HUMBOLDT — A land transaction approved unanimously by Humboldt council members Monday evening will open the door to what Greg Korte hopes will be a robust business at the north edge of Humboldt.
David Broyles, as president of Nelson Transportation, paid $9,000 for a tract that will provide substantial storage and expansion space for Marinette County Lumber and Furniture, which will have a sawmill as its focal point in the former H&H Small Engines repair building. To the north is the Dollar General store.
Korte told the Register Monday night Marinette County is in Wisconsin and is where he logs pine, white cedar and poplar. “Last winter I hauled five semi-loads” to a saw mill Korte had set up elsewhere in Allen County. Plans to expand prompted Korte to lease the H&H building from Broyles, who purchased it earlier.
In a transaction completed several months ago, Korte purchased Broyles Petroleum Equipment business further north along old Highway 169.
With the additional space behind H&H, Korte said he was eager to develop another enterprising footprint for Humboldt.
An adjunct of the sawmill will be woodworking equipment, and a line of stains, varnishes and some hardware. Also for sale will be rustic-style furniture, with options such as granite tops for bars and tables.
“My goal is to open by Dec. 1,” he said.
Another facet of the business will be small outbuildings.
“With the addition of the property we’ll put up a showcase barn, with rustic (a word he uses often) features,” Korte said. “What we’ll do isn’t for everyone, but for someone who wants something different.”
In addition to timber he logs in Wisconsin, Korte cuts oak and other trees native to southeast Kansas. He anticipates hauling 10 semi-loads to Humboldt in the coming weeks.
As with the H&H building, the additional land purchased by Broyles will be leased to Korte.
COUNCIL members also gave Humboldt Lions the go-ahead to erect an open-sided shelter at the southwest corner of the downtown square.
Darrell Krone, Lions president, pointed out having to erect a large tent each year for Biblesta to protect large iron pots used for the annual bean feed was a chore. “It also was difficult to get them down Sunday morning,” he said.
Their solution is to pour a 22-foot-by-42-foot floor and cap it with a wooden roof. Steel poles supporting the structure will be encased in blocks and brick to complement the downtown architecture.
Krone said they plan to hold fundraisers to pay for the structure.
Krone said a similar effort was sidelined, for whatever reason, in 1999.
In other business, Paul Cloutier was appointed to fill the unexpired two-year term of Jeb Kaufman on the council. Kaufman has moved from Humboldt. Cloutier was one of two to volunteer for the position, Kent Goodner being the other.
A special council meeting will be Oct. 19 at 6:15 p.m. to consider vacating right of way on the north side Hawaii Road (the access road from U.S. 169 at the north edge of town) between Eighth and Ninth streets. The planning commission will meet before the special session to recommend whether to permit the vacation. City Administrator Cole Herder explained the right of way was not needed and was an impediment to development.
Marilyn Davis, a member of the Humboldt Historical Preservation Society, said the group was running short of display space and asked council members to consider making the old City Hall available, saying it would be perfect with rooms for a chapel, a hardware store and other artifacts. No action was taken.
