Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday took another step toward implementing a new funding mechanism to continue to grow and develop the county's largest business park, Highridge.

They approved holding a hearing at 9 a.m. July 8 in the commissioners' boardroom in the courthouse annex on an ordinance that would create a joint municipal authority called Highridge Improvement District Authority.The authority would manage the Highridge Improvement District, the Neighborhood Improvement District encompassing the business park.Neighborhood Improvement Districts are areas in which a special assessment is levied on all but tax-exempt properties within its confines. The revenue is used to maintain improvements to the district."The plan has been approved by all entities involved," said county administrator Mark Scarbinsky. "It's a good synergy, a good program where everybody's partnering to make this happen."Those are Cass and Foster townships, the county, and the Minersville Area School District.Now the county will hold a hearing to gather opinions on the ordinance to create the Highridge Improvement District Authority, and then vote on whether to adopt it.The Highridge Improvement District would replace the Tax Increment Financing mechanism that built the park in 1997.Under the TIF, a portion of the new taxes generated from development of the park in the participating jurisdictions the townships, the school district, and the county were used to pay for improvements, such as road and utilities, and to repay debts.Under HID, Each of the taxing bodies would contribute a proportional share of the property tax revenue they collect from the business park.The park has been managed by the Schuylkill County Industrial Development Authority, with day-to-day operations governed by the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation.Now, the initial debts have been paid., and the maintenance of capital improvements in the park need to be addressed, and establishing the HID is expected to do that.Under SCIDA's management, maintenance costs for the park have averaged about $150,000 a year over the past five years. The money is used for snowplowing, landscaping and grounds maintenance, street lighting maintenance and traffic signals, road repairs and hydrant testing and maintenance, all of which will continue under HID.In the first year of HID, The budget is anticipated to be $154,000.Of that, the school district and the county would each contribute 35 percent, or $53,900; Cass Township would contribute 17 percent, or $26,180, and Foster Township 13 percent, or $20,020.The HID is expected to remain in place for 30 years.The Highridge Improvement District Authority will be governed by a five-member board representing each funding entity. SCIDA will designate a property member to serve on the board.The 2,428-acre park, along Interstate 81 in Cass and Foster townships, is home to a Lowe's, Wegman's, Walmart, Electrolux, Sara Lee and other distribution centers.It also includes Highridge Business Park North and the Schuylkill Airport Business Park.