On Tuesday, the Sanford City Council approved a $100,000 request from the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council to be taken from TIF funds to market the city in Maine and across New England. TAMMY WELLS/Journal Tribune
SANFORD – The city needs to do a better job of “tooting its own horn,” Sanford Mayor Thomas Cote said Tuesday as he and other council members approved a $100,000 allocation from Tax Increment Financing funds to help Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council market Sanford.
Growth council executive director Jim Nimon said the growth council board and ad hoc marketing group has been reviewing a number of marketing proposals and interviewing marketing firms.
“All fall within this new marketing fund request,” said Nimon. “One has risen to the top.”
He said the agency, which he did not name, is finalizing a list of attraction and promotion activities, including development of a brand strategy, website modernization and redevelopment; new brochures, print and online advertising, creation of an event booth, promotional video, news releases and photography.
“We need to get Sanford on developers and companies minds,” said Nimon.
He said the growth council has spent the last few years organizing, facilitating and ensuring that the projects he described as key foundational initiatives, like the Sanford Net Fiber project, new high school and technical center, natural gas extension and the solar energy project, which is poised for spring construction, were moving forward. He said the allocation will help raise Sanford’s profile both in Maine and across New England.
“I think we’ll be very happy, very excited to see a marketing firm take on Sanford,” said Cote, pointing out that Sanford has a lot happening that often goes unnoticed.
“I’ve been a huge proponent of improving our marketing,” said Councilor Maura Herlihy. “Our marketing is poor, poor poor. “
Herlihy cautioned the growth council that the city and school department should not be forgotten and that the funds should be used city-wide.
A combination of the balance and expected growth of TIF account funds should leave a balance in the account of about $55,000, Sanford Treasurer Paula Simpson estimated on Wednesday.
Nimon on Tuesday said there are additional TIF deals “in the pipeline.”
Sanford used about $43,000 in TIF funds for marketing in 2010 and $50,000 in 2014, Nimon noted.
Tax Increment Financing is defined by the Maine Department of Economic and Community development as a flexible finance tool used by municipalities to leverage new property taxes generated by a specific project or projects within a defined geographic district.
The TIF money in this case comes from about nine tax increment financing arrangements developed years ago with various area industries in the Route 109 corridor in south Sanford and some other businesses, said Simpson
Cote said in a couple of years, Sanford hopes to hire a marketing professional, but the marketing project with the growth council will work in the meantime.
“We’ve got to do a better job tooting our own horn,” said Cote.
The five councilors present all voted in favor of the proposal. Deputy Mayor Lucas Lanigan and councilor Joseph Hanslip were absent.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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