Larry Manes had no news about potential economic development Tuesday for Allen County commissioners, but did crow about successes.
Manes handed commissioners a several-page review of Thrive Allen County’s involvement in the discipline. Local governing bodies aid financially in pursuit of business and industry through an economic development advisory committee, of which he is a member.
Manes said affordable housing continues to be an issue.
Iola and Humboldt industries — Gates Corporation, Russell Stover Candies and B&W Trailer Hitches, to mention some — have large numbers of employees who drive from out of town each day. “They come from Chanute, Yates Center, Garnett, Cherryvale, Coffeyville,” he said.
The problem is contractors “want to build three-bed, two-bath houses with attached two-car garages priced in the $125,000 range,” Manes said. “Wages are too low for workers to afford those houses.”
Housing on the north side of Iola was thought to be a solution at inception, but because of government financing the rent restrictions are narrow, Manes said.
The market-based apartments and townhomes planned for the old hospital site will help address the housing situation, Manes said.
Humboldt’s Housing Action Team might be a good model for the rest of the county, he said. The committee has done rehabilitation of houses. Monday night the city signed off on two contracts to upgrade rental property, by means of a state grant.
THE REPORT also had its share of highlights, with the current leader being upcoming construction of the G&W grocery on site of the former Allen County Hospital.
B&W opened a 19,000-square-foot addition in 2014 and “has continued to be a progressive employer that pays competitive wages.”
Monarch Cement, Humboldt’s original flagship industry, remains a large and stable employer, and has for more than a century. It is one of two cement plants operating in Kansas.
Humboldt’s council members signed on with KsFiberNet Monday evening to bring fiber optic cable to town. Iola also needs to be connected to high-speed broadband, Manes said, and pointed to LaHarpe Telephone as a potential source. “Currently, only a small portion of the available capacity is being used.”
Requests for information from industries come to the committee often — 35 in 2014 and 25 in 2015 — but responses aren’t made to many because of lack of labor availability; lack of a shovel-ready site; and lack of four-lane highway nearby.
Retail business inquiries numbered 38 the past two years.
The former Herff-Jones building is available and may become an incentive for prospects. A down-hole pump enterprise is using about 20,000 square feet of the former Klein Tools plant, north of Moran. That leaves 80,000 square feet available in the building owned by Ray Maloney, who has expressed eagerness to assist with economic development.
A project that could mean much to the county is a proposed wind farm north and east of LaHarpe. To date, a development group has leased 12,000 of the 20,000 acres needed. Construction may start later this year, Manes said. A substantial benefit would be increased property tax collections, or payments in lieu of taxes.
