The public will have the opportunity to comment on the Rural Housing Incentive Districts proposed for a Washington Street apartment project and further development in Amber Meadows. The Great Bend City Council Monday night set public hearing dates for both.
Both hearings will take place prior to the March 3 Council meeting at the City Office, 1209 Williams.
City Administrator Howard Partington said the hearings are the second in a three-step process to implement the RHID. The first was getting state approval for the district and, after the hearings, the last will be to formally adopt the resolutions which will likely be done at the same meeting.
 Ross Vogel, owner of Employer Housing Partners LLC, hopes to construct six four-plexes on what is now a vacant square block at 29th and Washington that he now owns. These market-rate apartments, open to anyone, would be 1,000-square-foot units with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Vogel is also wanting to develop eight single-family homes in the Amber Meadows addition. There are at total of 42 undeveloped lots in Amber Meadows, all of which are owned by the city.
An RHID is a Kansas Department of Commerce program designed to aid developers  in building new housing by assisting in the financing through tax credits. RHIDs are available for any small- to medium-sized city or county in Kansas.
In other business Monday night, the Council:
• Approved leasing Hanger III at the Great Bend Municipal Airport to Venture Corporation for the company’s aircraft. The agreement is for $800 per month for five years. The hanger which was most recently leased by Lifeteam which has moved its aircraft from the airport due to lack of usage from the medical community, said City Attorney Bob Suelter.
• Approved contributing $1,000 for support of the upcoming Job Fest. The annual event is set for 3-6 p.m. May 1 at the Best Western Courtyard, 2920 10th St.
The time has changed from years past to better accommodate the needs of job seekers. It had been running from 4-7 p.m.
“The benefits of this event are vast, both to employers and job seekers,” said Job Fest Committee member Rachel Mawhirter of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce. This marks the eighth year for the fest, which serves Barton and surrounding counties.
It is a cooperative venture, Mawhirter said. In addition to the chamber, others involved are Barton Community College, KansasWorks, other chambers, various communities and several employers.
The fest has been very successful, she said.
The city’s contribution will be used to help promote the event, Mawhirter said. The Council has pledged support in years past as well.
• Approved a consulting services agreement with Alfred Benesh & Company of Lincoln, Neb., for the project to realign Railroad Avenue and US 281 project. The firm will provide engineering services for what could be a tricky redesign. The city is responsible for paying the cost of these services which will come to $41,200, said City Engineer Robert Winiecke.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be $648,000, of which the Kansas Department of Transportation will pay for 90 percent. The city’s 10 percent match is in addition to the cost of the engineering services, which KDOT will not cover.
• Heard an economic development report from Great Bend Chamber of Commerce President Jan Peters. The chamber will sponsor two Legislative Coffees this spring, Feb. 1 and March 15, both at 10 a.m. and both at the Central Kansas Oil and Gas Museum in Great Bend. All legislators representing Barton County will be invited. The sponsor is AT&T.
She also discussed the plans of American AgCredit to build its new regional office in Great Bend at 10th and Patton. They will break ground at the end of February or beginning of March, and hope to move in by Nov. 15.
• Heard an update on city departmental activities from Partington.