Infrastructure improvements took precedence for Emporia City Commissioners Wednesday night.
During their recent action session, commissioners approved the acceptance of a $750,000 community development block grant from the state of Kansas for a $1.5 million improvement project on Highland Street. City Manager Trey Cocking says the project will be a “full rebuild of Highland.”
The city must provide a match of $750,000 in order to qualify for the grant. The city is planning to utilize bonds to finance its half of the project cost according to Cocking.
He tells KVOE News a timeline for the project is not currently available as the city needs to coordinate with Emporia State University before work can commence.
In addition to the CDBG grant, commissioners also approved an ordinance authorizing bonds for a sewer main project on Americus Road. According to City Treasurer Janet Harouff the authorization was for the issuance of $850,000 to install a new 24 inch main from the US Highway 50 intersection up to Road 180.
The project is to accommodate Evergy’s impending relocation to the area and Harouff says the city does not anticipate using the full dollar amount as Evergy has pledged funding to the project. She says Wednesday’s action was a necessary formality.
Harouff says the main has been sized to allow for additional development in the future. Construction on the sewer main began back in January with an estimated completion date of mid-March.
In other business, commissioners approved the submission of a CDBG grant on behalf of Radius Brewing Company on behalf of ownership of the former dry cleaning building at 17 West 4th in Emporia. The owners are seeking CDBG funding to make improvements to the facility and bring the building back up to standards.
If the grant is awarded, the city will act as a passthrough of the funds as businesses are not directly eligible for CDBG funding. There will be no financial risk for the city in this endeavor according to Nordstrom. In order for the building to qualify for the use of funding, the commissioners also had to designate the building as a “blighted” property which is defined as a structure that is no longer in acceptable or beneficial condition to its community.
Commissioners approved both items unanimously.
An agreement with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka for a direct subsidy to repair homes within the city limits, a post-construction stormwater ordinance, an ordinance for a St. Patrick’s Day beer garden, a second amendment to the city’s first KDHE water loan agreement and a sponsorship agreement with Lifetime for the 2022 Unbound Gravel race and related activities all gained unanimous approval as well.
Commissioners adjourned the meeting until 11:15 am next Wednesday following the commission’s regular study session at 10 am.
