GREEN RIVER — The Green River City Council voted 6-1 to approve amending a contract between the City of Green River and the Green River Development Fund, Inc. in the amount of $25,000. Councilman Gary Killpack was against the amendment.

The contract for services was entered into on August 6, 2019, for the purpose of establishing a mural project in the Main Street District. With the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, Jennie Melvin, member of the Green River Development Fund, said they would like to dedicate some of those funds to helping businesses in the Main Street district.

The amendments to the contract include programs relating to economic development such as marketing, promotions, a gift card program, expanding the facade program, and other similarly related activities.

Melvin said businesses in downtown Green River had just started “picking up ground” and the Green River Development Fund wants to help stimulate the businesses to keep them going.

“We want to do everything we can to help the businesses we have and encourage other businesses to open,” Melvin said.

Killpack asked if the $25,000 could be extended to businesses that are not on main street, to which Melvin said they cannot as the Green River Development Fund is dedicated to the downtown area. Killpack said he did not like that it only benefits downtown businesses, while businesses in other areas of the town don’t get anything.

“The businesses on the other side of the river are just as important as the businesses on this side of the river,” Killpack said.