City staff to update subrecipient agreement for Main Street Startup Grant after state request

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — City staff introduced a revised subrecipient agreement for the Main Street Startup Grant program, a pass-through grant funded under the state’s Project ReStore program, and said the changes reflect the state’s requested contract language.

Chris Simon, who presented the draft revisions, said the redline changes remove the landlord as a contracting party at the state’s request, clarify hold‑harmless provisions and confirm that the recipient property addresses lie within the city. Simon said the city will bring the revised agreement to a future regular session for formal approval and then return to prior awardees who must sign the updated form; two recent awardees were already handled under earlier authorized language.

Council members indicated general support; staff said the revisions are administrative and intended to align the city’s subrecipient agreement with state requirements so the city may continue to administer the program and issue funds to qualifying businesses.

Once the council approves the revised agreement in the regular session, staff will seek signatures from earlier recipients who have not yet signed the updated document so the city can proceed with remaining grant awards.