Jan. 14th is the tentative final day at the helm for current Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas President Kent Heerman.
RDA Board of Directors Chairman Jon Geitz announced the tentative date as part of his report during the RDA Board’s monthly meeting Friday morning. With the application window for potential candidates set to close next Friday, Geitz feels the current timeline will be more than efficient to find, select and integrate the new candidate to the local community.
Geitz says he does not know at this time how many applications have been turned in, however, he tells KVOE News that the RDA’s search firm says they typically see a large influx of applications closer to the actual deadline.
Additional information will be presented during the RDA Board’s next monthly meeting in November.
Back in September, Geitz stated they would like to have a candidate selected by mid to late November.
In other business, Heerman stated the RDA is moving forward with the submission of information for the Build Back Better grant program. The new venture is a three-way partnership between the RDA, Flint Hills Technical College and Kansas State Technology Development Institute.
The ultimate goal is to develop a Great Plains Microfactories Network which would provide an equitable, cost-effective means of expanding new manufacturing operations including facilities and workforce. Heerman says this is just the beginning of a two-step process with the first deadline coming Oct. 19.
He says if the partnership is approved for the second phase and ultimately receives the grant, Emporia Enterprises already has a patch of land that would be perfect to house a micro-factory.
Heerman says the cost of the endeavor is estimated at $2.7 million and the grant would be an 80/20 split with the local cost being just over $500,000. Heerman sent all needed information to the K-State TDI who will submit the formal application to the Economic Development Association, the entity overseeing the grant program.
If the entities are approved for the second phase, the second application would be due by mid-March of next year. The endeavor has received letters of support from FHTC and Lyon County Commissioners with Heerman expecting additional letters from the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and other major local organizations in the months to come.
The RDA will reconvene for their monthly meeting in November at the Trussler Business Center.
