Allocations for economic relief in the City of Emporia have now been formally approved following action by the Emporia City Commission Wednesday afternoon.
Commissioners officially authorized the list of Small Cities Community Development Block Grant funding reimbursements that will benefit 15 local businesses and seven meal assistance programs. The $167,000 will be split two ways between economic relief ($132,000) and meal programs ($35,000).
The commission settled on disbursing the economic relief funds through an even split utilizing a full-time employee metric. Commissioner Jon Geitz feels this was the easiest way to ensure everyone received a meaningful share.
One business that applied, Radius Brewing Company, was capped at roughly $35,000. Geitz explains Radius had a larger amount of full-time employees on hand than other applicants and would have taken up a considerable amount of the available funds.
The next step in the process will be for all qualifying businesses to submit eligible expense receipts to receive reimbursement funds through the grant. Businesses have 12 months to spend the available funds.
In other business, commissioners approved both an ordinance and resolution supporting the expansion of a notable business within Emporia. Commissioners approved the purchase of 2015 industrial revenue bonds for S&S Meats as Fannestil continues its expansion project in the 4700 block of West US Highway 50.
Secondly, the commission approved an ordinance authorizing the issuance of 2020 taxable industrial revenue bonds to retire the 2015 bonds. City Attorney Christina Montgomery explains the process is essentially a refinancing of the original bonds.
She says there are two key reasons for the action, first the company changed its name from Smoots Enterprises II LLC to S&S Quality Meats LLC and did not want two sets of bonds under two different names. Second, S&S had changed banks since 2015 and wanted to have all of its funds under one institution.
Separately, the commission also approved an application for $250,000 in moderate-income housing funds through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation. Those funds will be used to help build housing that will be occupied by families that meet moderate income guidelines.
The Emporia City Commission will reconvene next Wednesday for a study session inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
Community Development Block Grant allocations: Economic development
*Amanda’s Bakery: $3,845.81
*Chi-Em Eats: $4,700.44
*Do-B’s: $22,220.25
*Flint Hills Lanes: $12,392.06
*Flinthills Mall: $11,964.75
*Flint Hills Music: $7,264.31
*Gravel City Roasters: $4,273.13
*Green Tree LLC: $5,127.75
*Ken’s Sharpening: $3,418.50
*Maud’s Tattoo: $1,709.25
*Radius Brewing: $35,000
*Shrockbier Old Smokehouse: $1,709.25
*Sunflower Gumnastics: $5,127.75
*Sweet Granada: $11,537.44
*Time Travelers: $1,709.25
Community Development Block Grant allocations: Meal assistance
*Emporia Farmers Market: $5,000
*First Christian Church Food Pantry: $5,000
*First United Methodist Church Food Pantry: $5,000
*Food 4 Students: $5,000
*John and Frances Ice Food Pantry: $5,000
*Salvation Army Food Pantry: $5,000
*Spartan Stop: $5,000
