In other business, the commission:
• Appointed Carrie Buhler and John Haberman, and reappointed Mick Lang to the Memorial Park Advisory Committee which is charged with advising and assisting the commission regarding the care and maintenance of the Barton County Memorial Parks Complex, including Golden Belt and Hillcrest north of Great Bend.
There were three openings and four applicants. Larry Buczinski had reapplied along with Lang.
Buhler and Haberman have terms ending in July 2016. Lang fills an unexpired term that ends in July 2015.
“This is a very active committee,” Boeckman said. It’s big project now is to develop an all-veterans memorial at Golden Belt Memorial Park.
Barton County’s relationship with the Dodge City-based economic development agency Great Plains Development dates back to 1983.
In those 30 years, GPD has loaned over $54 million to 196 aspiring Barton County business owners who created and retained over 1,000 new jobs.
But, GPD Co-Director Bob Wetmore told the County Commission Monday morning funding from the feds that is channeled through state officials may start evaporating. He mentioned specifically cuts in money from the federal Economic Development Administration and the Kansas Department of Commerce.
“We truly appreciate our long-standing relationship over the years,” Wetmore said. And, he said, the annual dues paid by member cities and counties in Great Plains’ 28-county district are crucial to its operation.
The commission approved re-upping with GPD for 2013 at a cost of $5,568. The dues have not changed in 10 years.
“Our job is to promote economic development and job growth for you,” Wetmore said. This is done by helping navigate paperwork, matching applicants with community development block grants, revolving loans finding funds from such as the Small Business Administration.
“We are a gap lender,” he said. Great Plains always suggests someone go to a bank first.
“Barton County is one of our more active counties,” he said, adding there have been several applications in just the past few months. This number is greater than that of a year ago.
But, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the uncertainty over the Farm Bill which impacts the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program may lessen the pool of money available to applicants in the near future. Wetmore suggested anyone thinking about looking for funds should do so sooner rather than later.
County Administrator Richard Boeckman said this has been a valuable partnership over the years, and Great Bend Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Jan Peters offered her kudos to Wetmore and GPD for its efforts.
