggins said he and the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group’s economic vitality committee are researching the possibility of using the money to put businesses on the Hwy. 30 signage to try and drive traffic to the community.
The signs only allow advertising for food, lodging and gas related businesses to advertise, and the cost would be roughly $860 per year per business to be on the signs.
Lisbon city council member Nathan Smith said he thought it was a good idea, but wanted this to be a 50 percent investment for the city.
“I think people get more out of this if they have some skin in the game,” Smith said.
Lisbon city council member Sara Nost agreed, noting that even if it was a two-year commitment, with businesses fronting one year and the city fronting the second year, it would commit businesses to two years of advertising along Hwy. 30 and help attract more traffic to the downtown.
Siggins said that a formal plan for the signage will be coming to the next council meeting.