Mitchell County Community Development

Looking Forward to 2012

2011-12-30T12:03:00.001-06:00

2011 has been a year of ups and downs but commercial construction activity looks very promising in 2012. Community Development Director, Murray McGee reported to the Mitchell County Commissioners recently that several large commercial construction projects have been started and many more are on the horizon.
The Crown Homes construction is nearing an end. Two of the new homes in the Ackerman Addition are expected to be ready in February. Seven more will be ready soon after.
Thompson Tire has started adding on to their north building. Super 8 is adding on 20 rooms. Those two projects will be completed in early 2012.
In 2011 a total of three lots were sold in the Solomon Valley Business Park south of Super 8 and Becker Autos & Trailers. Three new commercial buildings will be constructed in the business park next year.
Plans are also being developed to construct new commercial buildings at 3rd & Mill Street and at 2nd & Mill Street in downtown Beloit.
Construction continues on the new swimming pool in Chautauqua Park, crews have started work on new water lines. Construction work on the new lines started in the area of 4th & Western Streets.
They City of Beloit is also moving forward with plans for new cooling towers to be built at the power plant in 2012.
McGee said there are also two other commercial building projects in the discussion stage at this time for 2012.

Busy Time for Mitchell County Community Development

2011-08-18T16:07:00.002-05:00

I just gave an update today on several ongoing projects:

1) The platting process continues on the North Campus Development area. We already have interest in the commercial and residential areas of the property.

2) Manske & Associates have closed on land in the Ackerman Addition in Beloit and will move their housing project to this location. Construction should begin soon.

3) We have two large business expansion projects on the table. Both over $500,000.

4) We have 9 new business development projects. A couple have made offers on property in Beloit.

5) We have sold two lots in the Solomon Valley Business park within the past 45 days and talks are underway for the sale of a 3rd lot at this time.

6) Brett Wichers has moved the Plum Creek Restaurant to it's new location on west Court Street in downtown Beloit.

To say the least.....this is a very busy time. If you have a business project you would like to discuss call 785 738-2717 or 785 569-1465.

Mitchell County Joins ROZ Program

2011-07-11T11:21:00.004-05:00

Mitchell County has recently joined a new state program to offer special incentives to people who move to our area.

On April 11, Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law the Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZs) program. The program is a central component of a broader plan by the Brownback Administration to spur economic development in and expand job growth in 50 counties around the state. The program took effect July 1, 2011.

The program has two main incentives:

--A state income tax exemption for up to five years to individuals who move to a ROZs county from outside the state. Individuals must not have lived in Kansas for the past five years, nor have Kansas source income of more than $10,000 per year over the past five years.

--Student loan foregiveness of up to $3,000 per year for individuals who graduate from an accredited post-secondary institution and move to a ROZs county.

The student loan foregiveness portion of the program is a county-state partnership, and counties must opt in to participate. Mitchell County has agreed to fund two people in the student loan program.

To apply for the Rural Opportunity Zone student loan repayment program, click here.

To request more information about the Rural Opportunity Zone program, click here to fill out a request form, or contact:

Dan Lara
Public Information Officer
Kansas Department of Commerce
dlara@kansascommerce.com
(785) 296-3760

North Campus Development Plans Moving Forward

2011-06-23T08:35:00.003-05:00

The Beloit City Council has authorized the survey and platting of the North Campus Development area. The action by the city is the next step in the process of developing the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility property. It opens many new opportunities for the community.

The site will include 12-15 acres for new housing develop directly west of the former correctional facility campus. It will also include 8-10 acres along U.S. Highway 24 for commercial development and approximately 20 acres of land directly north of the campus for mixed use development of housing, and light commercial businesses.

The City is in the process of having the property platted and rezoned. Mitchell County Community Development Director Murray McGee says he has already been contacted by people interested in both the residential and commercial property along the highway.

The city will be working over the next few months to determine how they plan to market and sell the land for development.

Parties interested in the development can contact McGee at 785.738.2717 or 785.569.1465.

Crown Homes Breaking Ground

2011-06-23T08:23:00.004-05:00

Construction began earlier this week on 9 new homes in Beloit. The Crown Homes building project being lead by Manske & Associates of Wichita will provide workforce housing for moderate income families.

Eight of the homes will be located on the east edge of Beloit in the Zimmer Addition and one home will be located at the intersection of 3rd & Mill Streets near the downtown business district.

The homes will be made available through a unique program. The homes will be leased for the first 15 years and then converted to a mortgage for the second 15 year period. They will be available based on income. Two will be available to qualifying families as "low income" homes and 7 will be available to qualifying families as "moderate income" homes.

The goal of the housing program is to help provide more "workforce" quality housing and to assist families already living in Beloit to step up to newer houses and free up older homes for other residents and new residents in the community.

Site preparation work began earlier this week in the Zimmer Addition. It is expected to take 7 months to complete construction on all 9 homes. Applications will be available when the homes are near completion. We are working on getting flyers made that provide information on the income guidelines for the Crown Homes. It will be announced when that information is available.

Convergys hiring home-based agents in rural Kansas including Mitchell County.

2011-04-15T15:19:00.002-05:00

The Kansas Department of Commerce announced this afternoon Convergys is planning to hire home-based agents in rural Kansas. Mitchell County is one of more than 40 counties where the company will be looking for employees.

For more information read the details here.

Beloit Council Approves North Campus Development Plan

2011-04-15T15:18:00.000-05:00

The Beloit City Council has accepted the steering committee's master plan for the North Campus Development. Monday night I met with the Beloit Planning Commission to start the discussion for rezoning the land so that it can be developed. We are moving forward through this process.

Unemployment Drops Slightly

2011-03-14T15:57:00.001-05:00

While the state saw a jump in unemployment claims in January claims were down in Mitchell County. According to the latest report from the Kansas Department of Labor unemployment in Mitchell County stood at 4.6% in January. That is down just one-tenth of a percent from December.

At the same time unemployment jumped from 6.4% in December to 7.4% in January for the state of Kansas.

North Campus Development Steering Committee Fine Tuning Recommendations

2011-03-14T10:33:00.004-05:00

The North Campus Development Steering Committee conducted their final public meeting last week to discuss their vision for former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility property along U.S. Highway 24 and Walnut Street.

The committee will continue to fine tune their recommendations before presenting them to the Beloit City Council on April 5th. Currently the plans include a proposal to develop 15 acres of land to the west of the main campus for new homes. Ten acres along U.S. Highway 24 is being considered for commercial development and the remaining 20 acres between the highway and the main campus could be zoned for “mixed use” housing and light commercial development.

The committee is also working on recommendations for the city council to consider such as time limitations for those who purchase property. The committee has recommended those who purchase property be given 2 years to build on it.

The steering committee is encouraging the city to consider improvements to Walnut Street and to work quickly to provide some street access to the undeveloped land so it can be marketed.

The group will make their final recommendations to the Beloit City Council at thir first meeting in April.

Unemployment Continues to Decrease

2011-03-14T10:30:00.003-05:00

While the state of Kansas saw a jump in unemployment claims in January claims were down in Mitchell County. According to the latest report from the Kansas Department of Labor, unemployment in Mitchell County stood at 4.6% in January. That is down just one-tenth of a percent from December 2010.

Meanwhile unemployment jumped from 6.4% in December to 7.4% in January for the state of Kansas.

Community Turning Negative Into Positive

2011-02-04T11:54:00.003-06:00

It's great to see a community recognized for turning a negative situation into a positive. Our community was hit hard when the state of Kansas closed the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility. Many jobs were lost and we were left with a big hole in the community with an campus full of empty buildings.

Since receiving the campus, buildings and adjacent ag land from the state of Kansas the community has forged ahead with efforts to fill the buildings and now develop plans for future development of the surrounding agricultural land.

Earlier this week a reporter from the Associated Press asked for an update on what the community is doing. Today the word is spreading through radio and TV news stories.

Our community deserves a big pat on the back for moving forward and making something positive out of the hand we were dealt.

Unemployment Figures Continue to Drop

2011-01-31T12:16:00.001-06:00

Unemployment continues to drop in Mitchell County, KS. According to the latest report from the Kansas Department of Labor the unemployment rate in Decembr was 4.0%. That is down from 4.7% in November.
The December unemployment report also shows good improvements over last years figures when the unemployment rate in December 2009 was at 7% in Mitchell County.

2011 off to a BIG start

2011-01-19T09:45:00.003-06:00

One of the best indicators of economic growth and strength is "construction". When you have construction activity in your community it demonstrates confidence and a dedication to individual and business investment in your community.

Since October 18, 2010 our county commissioners have approved over $7.8 million in construction projects under our Neighborhood Revitalization Pogram. That's almost double the amount of construction projects approved under the same program from Oct. 15, 2009 to October 15, 2010.

We already have over $11 million in construction projects planned in Mitchell County, KS for this Spring. This include a $5.2 million project being undertaken by Farmway Coop for a grain storage and handling facility in Glen Elder, KS; a $2.2 million addition and remodeling project for First National Bank in Beloit, KS; remodeling the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility "lock down" facility into a joint city and county law enforcement center and jail; remodeling the cafeteria on the former correctional facility campus into a new library; the Crown Homes housing project that will add 10 new homes in Beloit totaling over $1.3 million in construction and several smaller commercial and residential building projects scheduled for this Spring.

It's exciting to see this magnitude of construction taking place in a county of approximatley 6,500 people. It shows a strong committment to investing in our community.

Another exciting development is the work being done by the North Campus Development Steering Committee. This is a committee made up of people from our community who will help create a plan for development of the North Campus (the former state Correctional Facility campus. The steering committee is focusing on development plans for approximtley 46 acres of agricultural land along and just south of U.S. Highway 24 in Beloit. Some of the land will be utilized for commercial growth along the highway. The committee is also looking at designating a portion of the land for additional housing.

This type of activity is a sign of positive economic growth in our community.

Residential Work Tops Neighborhood Revitalization

2011-01-17T16:45:00.000-06:00

A more in depth look at last years Neighborhood Revitalization Program shows that housing construction and renovation was more dominant in the program cycle that ended October 14, 2010. During that time there were 18 resident construction and remodeling projects that totaled $1,845,946 in construction dollars. There were 8 agriculture related projects totaling $742,507 and 6 commercial projects totaling $1,961.705 spent on materials and labor.
There were a total of 33 construction projects approved in the Neighborhood Revitalization Program from October 16, 2009 to October 15 2010. Those represent a total of $4,550,158 spent on local construction. (This is not the amount of money rebated)
The construction projects were spread throughout the county.
Sixteen were in the City of Beloit; 10 were near Beloit; 2 were in Glen Elder; 2 were outside Glen Elder; 2 were in Tipton and 1 was outside Tipton.

Site Selectors Annual Survey

2010-12-07T09:46:00.001-06:00

Site Selector's annual survey of corporate real estate executives reveals factors most important to them. 1) Work Force Skils 2) State & local tax scheme 3) Transportation infrastructure 4) Flexibility of incentives T5) Availability of incentives T5) Utility infrastructure 7) Land/Building costs & supploy 8) State Economic Development Strategy 9) Permitting & regulatory structure 10) Higher education resources

Unemployment Rate Continues to Drop

2010-12-07T09:45:00.001-06:00

The Kansas Department of Labor has released the latest unemployment figures for October 2010. According to their report in October of this Mitchell County's unemployment rate was 4.3 %. That is down from 4.6 % in October 2009 and the 4.8 % unemployment rate recorded in September.

Preliminary BRES Survey Results

2010-10-22T11:24:00.002-05:00

Preliminary results of the Business Retention and Expansion Survey conducted this Summer were discussed at the Solomon Valley Economic Development meeting on Thursday. The survey of about a half dozen big and small businesses in Mitchell County provide a sampling of information on local business and employment trends. The businesses surveyed represent a total of 425 employees. Of that amount 33.6% of the employees are commuting from outside Mitchell County.
The survey gathered information on the downsizing the businesses went through over the past couple of years. But it also showed a positive trend towards bringing back at least 25% of the workforce within the next 2 years.
The survey covered information on procurement of products and services; local government; infrastructure and quality of life issues.
All of the businesses surveyed indicated they are very pleased with the local qualtiy of life. Especialy the medical services, schools and general family isues.
The one area of concern mentioned was housing. Both in terms of the quality of available housing and the availability of housing for our workforce.
Additional surveys will be conducted soon to increase the sampling. As those surveys are finished and follow-up interviews are conducted more details of the report will be released.

NCKTC Unveils New Underground Construction Program

2010-09-02T17:42:00.003-05:00

The North Central Kansas Technical College has unveiled a new program that is gaining worldwide attention.
The Kansas Institute of Underground Technology evolved from the increasing need of a trained workforce in the career fields of horizontal directional drilling, proper fluid mixing and training for locating underground utilities.
In conjunction with grant assistance from the Kansas Department of Commerce, North Central Kansas Community Network, Inc. as a funding source through the Rural Business Development Tax Credit program of the Kansas Department of Commerce and in-kind support from Charles Machine Works, Inc., manufacturer of Ditch Witch products and Ditch Witch of Kansas, NCKTC has developed the Kansas Institute of Underground Technology. The Institute features state-of-the-art, up-to-date curriculum, along with hands-on practical training opportunities to allow participants/students to successfully complete the training needed to safely operate equipment used in underground technology.
Since announcing the new program on September 1st the college has already received a response from the editor of two trade publications in London who plans to help promote the program in Beloit by getting the information to their subscribers.

For more information follow this link to the website on the new college program.

Economic Development FAM Tour

2010-08-02T11:11:00.004-05:00

Members of the North Central Kansas Rural Development Council are working on plans to host a group of commercial realtors, site selectors, consultants and staff from the Kansas Department of Commerce later this Fall. The Development Council which represents economic development organizations in 13 counties of North Central Kansas is planning a two day FAM or (familiarization) tour to introduce our region to those people who work directly with businesses that are seeking locations for new or expanding businesses.

They will be showing off available commercial buildings and sites where businesses can be built throughout the area.

Plans for the FAM tour are in the early discussion stage at this time. It will be held this Fall, possibly in October. More details will be announced as they are developed.

Senior Housing Availability

2010-07-07T10:48:00.003-05:00

In rural areas of the country like ours housing is an issue we continue to address. Senior Housing has been an issue we have been working to address through more community awareness. We have made attempts to help raise the awareness of what senior housing options are available in our area. This is being done through our website at solomonvalley.com We have created a special section called "Retirement Living" that provides information on nursing home, intermediate care and assisted living facilities in a multi-county area of north central Kansas. We try to update information on available beds and apartments on this section of our website every week. You can click here for look at the website.

By addressing the housing needs of our seniors we hope to also address the needs of other families in our communities. As seniors move into other retirement living facilities they can sell or rent their homes to others who are in need of housing.

We hope this approach is having a positive impact in our communities in Mitchell County and the surrounding area.

New Business Activity in Beloit, KS

2010-05-24T16:35:00.006-05:00

WWe are starting to see new business activity again in Beloit. It has been recently announced that changes are coming to Tammy Vetter’s store, the Closet. Eva Shurts and Dustin Dougherty are both planning to bring businesses into the north half of the building. Eva will offer a new fitness program called Body Defined by Eva and Dustin is moving his Tae Kwon Do classes into the north half of the building.

Tammy will continue to have her store, the Closet in the south half of the store.

Just last week we announced Jodi Mosher owner of “Accents 4 You” is moving her store downtown to the Struble Photography building. Dick and Pat Struble have sold their building and will be moving their photography business to their home.

Ambria Wendell has opened a massage therapy business called “Rejuvenating Touch by Ambria into the building just south of the Solomon Valley Cinema. Ambria has scheduled a ribbon cutting for June 1 at 9:00 a.m.

Andrea Benedick is also opening a new floral business called Wheat Fields Floral. She will be operating the business at 541 Roosevelt alongside her parents business Great Plains Landscaping. Andrea will have a ribbon cutting on Thursday, May 27 at 9:00 a.m. She also has a website at wheatfieldsfloral.com

At this time we are also working with a service related business from Concordia that is looking for office space in Beloit. There are a couple of small retailers looking for locations. Plus a proposal was recently submitted for a manufacturing business that is looking for a new location.

If you would be interested in starting a new business or expanding an existing business contact Mitchell County Community Development at 785-738-2717 or e-mail beloitmmcgee@nckcn.com

2010 Census Going Door to Door

2010-05-02T21:18:00.003-05:00

Census workers will be going door to door soon for those who haven't returned their 10 question form that was mailed earlier this year. The census is vital not only in county the number of residents in our community. But it also determines what type of funding we may have access to for community programs, housing, schools, highways and other infrastructure. It is very important that every person is counted.

Response to the mail in survey was fairly good. The national response rate was 72%. The state response was 75% and here in Mitchell County our response rate was 73%. Our neighbors to the south in Saline County had an incredible response rate of 84%.

Despite the good response to the mail in surveys there is a lot more work to be done. Census workers will do their best to go door-to-door to count those who did not response to the mail surveys. They will gather the basic information on the 2010 Census questionnaire by interviewing an adult member of the household. If no one from the household is available, the census taker will make repeated attempts to contact someone in the home.

The follow-up operations will be conducted by official census takers, who will have ID badges with the U.S. Department of Commerce seal and expiration date. They also may be carrying a bag with a U.S. Census Bureau logo. If asked, they will provide the telephone numbers for their supervisor and local census office for verification.

Tech College Sets Sights on Future

2010-04-26T08:39:00.007-05:00

The North Central Kansas Technical College is setting sights on developing the Kansas Institute for Underground Construction. The idea is being discussed with representatives from Ditch Witch who manufacture a directional drilling tool used in utility construction.

At this time there is no training program for operation of drilling tools and the technical college would like to be the first to offer such a program and possibly begin a certification program.

School, state and community officials met at the college last week to discuss the ideas for the program in further detail. They hope something can be developed soon. The demand for underground construction is picking up and is expected to be good in the year 2011.

The Institute for Underground Construction would not only include training in directional drilling. It would also cover topics including utility locating, OSHA Regulations, CDL training and a variety of other subjects addressing the needs of the underground construction industry.

We would like to thank the representatives from Ditch Witch who attended the meeting and provided their insight of the industry. This partnership can help formulate a program that benefits both the school and the industry.

Shaping Our Future with the North Campus Development

2010-04-13T20:37:00.004-05:00

Unfortunately we don't have a crystal ball and can't take a clear look into the future. But in Economic Development we always have to look forward as far as we can to identify what can be done for continued growth and sustainability of our businesses and our community.

Work is underway to redefine and set a new direction for the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility. To begin the facility is now being referred to as the "North Campus Development" which is a way of looking forward and setting our sights on the future.

The City of Beloit and Mitchell County are working together right now on developing plans to "re purpose" at least one building on the campus. The Morning View building is a hard-cell, lock-down, jail facility that was designed to house juvenile female offenders. It is going to become the future home of the Beloit Police Department, Mitchell County Sheriff's Department and it will serve as our jail for adult prisoners. This step is expected to be a long term move for our local law enforcement personnel.

The City of Beloit is expected to take another step in working with officials from USD 273 to utilize the "North High School" building on the campus.

Mitchell County Partnership for Children and The Early Learning Center have occupied two buildings on the campus for the past several years and it's anticipated they will have contracts from the City to keep them there as well.

Efforts are underway to find other purposes for the remaining buildings. Each step is being considered very carefully.

Taking a broader look at the "North Campus Development", opens the doors to many opportunities for our community. There are nearly 50 acres of undeveloped land. Portions of the land provide frontage on highway 24 that could be utilized for key retail services. This land could also provide space for lighter commercial uses, multi-family residential development and much needed single family housing development.

This will all take careful planning. And that is what is currently being done with specific attention given to the location of existing roads and utilities. An examination of how those can be extended to serve the existing campus facilities and extend into the undeveloped property for future growth.

These items must be studied carefully and not rushed. The direction taken today could set the course for the future of our community for the next 40 years. When you consider the former juvenile correctional facility was planned and developed over 120 years ago. Then 40 years really doesn't seem like such a long time. But it's an important timeline because what is done today and in the next few years will set a new direction for our community that will have a long lasting impact on our future.

Utilities and Technology Vital

2010-03-24T19:29:00.006-05:00

When it comes to business growth and new business attraction having up to date utilities, infrastructure and technology is a vital.

Sometimes rural communities are over looked because people think they aren't up to speed with the rest of the world. Well you might be surprised by what you can find in a rural community like ours.

For example, fiber optics is a MUST for many businesses today. But some might not think we have access to it here. I contacted Brent Cunningham with Cunningham Telephone and Cable and was impressed to find they have over 1,000 miles of fiber optics connecting homes, businesses and communities in Mitchell, Jewell, Cloud, Republic, Osborne and Ottawa counties. That is very significant to business sustainability and growth here in north central Kansas. Cunningham Telephone exchanges are built with "Fiber-to-the-Home" technology with dedicated fibers per customers and 100 Mbps capable connections.

This didn't happen overnight. Cunningham Telephone is a founding member of the Kansas Fiber Network connecting Kansas with advanced services. Cunningham Communications cable systems are built with fiber optic nodes and 1GHz technology. They have been providing broadband Internet service since 1997.

Another great asset for our community is the North Central Kansas Technical College. The college provides training and services that can be very beneficial for business. Some of these are on the cutting edge of technology. The NCK Tech College has a great GIS/GPS program and can provide training and services related to geographic information systems.

The college can also provide training in telecommunications, business, computer courses, welding and a wide variety of other programs.

The City of Beloit and Mitchell County are working together on gathering GIS data and creating new aerial maps and databases. This information can be important for business planning, infrastructure development and improvements.

Utilities are another important element when a business considers expanding or relocating in our area. On one recent site visit a business person asked me how many times a year we had power outages and how long they lasted. I contacted the Systems Operations department for the City of Beloit and they verified my answer. In 2009 the city of Beloit had 3 power outages. Two of those were during winter ice storms. The average time of the outages was only about 15 minutes. In most cases the outages are limited to one section of the city or another depending on what caused the outage and where it is located.

Beloit us unique in that the city still has a power plant and can generate their own power if needed during outages from their suppliers. Or in case of emergencies. In 2009 the City of Beloit generated their own power for a total of 761,780 kWh. They purchased over 47,000,000 kWh of electricity last year from KMEA, WAPA and GRDA.

Water is another vital resource for residents and businesses alike. The city of Beloit gets its water from the Solomon River/Waconda Lake. The City has total water rights of more than 227,102,673 gallons per year or approximately 622,199 gallons per day.

The capacity of the City Water Plant is 1.5 million gallons per day and the average annual consumption is 800,000 gallons per day.

The numbers, facts and figures concerning the utilities, infrastructure and technology available in our area goes on and on. But I think this summary give you a better idea on what we have to offer to businesses and the fact that we are up to speed with the latest technology that is so important in today's business world.

Solomon Valley Farmers Market Association

2010-03-16T15:20:00.003-05:00

Farmers Markets are a great way to help individual producers and consumers who are looking for fresh items grown or produced locally. The Solomon Valley Farmers Market Association is planning to start a local market in Beloit, KS this summer. They plan to have the market every Saturday from June 19 to October 2nd at Guaranty State Bank, the intersection of Mill & Court Streets.

Vendors are will pay a $25 fee for their booth to participate in the full season.

More details on the market can be found on their Facebook Page.

Their next planning meeting will be March 25th, 7 PM at 1217 North Mill Street in Beloit, KS.

Beloit Recieves Deed to BJCF

2010-03-12T09:03:00.005-06:00

Who says the wheels of government move slowly? The City of Beloit has received the deed for the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility. And now the City and County are working together on working out the details for the first steps towards bringing new life to the buildings on the campus.

The Beloit City Council will discuss the new developments at their next meeting Tuesday night.

Several things are already in motion.

1) Plans are to keep the Mitchell County Partnership for Children and The Early Learning Center in the two buildings they currently occupy on the campus.

2) The City and County Lawenforcement would like to relocate to the Morning View building which is a hard cell, lock down, jail facility on the campus. This would give both local agencies more space and would incrase the county's jail capacity.

Several other groups have also expressed interest in various buildings on the campus and agreements will have to be worked out with each of them. This will of course take some time. But the wheels are moving and this project is definitely a "community" effort.

Governor Signs SB 357 to Transfer BJCF to Beloit

2010-03-01T16:07:00.007-06:00

Govenror Parkinson has signed Senate Bill 357 to authorize the transfer of the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility property to the City of Beloit.

The Govenror closed the facility last August due to severe budget cuts bringing an end to a facility that has served the state of Kansas for over 120 years.

The Governor's action today means the property which includes roughly 14 buildings on a 23 acre campus, along with 49 acres of agricultural land will be returned to the City of Beloit.

Local officials have been working on plans to reuse most of the buildings on the campus. Representatives from the City of Beloit, Mitchell County, USD 273, NCK Technical College and the community have been working together on this project.

The actual transfer of the property will take some time. It will be handled by the Kansas Department of Administration and Attorney General's office.

Pictures of the Administration Building and available property can be found on the Mitchell County Community Development Facebook Page and on LocationOne.

Next Focus On Technology and Infrastructure

2010-02-28T20:35:00.006-06:00

A new brochure is currently being developed to focus attention on the technology and infrastructure we have to offer businesses that are looking to expand or relocate in our area. The brochure, developed by Mitchell County Community Development is the third in a series that is being sent directly to professional Realtors and site selectors who assist businesses in their decision making.

It is interesting to note Cunningham Telephone and Cable has over 1,000 miles of fiber optics connecting homes, businesses and communities in Mitchell, Jewell, Cloud, Republic, Osborne and Ottawa counties. North Central Kansas Technical College has a GIS/GPS Technology program that provides training in geographical information systems software using global positioning system technology. The college has contracted with local city agencies to provide data in GIS format.

The brochure will also include information on the advanced medical technology that is available to our local physicians and hospital. It will also cover information on current utility capabilities available in and around our communities.

Businesses look closely at the technology they need when they consider expanding or relocating to an area.

We're # 1

2010-02-20T17:58:00.004-06:00

Mitchell County residents can stand up and take a bow. A new study has been released that ranks Mitchell County as the healthiest county in the state of Kansas. The study was conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

The Kansas Health Rankings report studies many different factors, including quality of health care, individual behavior, education and jobs, and the environment. (Mitchell County Summary)

For more details you can read the report on county health rankings here.

BJCF Bill Clears Another Hurdle

2010-02-16T08:33:00.004-06:00

Senate Bill 357 cleared another hurdle last week when the House Local Government Committee voted unanimously to pass it on to the full House for consideration. The bill authorizes the transfer of the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility property to the City of Beloit.

The bill has been placed on "General Orders" on the House Calendar. On Monday, February 15th it was listed on page 10. This morning (February 16) the bill is listed on page 8.

Legislators have been moving the bill through the process quickly so the property can be removed from the states inventory as soon as possible and remove their liability for the utilities and maintenance of the facilities.

Local leaders are standing ready to receive the property. They include the City of Beloit, Mitchell County, USD 273, Mitchell County Partnership for Children, the Early Learning Center and NCK Technical College and possibly others.

Once the House of Representatives approve the bill the Kansas Department of Administration and the Attorney General's office will be involved in handling the final transaction with the City of Beloit.

The House of Representatives meet at 11 A.M. each week day. You can listen in on their debate of bills online at kslegislature.org.

Proposed Housing Development Positive Step

2010-02-06T12:40:00.010-06:00

Wichita housing developer, Manske & Associates is looking at the possibility of constructing ten new homes in Beloit. The developer has been working with representatives from Mitchell County Community Development, the Solomon Valley Economic Development Housing Task Force and the City of Beloit. They have submitted an application to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation to participate in a special housing tax credit program to encourage the development of income based housing.

The total cost estimate for the development is $1.8 million and calls for new homes to be built at 3rd and Mill and in the Zimmer Addition in Beloit, KS.

Manske & Associates has a very long and positive record of developing housing in communities all across the state of Kansas. The homes proposed for Beloit will be single family houses with 3 bedrooms, two baths and a two car garage. They will be approximately 1,275 square feet and some will include an unfinished basement.

The application for the housing development program has been submitted to KHRC and will be reviewed and scored against other projects being considered throughout the state.

Just the other day someone asked what a housing means to economic development. Of course there is the initial benefit of the jobs created for construction of the homes and the purchase of materials. There is also an increase in property value created with the addition of new homes.

Beyond the construction phase of the project there are many other economic benefits to creating additional housing in a community. Rental housing in Beloit is extremely tight and adding 10 homes with 3 bedrooms each would help relieve some of the pressure on the housing market. This would add to the number of people living in our community as they move into the new homes. Some will be new residents. Others will be moving out of other homes in Beloit and freeing them up for other families to move into.

Having more families in Beloit would increase the demand for retail goods and services, sales tax revenues and possibly add more children to our school system. For the City and County it would generate more property taxes and utility revenues.

The housing project will be owned locally. Manske & Associates only serve as the developer. The local owner of the project will benefit from the revenues generated by the rental and sales of the homes.

In all there are many ways that a new housing development benefits the local community. We are hopeful our application is approved by the KHRC.

BJCF Legislative Path Streamlined

2010-02-06T12:24:00.003-06:00

Members of the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility Task Force are heading back to Topeka on February 11th to testify in support of Senate Bill 357. The bill has already been passed by the full Kansas Senate. Now it is being heard by the House Local Government Committee.
A duplicate bill HB 2450 that originated in the House of Representatives has been put on hold. It was found that having the duplicate bill was not necessary as the Senate quickly moved SB 357 through to the House for consideration.
Part of the reason for the quick action by the Legislature is the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority is currently paying for the utilities and a full-time staff person to keep the former BJCF maintained and they are running short of money.
What will happen if SB 357 is passed by the House? It will become official once the bill is published. Then the work will begin to transfer the property to the City of Beloit.
In the meantime representatives from the City of Beloit, Mitchell County Commissioners, NCK Technical College, USD 273, the Early Learning Center and several other organizations have been working together to develop plans for how the facilities can be utilized to benefit the community. And to plan how the expenses for utilities and maintenance will be shared.
Admittedly the legislative action on the communities request to receive the BJCF property is moving faster than expected. But with all parties working together the community can develop plans to receive and utilize the facility, secure jobs that are already asscociated with the Early Learning Center and Mitchell County Partnership for Children, and create several other jobs associated with new uses for the buildings and property.

Hearing Set for HB 2450

2010-01-29T21:11:00.003-06:00

The Local Government Committee of the Kansas House of Representative will hear testimony on HB 2450 on February 9th. Members of the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility Task Force will return to Topeka on the 9th to testify in support of the bill that authorizes the state to transfer the property of the former correctional facility back to the City of Beloit.
HB 2450 was introduced by Representative Clay Aurand. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Janis Lee. SB 357 was passed on "favorably" by the Senate Ways and Means Committee this past Tuesday. It will be considered by the full Senate within the next few days.
In the meantime members of the local BJCF Task Force are working on details in preparation to receive the property from the state and to put it to use in the best interest of the community.

Senate Committee Passes SB 357 to the Full Senate

2010-01-27T16:59:00.001-06:00

Several members of our community testified today before the Senate Ways and Means committee on SB 357 to authorize the transfer of the BJCF to the City of Beloit. The committee voted unanimously to pass the bill favorably on to the full Senate for their consideration. The Senate is expected to take up the bill on Monday. A similar bill is going to be heard by the House Local Government Committee sometime soon.

Kansas Senate Bill 357 Hearing

2010-01-22T16:54:00.002-06:00

Members of the Kansas Senate Ways and Means Committee will hear testimony on a bill to authorize the transfer of Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility to the City of Beloit. Several community representatives will travel to Topeka on January 27th to testify before the Senate Committee on behalf of our community to encourage the state to return the property to the community so it can be utilized for the greatest benefit of the community and not sit idle.

The property was originally given to the state by the community in the late 1890’s and operated over 120 years as a facility for juvenile girls.

Senator Janis Lee introduced senate Bill 357. A similar bill is also working its way through the House of Representatives and will be considered by the House Local Government Committee sometime soon.

BJCF Bills Introduced

2010-01-18T09:12:00.002-06:00

Two bills have been introduced in Topeka requesting the state return the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility property to the City of Beloit. Last week Senator Janis Lee introduced Senate Bill 357 and Representative Clay Aurand introduced House Bill 2450.

The Senate Bill has been assigned to the Ways and Means Committee for their consideration. The House Bill has been assigned to the Local Government Committee.

Both bills ask that the Secretary of Administration be given the authority to convey the Correctional Facility property to the City of Beloit.

The property was given to the state over 120 years ago. Community leaders are asking the property be returned so that it can be put to use once again for the benefit of the community.

If you would like to follow these bills through the legislative process click here and type in the appropriate bill numbers in the tracking box.

Getting the state to return the property to the City of Beloit will open the door for us to utilize the property in ways that will benefit the entire community.

Available Buildings and Sites

2010-01-13T15:27:00.003-06:00

We are continuously updating information on available buildings and sites in Mitchell County, Kansas. You can keep up to date on these properties via our Facebook Fan Page.

If you have any questions contact Murray McGee at 785.738.2717 or 785.569.1465.

Site Prep Underway for NBAF in Manhattan

2010-01-12T15:27:00.002-06:00

Our eyes are focused towards Manhattan these days as Kansas State University and the City of Manhattan begin site preparation for NBAF. According to officials in Manhattan the preparations are moving along pretty well.

KSU President Kirk Schulz told members of Solomon Valley Economic Development and the Beloit Chamber of Commerce the new National Bio Agro-Defense Facility will make a significant impact on Manhattan and communities as far away as 100-150 miles as support businesses will be looking for available buildings and land for development.

If all goes as planned construction on the NBAF facility could begin late this summer.

NBAF Future in Kansas

2010-01-10T19:16:00.007-06:00

The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is slated to come to Manhattan soon and it could change the landscape in our state and our communities. Kansas State University President, Kirk Schulz was the keynote speaker at the Beloit Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet on January 9th, 2010. He biefly discussed what NBAF could mean to our area.

Of course the greatest impact of the the NBAF development will be seen in the Manhattan and Junction City, Kansas area. The NBAF facilities are being built at Kansas State University in Manhattan. But as Dr. Schulz pointed out there will be many related businesses that will need to local near Manhattan. Some of those will need offices for 2 or 3 people. Some will need small production or manufacturing buildings and some will need land to build.....new, large manufacturing facilities.

Some of these new businesses will need to be close to NBAF. Some will be able to operate within a few miles of the new facility and some will want to locate within a 100 to 150 mile radius of the facility.

Of course the latter of the locations mentioned is where our community could come into consideration. We may be able to offer available buildings and land for development of new facilities related to NBAF.

But the key element is to make sure these prospective new businesses know we are even here. At this time there is no "single" point of contact for these prospects. It is up to us to be sure that we make ourselves known.

It will be important for us to be in direct communication with economic development leaders in Manhattan and with Kansas State University.

We are studying our options and what opportunities could be ahead for our community in relation to NBAF. Like everyone else we are interested to see how this facility could change the landscape for business in north central Kansas and possibly the entire state.

Claw Back Clauses

2010-01-03T21:48:00.004-06:00

Cities and Counties all across the country are starting to use "claw back clauses" that have been built into recent economic development incentives. An Associated Press story hit wires on January 3rd explaining the problem businesses and communities are facing. You can read the details here.

Tax breaks or tax abatement's for businesses are often tied to "job creation". A business promises to create a certain number of jobs and in exchange they receive certain tax breaks.

In our many communities in our area communities consider the number of jobs created and the amount of investment being made in the community through construction and other capital improvements.

In tough economic times incentives must be considered very carefully by the taxing entities offering the incentive and the business accepting them.

Still in Mitchell County the incentive we have offered to spur growth and development is a tax rebate and not a tax abatement. This way the local taxing entities are not giving up any tax revenues they currently receive. Instead they are offering to rebate a portion of the increased tax revenues created by improvements made to a property. The rebate is only applied to the improvements and the taxing entities continue to receive the base tax that is paid on the property before improvements are made.

We certainly want to roll out the red carpet for any business that wishes to expand, relocate or start up new in Mitchell County. We want to do what is beneficial for our community and our businesses.

Starting a New Facebook Look

2009-12-29T15:07:00.005-06:00

Facebook seems to be the latest tool for marketing your business or organization. I know we may be a little behind the time here. But I have been working on a Facebook page to help promote our community and the resources we have available for new and/or expanding businesses.

We have started uploading our inventory of available buildings and building sites and will highlight some of our business incentives.

Take a look at our fan page for Mitchell County Community Development and become a fan today. Just follow this link

Green Acres!

2009-12-20T11:25:00.007-06:00

I was surfing the net this morning and came across a story from the Wall Street Journal describing how young people are leaving metropolitan areas in search of greener pastures in rural areas of the country. You can read the story here.

My first reaction was.....great! I thought how great it would be to have more people moving to our rural areas. We have been struggling with a declining population for over 100 years. But then I read the many posts people made in response to the story. They are from rural residents who do NOT like city people moving in to their areas. They are concerned the "city" folks won't understand the difficulties that come with living in a rural area. And they might believe they can earn a living on a 5 or 10 acre farm. Or they might drive up the cost of land. There are many other concerns or fears the rural people have about welcoming "city dwellers" to the countryside.

Then I thought "What about inviting people from the metropolitan areas" to contact us and invite them to come and learn more about what rural living is really about. It's not for everyone. But for some people it could be a positive lifestyle change.

I don't believe people should rush into making life changing decisions. I also believe we should not close the door to opportunities for both rural and urban residents. With education and understanding there could be positive opportunities for both. I believe the lines of communication and understanding should be open. And if someone from an urban area has a genuine interest in moving to Mitchell County, Kansas. Great! Let us know and we'll work together to see if it "really" is something for you and your family.

Social Media Best Practices For Economic Development

2009-12-12T13:52:00.002-06:00

Social Media can serve as a great communication tool to reach your target audience. That is...IF it is done the right way. Mark Schaefer created this presentation on Social Media Best Practices for Economic Development Organizations.

Social media such as Facebook and Blogger and "tools". But it takes some research and understanding to use them effectively. Understanding the basics as Mr. Schaefer has outlined in his presentation is a first step in this process. Social media sources can be used effectively to market to professional Site Selectors, Commercial Realtors and Business Owners and Managers everywhere.

At this time we are looking at traditional direct marketing coupled with our website and soon more direct social media marketing.

We have identified our target. Now we are learning how to reach our audience more directly through the use of social media.

President Proposes Help for Small Businesses and States

2009-12-08T15:23:00.001-06:00

President Obama outlined plans today to assist small businesses by cutting taxes and enhancing other programs. He is also looking at possibly providing assistance to states to provide money for infrastructure and schools. His plan is aimed at helping to fight unemployment and give a shot to small business owners.

Here is an interactive run down of some of the ideas he is suggesting.

Shopping Local Makes Sense

2009-12-07T20:38:00.006-06:00

New commercials recently started running on the local cable TV system stressing the importance of shopping locally.

Brent Cunningham, Vice President/General Manager of Cunningham Telephone & Cable is featured in the first commercial that can be found online at Youtube. You can see it here.

Cunningham has been working with Solomon Valley Economic Development to create several ads to remind everyone of the importance of supporting our local businesses.

Unemployment Wave Hits Home

2009-11-29T21:08:00.009-06:00

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.

Tracking Federal Recovery Funds Down to Us

2009-11-22T13:30:00.010-06:00

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.

Investing In Our Future--Today

2009-11-14T10:42:00.007-06:00

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:

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.

AMI A Business Resource

2009-11-08T13:16:00.003-06:00

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.

Reversing the Rural Brain Drain

2009-11-01T09:18:00.002-06:00

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.

Is Social Media a Fad?

2009-10-30T12:10:00.002-05:00

I'm am currently involved in helping with four Facebook pages about a half dozen websites and two blogs. I had to stop and ask myself the other day. Is this all a fad? Well I came upon the following information on youtube. Judge for yourself.......Check out this link.

Neighborhood Revitalization Program Has Positive Impact

2009-10-30T09:12:00.005-05:00

Since the Neighborhood Revitalization Program was adopted county-wide nearly $19 million in construction projects have been approved in Mitchell County, KS.

The program was adopted county-wide in October 2006. It offers an incentives to both home owners and businesses to make improvements to their properties, build additions and construct new buildings. The incentive is a tax "rebate" based on the increase in the value of the proprety after the improvement is made.

Local taxing entitites also say they like the program because it does not take away any existing tax revenues. For example if the taxes on a property are $1,000 per year and you put up a new building that increases the taxes by $1,000. The local taxing entities will still receive the $1,000 in taxes. What they "rebate" is based on the additional $1,000 that was added to the tax value of the property.

A property owner can receive a rebate up to 95% on improvements made to their home or commercial building. It can also be applied to new construction. The 95% rebate is good for 3 years. On the 4th year it drops to 80%, the 5th year 70% and so on for a total of 10 years in the Neighborhood Revitalization Program.

Applications for the program are available at the Mitchell County Appraisers office. They must be completed and approved by the county commissioners before any work can begin. The project must increase the value of the property at least $10,000 and it should be completed within a year.

Once the work is completed you will also need to complete a form to notify the Appraisers office the project is finished. So they can inspect it again and set the new property value.

It is important to note. This is not a tax abatement program. It is a rebate and the property owner is responsible for paying the "full amount" of the taxes including the new, increased portion. After receiving the payment the county will figure the amount that is to be rebated and return 95% .

Local taxing entities participating in the program include Mitchell County, the cities of Beloit, Glen Elder, Cawker City, Tipton, USD 273 and USD 272.

For more information on the program call 785-738-2717 or 785-569-1465.

2010 U.S. Census Important to Community

2009-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

The annual census is much more than just counting how many people live in our community. It could make a difference in whether we receive millions of dollars or not.

I recently met with Lech Wisniewski a Partnership Specialists with the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau. He is putting together local community teams to assist in getting the community ready for the 2010 Census that will begin next Spring.

According to Wisniewski the last census in the year 2000 covered roughly 2800 residences in Mitchell County. Unfortunately only 68% of the people responded to the census leaving 32% of the people uncounted.Wisniewski said federal funds are tied to the census based upon the number of households included in the data they gather. If 32% of the households are not counted he estimated that we have missed out on $3,300 per household or approximately $3 million in federal funding. Since the U.S. Census is done every 10 years that means we have missed out on $30 million dollars. We can't let that happen again.

The Census count affects federal grant funding for many, many programs. Some of those include the National School Lunch Program; Adult Education; Special Education Grants; Community Services Block Grants; Head Start; Low Income Home Energy Assistance programs, Medicaid Grants to States; Special Programs for the Aging; Community Development Block Grants; Employment Services; Unemployment Insurance Programs; Highway Planning and Construction.

Census questionnaires will be delivered or mailed to households via U.S. mail in March 2010; many households will receive a replacement questionnaire in early April. Census workers also will visit households that do not return questionnaires.The questionnaire will be quick, easy and confidential for you to fill out. There will only be 10 questions and should not take more than 10 minutes to complete. You will NOT be asked your Social Security Number, credit card information or any other private information.

Remember, just taking 10 minutes to fill out a questionnaire could affect our community's chance to receive millions of dollars in grants and federal funding. Take the time to be counted in the 2010 Census.

News About the BJCF History

2009-10-26T21:02:00.002-05:00

Heather Hollingsworth, a reporter for the Associated Press recently wrote a detailed story about the history of the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility for Girls.

The story has been picked up by many news outlets from coast to coast. It has been reported nationally by the Associated Press, MSNBC and here by the National Public Radio.

Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility

2009-10-26T08:00:00.002-05:00

After more than 120 years of operation the state of Kansas closed the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility. The facility closed on August 28,2009. This is a great loss to the community and the many people who worked there.

Today we are looking to the future to see what may become of the buildings and land that are located just west of the Beloit Junior/Senior High School.

We have a new task force with representatives from the City of Beloit, Mitchell County Commission, USD 273, NCK Tech College and the hospital.

They have met with State Senator Janis Lee who plans to introduce legislation in January asking the state to "return" the property to our community. Representative Clay Aurand will introduce similar legislation on the Kansas House of Representatives.

The reason we say the legislation will ask the state to "return" the property is because the original Girls Industrial School was built on land given to the state. The Women's Christian Temperance Union started a reformatory school for girls in 1888. The Legislature approved $25,000 to start the state facility in Beloit but they wanted the city to secure a minimum of 40 acres at no cost to the state. The people of Beloit donated 80 acres of land and the state took over the facility and began construction a larger building.

The task force has been working to document the land that was given to the state as well as any donations that were given to start the facility. From what we have learned the donations originated from individuals and most likely those associated with the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Anyone with information that may assist us can call 785-738-2717.

While the task force is working to document the origins of the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility to help build our case for asking the state to return the property. The group is also looking forward to prepare for receiving the property and find new ways to utilize the buildings and the land.

The main portion of the property or "campus" has roughly 12 building on 23 acres of land. Two buildings are currently occupied by the Mitchell County Partnership for Children and Early Learning Center. Other buildings include a school, gymnasium, cafeteria, administration building, dormatory style living units, a lock-down jail facility, greenhouse, shop buildings, a residence, barn and more.

Adjacent to the "campus" is 15 acres of agricultural land to the west and 28 acres of agricultural land to the north.

At this time the task force is preparing a budget and will discuss how the proeprty will be handled and expenses such as utilities and maintenance will be addressed. It is important that the community be prepared if the legislature does agree to return the property.

The task force is also considering how the buildings and ag land can be utilized in the future. They are balancing many options and want to do what is in the best interest of the community.

If all goes as planned our Legislators will introduce their bills in January and they will begin working their way through the legislative process. It is possible a decision could be made sometime by the end of March, 2010.

Updates on the status of the Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility will be provided here on the Mitchell County Community Development blog.

The Role of Social Networking in Marketing & Communication

2009-10-21T09:00:00.004-05:00

I think it's only appropriate my first blog should address the value of social networking and the Internet in today's marketing and business communication.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a workshop with Patsy Terrell who handles marketing for the Kansas Cosmosphere. Patsy utilizes a variety of social networking sources to help market one of the top tourist attractions in the state. She uses her blog, Facebook, Twitter and other resources to reach out to people and get them interested in coming to the Cosmosphere. And the best part is the networking sources she uses are completely free.

Now what does this have to do with us in Mitchell County, Kansas? It could have a lot to do with us. We could be using these "free" sources to promote our businesses, marketing our community and simply communicate important messages to a vast number of people both locally and abroad.

Facebook currently has over 250 million active users. Over half of them log on every day and the average Facebook user has 120 friends in their "network". To a business those individual users and their network of friends could be a gold mine for free "word-of-mouth" advertising.

Major retailers have already figured this out. According to Patsy 86% of major retailers are already using Facebook to market their products. And that is expected to jump to over 95% next year.

Locally there are several businesses who have started using Facebook to promote their businesses. They include The Perfect Pair and Becker Auto in Beloit. We would like to encourage more of our businesses to utilize the Internet as part of their marketing plan. It's easy to use and if you need help just contact me at 785.738.2717 or 785.569.1465 and I can help you get started.

Facebook is the fastest growing social networking source for people 35 and older.

But there are other sources you can use to market your product and communicate with a broader audience. Twitter is also very popular. According to Patsy, Twitter is used more by people aged 45-50 than any other age group, followed closely by 25-34 year olds. More than 9 million people are on Twitter and it's growing rapidly.

Twitter doesn't have all the photo, games and frills that Facebook uses. But it is more of a "communication" tool. You are limited to messages using 140 characters or less. While that can be a limiting factor you may find that more people use Twitter on their cell phones and other mobile communication devices. Both Facebook and Twitter can be connected and used in unison.

Finally a third source of social networking and communication is the use of a "blog". Which is exactly what we have created here. According to Patsy a Pew study in 2008 showed 42% of Internet users have read blogs and experts think that number should be higher because many times people are reading blogs thinking they are regular websites.

Blogs are a very effective way of communicating with a vast number of people. Politicians, Organizational Leaders, Universities and community leaders are starting to use blogs in place of newsletters to communicate ideas and information. That is the purpose of our blog that has been developed as a communication tool for Mitchell County Community Development.

We plan to use our blog to provide local news and information concerning economic development, business, community development, community activities and programs in Mitchell County, Kansas. In the days, weeks and months ahead we plan to cover topics including but not limited to business marketing opportunities, business incentives and programs such as our Neighborhood Revitalization Program. We hope to provide updates on programs being offered by the Small Business Development Center in Concordia. We will cover other subjects including housing, business expansions, construction at our hospital, the Bio Science Industry and we will discuss our ideas for future use of the former Beloit Juvenile Correctional Facility.

We hope this will be something that is interesting and useful to those who are interested in our businesses and our community.