City seeks $220K for Broadway UEZ Jones: Funds would be used to market, attract business BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer LONG BRANCH - - The City Council has asked the state Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) board to authorize funds for a business development project in the downtown Broadway area. The council approved resolution 21-07 at the Jan. 23 municipal meeting to adopt the local UEZ project aimed at marketing business growth in the Broadway corridor and other UEZs in the city. "This is an ongoing part of the marketing and business attraction in the Broadway area," said Jacob Jones, director of community and economic development and director of the Long Branch UEZ, in an interview Monday. "We use this project to bring businesses into Long Branch with the hope that existing businesses here will pick up. "Some businesses have come and gone in Long Branch, but others have weathered the storm and we have helped them make a living and stay in Long Branch," Jones said. The Long Branch UEZ board recommended to council that $220,000 of the state UEZ Zone Assistance Funds be spent on the marketing project for the 2007/2008 program year, according to the resolution. The project includes $121,000 for marketing activities such as concerts, flea markets, seminars, holiday decorations, signage and advertisements. It also calls for $48,000 for a redevelopment consultant and a business development coordinator and $19,500 for office equipment, furniture, computer software and additional supplies. An additional $31,500 will support a base salary service technician and operating expenses, such as office supplies, utilities and travel expenses. "Broadway is not an attractive place," Jones said, "And we are doing our best to improve the conditions. "We have hired [UEZ] police officers to make it more safe and we have cleaned up the parking lots and other city-owned areas," he said. As part of the project, the Broadway corridor and other UEZs in the city will be marketed to promote the UEZ program and business development, according to the resolution. "The City of Long Branch, through the UEZ, is committed to providing job creation and economic development for residents and merchants and … the completion of this project will provide for the creation of jobs, economic development opportunities and other improvement projects that will benefit residents and business owners in Long Branch," the resolution states. "This project is an example of activities that can be accomplished to revitalize the city and to bring about community development, business and economic development that are needed in Long Branch," it continues. Funding for the project comes from funds generated throughout the Long Branch UEZ which are deposited in the state UEZ assistance fund and maintained by the state. This will be the sixth year the Long Branch UEZ has continued the project, Jones said. Every year, the city UEZ requests approximately $215,000 to carry out the services to attract business in the Broadway corridor, Jones said, The council agreed with UEZ officials and adopted the resolution, Jones explained, adding the next step is a presentation to the UEZ Board in Trenton. "The Long Branch UEZ first approves the project, then we present it to council," Jones said. "Council approved it, and now we need to meet the requirements of the UEZ in Trenton. "I anticipate that I will be making a presentation within the next 45 to 60 days," he said. Council also adopted resolution 20-07, adopting the UEZ administrative budget for the 2007/2008 program fiscal year. Upon its adoption, the city submitted a proposal to the state UEZ authority to authorize $52,000 for administrative costs and expenditures of the city's UEZ program for 2007/2008. The UEZ proposed budget includes: $35,926 for personnel costs; $11,674 for operating expenses; $2,900 for advertising costs and $1,500 for materials and supplies. "The administrative budget is necessary in order to successfully operate the program and complete stated UEZ objectives and goals," the resolution states.