The City of Emporia is continuing work to increase the local housing market.
During the Emporia City Commission’s recent study session Wednesday morning City Special Project Coordinator Jim Witt presented an update on the city’s Rural Housing Incentive District efforts. Witt’s presentation included information regarding RHID’s in other communities to give the commission an idea of what kind of formula they would like to pursue in establishing a district of its own.
According to Mayor Rob Gilligan, there is one major leader in the state of Kansas when it comes to the implementation of RHID’s, Dodge City.
Commissioners directed city staff Wednesday to begin drafting concepts for the potential makeup and functionality of the city’s RHID policy. As city staff prepares those documents, Witt says the city has several different focal points it will need to key in on in the coming weeks.
Witt anticipates the city may have a rough draft ready for the commission’s viewing during its first study session in March. Incentive districts capture all the incremental property taxes created by a housing development project for up to 25 years and then reinvest that money into improvements like site preparation, sanitary or storm sewers, sidewalks or water mains.
Last January the city approved the establishment of the Pleasant Point Subdivision which gained RHID eligibility from the state back in November of 2019.
In other business, commissioners received the 2020 financial closeout report from City Treasurer Janet Harouff. According to Harouff, the city ended 2020 in a “good position” financially with the majority of funds, specifically the general fund, meeting their minimum balances.
Harouff says there were some concerns for special revenue funds, funded through tax revenues, with the special gas and alcohol funds both seeing significant declines over the past year.
Thankfully, Harouff says reserve funds helped to offset the losses keeping the city in strong financial shape heading into 2021.
Separately Wednesday, commissioners received their first look at the city’s new water model developed by BG Consultants.
The Emporia City Commission is scheduled to convene for an action session next Wednesday inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
