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Commission hears economic-development related requests
Published 6/17/2009 in Local News
By STEPHANIE FARLEY
Garden City Downtown Vision Director Beverly Schmitz Glass walked away from Tuesday's City Commission meeting with encouragement from commissioners to continue working toward the entity possibly being housed one day with the Finney County Economic Development Corp.
On Tuesday, Glass presented Downtown Vision's 2010 budget request of $55,000 — the same as what the city gave the entity for 2009. Garden City Mayor Nancy Harness thanked Glass for keeping the request level, with Harness telling Glass she knew that took some work to not ask the city for an increase when Downtown Vision is in the process of shifting its focus.
Glass told commissioners Downtown Vision is trying to focus on recruiting retail and other businesses to fill empty storefronts downtown, instead of just being a cheerleader for the downtown district and its businesses and occupants, as well as an organizer of events downtown.
Glass told commissioners the space that formerly housed Dollar General on Main Street is in the process of being sold and that she's been told the space will be used for retail.
FCEDC also presented its 2010 budget request of $125,000. The city funded $94,000 in the 2009 budget for FCEDC and gave the entity an additional $12,500 in 2008 for 2009 to bring the total FCEDC budget to $106,500 for this year. The entity's 2010 request is an increase of $18,500.
As Glass stood at the podium before the commission, Commissioner John Doll said that while he feels both Downtown Vision and FCEDC have a purpose, he finds himself still questioning the "bang for the buck" of funding two entities that work toward economic development but are housed in separate spaces. Doll said that with Downtown Vision turning more toward economic development, he feels it would make sense to see FCEDC and Downtown Vision share some expenses, including possibly office supplies and rent.
Doll said he wasn't suggesting one of the entities end.
The idea of FCEDC and Downtown Vision, as well as possibly the Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce, being housed together — instead of the current situation where all three are housed separately with Downtown Vision downtown along Main Street, and the FCEDC and chamber located beside one another at Fulton Terrace — isn't new.
The three entities have discussed the possibility of being housed together. FCEDC extended its year lease for its current location, 1509 E. Fulton Terrace, through 2009. The rental agreement has a condition that gives FCEDC a way out if funding for the entity is changed or cut, or if the entity's funding partners — the cities of Garden City and Holcomb, Finney County and Garden City Community College — mandate FCEDC consolidate office space with other organizations, such as Downtown Vision or the chamber.
The chamber also still has time before its lease is up. Downtown Vision is housed in the first floor of the Windsor Hotel.
Glass explained that as part of the Kansas Main Street program, Downtown Vision is required to have its office space in the core downtown district. Glass said she had just been approached Tuesday by someone with possible space downtown that they'd be willing to renovate to house the chamber, Downtown Vision and FCEDC. Glass said she had not had time to discuss the option, yet, with representatives from either of the entities.
Commissioner Reynaldo Mesa said he felt it was only a matter of time before some or all of the entities could locate together.
Mesa, who also is a member of Downtown Vision's Board of Directors, said the entity has the desire to keep the budget request flat and to become as financially independent as possible.
Harness said that as long as Downtown Vision and FCEDC are receiving public funds, both entities needed to continue to show the best use of funds.
Mesa said he feels the city needs to decide how important economic development is, and whether the city and other funding partners are going to embrace economic development. Mesa said FCEDC is limited in its ability to retain and recruit business because of lack of available funding.
"I think we need to get real with economic development," Mesa said.
Harness said she felt the discussion of what's needed for economic development should happen but that the entity's request for an increase is for operating expenses.
She said that as long as the entities are receiving public funds and maintaining different storefronts, it's difficult for her to justify additional funding to FCEDC for operational expenses.
- Commissioners set a budget workshop for 2 p.m. June 30.
- Commissioners also approved a waiver to the ordinance prohibition requirement to allow for the discharge of fireworks within the corporate city limits from between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. July 3 to 5.
Download a packed with the materials for Tuesday's meeting.
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