A relocation effort now in its sixth year may be receiving some assistance following action by the Emporia City Commission Wednesday evening.
Commissioners approved city staff to sign and submit a hazard mitigation grant application which will be utilized to aid the relocation of operations for Fanestil Meats which began back in 2014 according to the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas President Kent Heerman.
Fanestil began phase one of the relocation process in June of 2014 when it moved most of its operations to Americus Road just north of US Highway 50. Originally Fanestil was located along the Cottonwood River Floodplain where it experienced an abundance of issues, including having to shut down operations, whenever significant flooding impacted the local area.
Heerman says it may be October or November before they receive word on the status of the grant.
In other business, the commission also approved submitting an application to the Kansas Department of Transportation’s 2019-2020 Economic Development program. The city is seeking funding for a minor arterial and major collector street improvement project which connects Kansas Highway 99 and US Highway 50 to Emporia’s Industrial Park III.
The reason for the updates correlates with Simmons Pet Food’s consolidation of manufacturing operations from New Jersey to Emporia. The improvements will help transport raw materials and finished products between the Simmons plant, raw material vendors and finished product customers.
The program is a 75-25 program meaning KDOT will be responsible for 75 percent of the cost while the city will cover the remaining 25 percent. The total estimated cost for the improvement project is $700,000.
Commissioners also approved a contract with BG Consultants for the development of an electronic model of the city’s potable water distribution system for a total cost of $125,000. The model will place all of the pipes, pumps and elevated storage included in the city’s system into a software program which will help give engineers and city staff a more thorough technical understanding of how the system works.
Additionally, commissioners also approved the city’s legislative policy statement for 2020. The Emporia City Commission will reconvene for a study session next Wednesday inside city conference room 1AB at White Auditorium.
