Murray electrical project could be powered by grant

WALLACE —  Idaho Strategic Resources had already planned to upgrade the electrical infrastructure in Murray, but when the Idaho Department of Commerce became interested in the project, the time seemed ripe to connect with community partners.

At a public hearing with the Shoshone County Board of County Commissioners Wednesday, members of ISR and economic development and county grants administrator Colleen Rosson spoke about the plan to pursue a Rural Community Investment Fund match grant.

The BOCC unanimously approved a motion to proceed with the RCIF grant. 

Rosson said in a later phone interview that the project will be a public/private partnership where the county will ensure compliance if the grant is awarded to the county. 

“It’s a way for the county to support economic development and a business that’s going to create a tax base,” Rosson said.

ISR will be the direct beneficiary but they will also have to supply capital in the form of high-paid jobs and the business must remain in the community for the long haul.

“The endgame is we’re going to improve the electrical infrastructure all the way up to Murray,” Rosson said. 

The project to improve the electrical system in Murray comes with a price tag of $1.1 million. The grant would potentially offset about $440,000 in costs. 

ISR has also committed to creating six jobs over the next two years with pay about $100,000 annually.

“They’re fronting over $600,000 to make this happen,” Rosson said.  

County officials and ISR representatives are hopeful the Department of Commerce will recognize the benefits of improving the electrical infrastructure. 

“They’re at the end of the line so everybody who’s upgraded, now there’s capacity to build homes to put businesses in,” Rosson said.

By building business capacity and their ability to create living wage jobs at and above a certain range, the improvements are expected to benefit the local economy.

The next step is a review by the Department of Commerce to learn more about the project and local impacts. If the proposal moves on, county officials and ISR will present it to state officials.

The electrical project is the first in a series ISR is planning for the area. RCIF grant recipients are expected to be announced by June.

    Idaho Strategic Resources