The Kent City Council voted into council a recommendation by the finance committee to grant the business incubator $25,000 for the next two years to cover day-to-day business costs at its work session Wednesday.

The business incubator, located on Martinel Drive, is owned by the Kent Regional Business Alliance (KRBA), and according to the KRBA website, “is a team of Northeast Ohio organizations dedicated to promoting small business in Ohio.”

According to the KRBA website, “[l]ight manufacturing/assembly, technology and service companies are housed in incubators. Tenants have access to space at an extremely reduced cost and the benefit of having KRBA Business Advisors to assist them in growing their business every step of the way.”

The overall success rate for businesses that begin in an incubator is 80 percent, according to the National Business Incubation Association.

Council also voted unanimously into council a motion to authorize the installation of a transit facility directional sign.

The sign would be posted at the east end of the new transit facility off state route 59, directing traffic toward the facility.

PARTA would absorb the costs of installing and maintaining the sign. Council members will discuss both issues at their next meeting on Feb. 20.

Contact Jackie Bergeron at [email protected].