Economic Investments Continue to Grow

Mitchell County Community Development began working with local businesses in 2004 and since that time we have documented 68 success stories including 34 new businesses and 34 expansion projects. New Businesses have included a small trucking company (Griffith Transportation, a custom cabinet shop in Tipton, KS. Simpson Farms which is an Apache sprayer dealership in Beloit, small restaurants, a coffee shop, private fitness center, florists, chiropractors and an auto dealerships. We have also worked with a company called Old School Seals that manufactures wax seals for formal letters and invitations that now calls Tipton, KS their home.

Several multi-million dollar projects have bloomed over the years with Farmway COOP and their rail car loading facility in Glen Elder, KS plus their steps to add several types of large grain storage facilities in Glen Elder and Beloit plus a new Distribution Facility on Highway 24 in Beloit.

We have worked with Carrico Implement, Fin-Kool (a custom machine shop), Fouts Insurance, Solomon Valley Home Center, Sunflower manufacturing and Great Plains Manufacturing on expansion projects including a new Research and Development Facility for Sunflower manufacturing just a couple of years ago.

We have worked with developers on large housing projects such as the development of the Porter House Apartments project in downtown Beloit and our most recent project with Manske & Associates with the Crown Homes development in the Ackerman Addition of Beloit.

We now have 4 lots sold in our business park. Three of those within the past year. As a result of that we are getting three businesses....Racer Tech, Midway Development and Schroeder Building and Cabinets.

Thompson Tire Company and Super 8 Motel are also working on expansions right now. This Spring we will have at least 7 commercial construction projects underway simultaneously.

In 2005 we created a county-wide Neighborhood Revitalization Plan to encourage more investment in both residential and commercial construction. As a result we have over $41.7 million in construction projects approved through this program.

From October 15,2006 to January 15, 2012 there were 158 projects approved under the Neighborhood Revitalization Program in Mitchell County, KS. This includes 50 commercial construction projects and 84 residential construction projects and 24 ag facilities.

In the future we are looking to open up new opportunities for commercial development along Highway 24, open a new housing development area, a new restaurant is expected to open soon at the junction of Highways 24 & 14 and efforts are underway to bring a couple of new businesses into the downtown business district in Beloit.

Efforts are also underway to recruit new residents to the community through the Rural Opportunity Zone program introduced last year by the state of Kansas. We are also reaching out to recruit residents to fill positions with local employers. Plus we are working to encourage the state to assist with more "work force" housing programs to aid developers in constructing wage appropriate housing for our local workforce.

Investments being made today will help our community continue to move forward in the future.