Financial matters and legislative policy will lead the Emporia City Commission agenda for the board’s action meeting Wednesday afternoon.
Commissioners will consider a resolution for a loan of up to $15 million through the state’s Public Water Supply Loan Fund. The loan would help to replace, upgrade or add water lines as part of a three-phase project across town.
Commissioners will also look at issuing up to $570,000 in general obligation bonds to buy equipment for the Street Department before possibly taking steps to help Fanestil Meats finish its move out of the Cottonwood River floodplain. Commissioners are looking at allowing Smoots Enterprises the chance to exercise its option of buying Industrial Revenue bonds dating back to 2015 as the company looks to complete its move to the 4700 block of West Highway 50.
Once the financial matters are handled, commissioners could pass the city’s annual legislative statement. Typically, these don’t get a lot of attention, but the city has come out in opposition to state efforts — both from Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and her main election challenger, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt — to end the state sales tax on food. The city’s position statement calls for a “system of income tax credits or direct rebates” instead of a full sales tax exemption.
The meeting starts at 1:30 pm Wednesday at the Municipal Court Room.