Barton County commissioners Monday morning said there is a chance the county could use Hoisington’s new Neighborhood Revitalization Plan as a model for a county-wide effort. This discussion came as they approved an interlocal agreement for the city’s NRP.

Hoisington had submitted an updated Neighborhood Revitalization Plan which provides a tax rebate incentive for property owners to either remodel, repair or build new construction within city limits, City Manager Jonathan Mitchell said. The plan is intended to promote the revitalization and development of the City of Hoisington by stimulating new construction, rehabilitation, conservation or redevelopment within the city.

However, when considering the economic development tool’s renewal, the city opted to go with a one-year plan. Past plans have been multi-year ones.

“We want to work with other communities in the county,” he said. The idea is to craft a county-wide NRP.

This concept met with much support from the commission.

“We need to get this done quickly,” District 1 Commissioner Kirby Krier said. He has heard a lot of positive response to the idea and some have said they are waiting to build new structures until a plan is in place.

Mitchell said they have restructured this new plan, making qualification requirements and penalties for delinquency more strict. There is also an opportunity for the City to get out of the NRP should the economic situation change.

There is a possibility, commissioners said, for this to be used as a template for the county-wide effort.

An interlocal agreement must be approved by the County Commission prior to the plan being submitted to the Attorney General of the State of Kansas.  

The City’s previous plan expired Dec. 31. The City Council there approved the new draft plan on Dec. 15. 

There are also agreements with Hoisington USD 431 and the City of Hoisington. The issue is on the Barton Community College Trustees’ agenda this month.