The wave of unemployment has made its way from the coasts to the center of the United States. That is evident by recent layoffs, the tight labor market and tough economic times we are seeing locally.
There are several maps that can be found on the internet that demonstrate how unemployment rates began increasing first in the eastern and western thirds of the United States. Here is an example using information from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Kansas Department of Labor statistics show that locally our unemployment rate increased from a rate of 3.3% in October 2008 to 4.6% in October 2009.
While this is a difficult period it is also a time for some busineses to seek new opportunities. Businesses that are in a position to expand may find this as a good time to purchase realestate at low prices. Because of recent layoffs the size of the available labor pool has increased. This also means there are good quality workers seeking employment. There are some positive factors to consider that businesses can tap into if they are in a position to take on new product lines or otherwise grow and expand.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tracking Federal Recovery Funds Down to Us
If you do a search on the internet there are several sources you can use to track the Federal Stimulus Funds as they trickle down from the federal government to the states.
Taking a closer look you can see where those dollars are going to help local schools, housing programs and assist with highway projects. Take a look at the federal governments tracking website Recovery.gov and this is what you will find in Mitchell County, Kansas.
According to Recovery.gov over $1.3 Billion has been awarded to Kansas. Of that amount nearly $453 Million has been received.
In Mitchell County there has been over $5 Million awarded in federal recovery funds. The largest amount, over $4.6 million has been allocated to the North Central Kansas Community Network for residential weatherization assistance for low income persons.
The Kansas Department of Transportation was awarded $465,450 for infrastructure improvements on a road south of Glen Elder.
The City of Beloit Housing Authority was awarded $55,453 to install a generator for the Sunny Slope housing addition.
Cawker City received over $90,000 to replace roofs on two buildings.
Schools received recovery funds to assist with funding cuts and technology upgrades. The North Central Kansas Techhnical College has been awarded over $248,000 in "stabilization" funds for educational programs. USD 272 at Cawker City is receiving over $184,000 for educational technology. At the same time USD 273 in Beloit has been awarded just under $20,000 for educational programs.
In all over $5 Million in recovery funds have been authorized for projects in Mitchell County, KS. But at this time not all of the funds have been received and distributed locally.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized the distribution of $787 Billion. A very large amount of the funds have not been allocated. You can check back at Recovery.gov to see how the funds are awarded and distributed in the weeks and months ahead.
Taking a closer look you can see where those dollars are going to help local schools, housing programs and assist with highway projects. Take a look at the federal governments tracking website Recovery.gov and this is what you will find in Mitchell County, Kansas.
According to Recovery.gov over $1.3 Billion has been awarded to Kansas. Of that amount nearly $453 Million has been received.
In Mitchell County there has been over $5 Million awarded in federal recovery funds. The largest amount, over $4.6 million has been allocated to the North Central Kansas Community Network for residential weatherization assistance for low income persons.
The Kansas Department of Transportation was awarded $465,450 for infrastructure improvements on a road south of Glen Elder.
The City of Beloit Housing Authority was awarded $55,453 to install a generator for the Sunny Slope housing addition.
Cawker City received over $90,000 to replace roofs on two buildings.
Schools received recovery funds to assist with funding cuts and technology upgrades. The North Central Kansas Techhnical College has been awarded over $248,000 in "stabilization" funds for educational programs. USD 272 at Cawker City is receiving over $184,000 for educational technology. At the same time USD 273 in Beloit has been awarded just under $20,000 for educational programs.
In all over $5 Million in recovery funds have been authorized for projects in Mitchell County, KS. But at this time not all of the funds have been received and distributed locally.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized the distribution of $787 Billion. A very large amount of the funds have not been allocated. You can check back at Recovery.gov to see how the funds are awarded and distributed in the weeks and months ahead.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Investing In Our Future--Today
I am currently working on a new brochure that will be mailed to professional site selectors and commercial Realtors. The focus of this brochure is the incredible amount of investment our local businesses have made in Mitchell County over the past several years. These investments demonstrate a confidence in our community.
Our businesses have invested $13.2 million in new construction, additions and renovations for their business facilities from 2006 to 2009. This figure does not include the investment they have made in new equipment, machinery and technology upgrades. These figures are based only on those construction projects approved under our Neighborhood Revitalization Program.
The leader in this has been Farmway Co-op with the renovation of a rail car loading facility in Glen Elder; construction of two new flat storage facilities that provide nearly 2.5 million bushel of storage capacity; a 470,000 bushel grain storage facility in Beloit and a 50,000 s.f., state-of-the-art chemical, lubricant an seed distribution facility in Beloit.
At the same time, Sunflower Manufacturing, a division of AGCO expanded their manufacturing facilities in Cawker City and added to their main building in Beloit. They also purchased new automated welding equipment and other advanced manufacturing technology.
Great Plains Manufacturing in Tipton also invested in upgrading their buildings and equipment. One of their new key investments was a new paint system.
Between October 2006 and October 2009 there were 40 commercial building construction projects approved under the Neighborhood Revitalization Program in Mitchell County. There was nearly $5 million in housing construction and renovation work during that same time period.
On top of all this our community is stepping forward firmly. Since 2005 we have embarked upon two major renovations of our hospital. The first provided three new surgical suites and other renovations. The latest expansion project, underway now, will create all new private patient rooms and upgrade other areas of the hospital. The two projects combined cost nearly $25 million for construction and new equipment.
Expanding or establishing a new business can be a difficult decision. We offer a variety of incentives to help make the transition smoother and successful. These include, but are not limited to:
Our businesses have invested $13.2 million in new construction, additions and renovations for their business facilities from 2006 to 2009. This figure does not include the investment they have made in new equipment, machinery and technology upgrades. These figures are based only on those construction projects approved under our Neighborhood Revitalization Program.
The leader in this has been Farmway Co-op with the renovation of a rail car loading facility in Glen Elder; construction of two new flat storage facilities that provide nearly 2.5 million bushel of storage capacity; a 470,000 bushel grain storage facility in Beloit and a 50,000 s.f., state-of-the-art chemical, lubricant an seed distribution facility in Beloit.
At the same time, Sunflower Manufacturing, a division of AGCO expanded their manufacturing facilities in Cawker City and added to their main building in Beloit. They also purchased new automated welding equipment and other advanced manufacturing technology.
Great Plains Manufacturing in Tipton also invested in upgrading their buildings and equipment. One of their new key investments was a new paint system.
Between October 2006 and October 2009 there were 40 commercial building construction projects approved under the Neighborhood Revitalization Program in Mitchell County. There was nearly $5 million in housing construction and renovation work during that same time period.
On top of all this our community is stepping forward firmly. Since 2005 we have embarked upon two major renovations of our hospital. The first provided three new surgical suites and other renovations. The latest expansion project, underway now, will create all new private patient rooms and upgrade other areas of the hospital. The two projects combined cost nearly $25 million for construction and new equipment.
Expanding or establishing a new business can be a difficult decision. We offer a variety of incentives to help make the transition smoother and successful. These include, but are not limited to:
- Enterprise Zones
- Property Tax Abatements
- Revolvign Loan Funds
- Tax Exemptions & HPIP
- Grants and Revenue Bonds
- Workforce Opportunity Tax Credits
- Job Creation Tax Credits
- Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Rebates
In these difficult economic times we are working to let businesses know what we have done as a community, the investment our businesses have made in our community and in our future. These investments demonstrate a confidence in our future that can benefit businesses today and tomorrow.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
AMI A Business Resource
Last month I had the opportunity to take a local resident to the Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Manhattan, KS to discuss an idea for a potential new product and the patenting process. The staff there are very professional. They took time to listen to our client, discuss their idea and agree to a preliminary patent search and market study.
In this case, unfortunately, someone has already patented a similar idea. But that doesn't mean we should give up. Existing businesses manufacture new products everyday.
New manufacturing and production processes are created all the time. And business owners learn new ways of conducting their business or find new markets for their products.
This is where the Advanced Manufacturing Institute can really help us locally. AMI, can assist in areas of manufacturing, engineering, agriculture, transportation and much more.
They can provide a very valuable resource to our local businesses. I would encourage you to check out their website to learn more about their services.
They may have information that could make your business more productive, open doors to a new product for you or help create new efficiencies in your business process.
In this case, unfortunately, someone has already patented a similar idea. But that doesn't mean we should give up. Existing businesses manufacture new products everyday.
New manufacturing and production processes are created all the time. And business owners learn new ways of conducting their business or find new markets for their products.
This is where the Advanced Manufacturing Institute can really help us locally. AMI, can assist in areas of manufacturing, engineering, agriculture, transportation and much more.
They can provide a very valuable resource to our local businesses. I would encourage you to check out their website to learn more about their services.
They may have information that could make your business more productive, open doors to a new product for you or help create new efficiencies in your business process.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Reversing the Rural Brain Drain
For many years small towns have struggled with the problem of brain drain. Bright, young people leaving after high school to go to the cities and gain a college education. Many start their careers in the cities and do not return to their rural hometown.
To some extent we, in Mitchell County, Kansas have seen some young people return to our area to work in family businesses, start their own business or find other roles in our workforce. We have some who have returned in a variety of workforce positions such as attorneys, veterinarians, dentists, teachers, plumbers, salesmen, nurses and many other professions. Even with these success stories we continue to struggle as many other communities to retain people in our community and attract new people here as well.
The issue of the Brain Drain in rural America is addressed in a new book called "Hollowing Out the Middle" written by Patrick J. Carr and Maria J. Kefalas who say rural communities need to change their way of thinking in order to reverse the Brain Drain .
Here is a Newsweek article on their book and their views of issues facing rural America.
To some extent we, in Mitchell County, Kansas have seen some young people return to our area to work in family businesses, start their own business or find other roles in our workforce. We have some who have returned in a variety of workforce positions such as attorneys, veterinarians, dentists, teachers, plumbers, salesmen, nurses and many other professions. Even with these success stories we continue to struggle as many other communities to retain people in our community and attract new people here as well.
The issue of the Brain Drain in rural America is addressed in a new book called "Hollowing Out the Middle" written by Patrick J. Carr and Maria J. Kefalas who say rural communities need to change their way of thinking in order to reverse the Brain Drain .
Here is a Newsweek article on their book and their views of issues facing rural America.
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