CHANDA VENO May 19, 2023 – State Journal
In 2020 one of the things I ran on was establishing a remote workers program. The Remote Worker Initiative is just the latest investment in Frankfort’s future. Join us as we continue to support the growth of our community and create new opportunities.
City leaders are hoping to attract remote workers looking to relocate to Frankfort through a new incentive program launched this week.
“The City of Frankfort is partnering with MakeMyMove, an Indianapolis-based online marketplace that connects move-ready talent with the communities that want to recruit them, and screens candidates for the program,” Penny Peavler, the city’s strategic initiatives consultant, told The State Journal.
Quickly becoming a preferred economic development strategy, recruiting those who work remotely to put down roots in the area adds to the population and tax base and can be done relatively quickly compared to attracting new businesses, which can take months or years and involves construction, permitting issues, traffic and environmental concerns.
“It’s a wonderful way to grow your community,” Mayor Layne Wilkerson added.
Those who apply, meet the eligibility requirements and are selected will receive an incentive package worth $6,000, which includes $5,000 cash, a $50 Buffalo Trace Distillery gift card (as well as a tour of the distillery with Freddie Johnson), a mingle with the mayor, a progressive dinner with downtown residents, an historic Frankfort tour and a welcome basket.
“Frankfort is the heart, the soul, the spirit of Kentucky,”
Mayor Layne Wilkerson
“We talk with remote workers every day, and the biggest thing they want out of a community is a place where they can be a part of things, a place where they can balance work responsibilities but enjoy their surroundings, both aesthetically and in personal relationships,” MakeMyMove co-founder and COO Evan Hock said. “Frankfort has all of that and more, and if you’re a bourbon fan, well, it might just be your Heaven on Earth.”
Wilkerson and his wife, Natalie, will welcome the five new transplants at their historic home during an evening mingle that will include sampling Kentucky cuisine and learning local traditions.
“Frankfort is the heart, the soul, the spirit of Kentucky,” the mayor remarked. “Our welcome mat is open to remote workers who want to live in a community that has big city amenities but a small town feel and opportunities to experience some of the country’s most beautiful outdoor recreational sites.”
The winning applicants will also participate in a progressive dinner, which will include a casual family meal of hors d’oeuvres, salad, main course and dessert — each taking place at a different walkable location in the city’s historic district.