Seven local businesses have been awarded infrastructure improvement grants.

Approvals totaling about $75,600 were given to Embroidered Designs By Debbie, United Industries Inc., Chautauqua Art Gallery, AM Suchar & Son Public Accountants, Miraglia Development LLC, Fenton Associates and Glorious Beauty Salon.

Last week, members of the Jamestown Local Development Corp. reviewed the applications for the second round of the city’s American Rescue Plan Building Property Infrastructure Improvement grant program. Announced by the city Department of Development, the purpose of the grant is to provide businesses with capital to assist with necessary improvements to buildings and properties.

Ten projects received grant funding in the first round of the program.

In the second round, a rubric scale was used to determine the grant awards among the seven businesses that applied.

Embroidered Designs By Debbie was awarded $17,240.71 to extend its building to make room for equipment and inventory.

United Industries Inc. was awarded $14,730.71 for a roof replacement and to repair water damage caused by “multiple leaks” throughout the structure.

Chautauqua Art Gallery was awarded $12,230.71 to replace five rows of bricks damaged by a rubber roof, followed by the replacement of the roof.

AM Suchar & Son Public Accountants was awarded $9,730.71 for a roof replacement and for repairs to a second floor ceiling for damage caused by a roof leak.

Miraglia Development LLC was awarded $9,730.71 for replacement of an HVAC system.

Fenton Associates was awarded $7,230.74 for a roof replacement.

Glorious Beauty Salon was awarded $4,730.71 for a variety of improvement projects.

In other business, JLDC members heard a presentation by Todd Tranum, executive director of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, on the “Good Jobs, Great Cities Initiative.” Jamestown was one of 16 cities nationwide to be selected to participate in an academy geared toward identifying workforce development needs.

In a past news release, Mayor Eddie Sundquist said the program is through the U.S. Department of Labor and National League of Cities. “The grant in particular sends individuals from the Department of Labor to Jamestown to work with all of our workforce development partners on creating a pipeline for workforce development that’s aiding our manufacturing, health care, construction, anything else in between.”

Tranum requested $51,000 for managing and facilitating the “Good Jobs, Great Cities Initiative.”

“From a manufacturer’s perspective, workforce development is the No. 1 issue,” Tranum told JLDC members. “I know all sectors are having a hard time finding people these days. It has been especially pronounced in the manufacturing sector and, frankly, it’s been pronounced probably for the last decade. It’s not something that started with the pandemic. We were having challenges finding workforce prior to the pandemic.”

Jeff Russell, a member of JLDC and the Jamestown City Council, said there’s “definitely a need” by local manufacturers for employees.

“You hear all the time that there’s a lack of workers all over the place or a lack of trained workers,” he said.

Russell alluded to the calls for developing and attracting more industry to the area.

“If you don’t have qualified workers to put in those positions, it’s not going to work,” he said.