And Community Strategic Plan

EDWARDS COUNTY

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AND COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN

UPDATE

Adopted

DECEMBER 15, 2008

By Edwards County Economic Development Board of Directors

Prepared by Linette Miller, Executive Director

Edwards County Economic Development Corporation

INTRODUCTION

The original Strategic Plan for Edwards County provided 7 guiding principles on which progress and economic development would be based.

“Generated by responsible planning, development of our social community and our economic base will progress be made through:

(A) PERSONNEL – trained and skilled.

(B) SUPPORTIVE SERVICES – developed and in place for the workforce.

(C) MARKETING AND PROMOTION – within the community and expanded markets.

(D) ENHANCEMENT OF COMMUNITY SOCIAL INFRASTRATURE.

(E)  REINFORCEMENT of the community’s responsibility to provide a safe environment and an inheritance for future generations.

(F)  ENCOURAGEMENT of leadership within the community.

(G) ARTICIPATION in improving and sustaining the quality of life.

These principles remain the basic tenets on which the Strategic Plan for Edwards County is revised and updated.

The Edwards County Economic Development Corporation Board remains the basic guiding force for countywide Strategic Planning. The Executive Director serves as principal coordinator and facilitator for Strategic Planning. The Personnel involved in this process are:

Kathy Stegman, Offerle, Kansas, businesswoman, Chairman of the Board.

Connie Oliphant, Offerle, Kansas, businesswoman

Julie Ackerman, Offerle, Kansas, retired educator

Al Hatch, Kinsley, Kansas, retired banker

Raul Amaya, Kinsley, businessman

Bob McKinney, farmer, Lewis, Kansas

Wayne Stegman, Kinsley, retired banker

Linette Miller, Kinsley, Kansas, Executive Director

PROCESS

Town-hall meetings, public hearings and meetings with community leaders have been conducted in all four of the incorporated cities in Edwards County during the original writing of this document. Sometimes these meetings had specific focus and limited agendas, but invariably discussions also dealt with related matters that have impact on the views and visions that the public has for the future of Edwards County. In this way the Strategic Plan is updated and revised as goals are accomplished and new opportunities and threats are identified.

The information from these sources is synthesized by the ECEDC Executive Director for presentation to the ECEDC Board for final formal adoption into the Strategic Plan.

CHANGES IN CONDITION

Our declining population continues to be a major concern for the residents of Edwards County. From 1980 to 2000 the county population declined from 4,270 to 3,449 a decrease of 19.23%. This population decline is not limited to Edwards County—it is endemic to Western Kansas. Of 105 counties in Kansas, 57 experienced population losses from 1990 to 2000. In the 38 western Kansas counties, 24 have experienced population declines in the past decade. Although this has been a trend in small rural counties for decades it has recently generated a great deal of press attention and some significant national debate. In Kansas the Economic Growth Act passed in 2004 provides additional tools for rural counties to create jobs, wealth and opportunity.

The Office of Rural Opportunity is a new entity designed to spur rural development in Kansas. Housed within the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Office serves as a contact point for rural communities seeking assistance in the development of strategic plans to attract businesses, workers and investment. The Office has four regional offices throughout Kansas, which allows Office staff to maximize their time in the field and create a community-driven, bottom-up approach to rural development in Kansas. The Office is dedicated solely to communities with 5,000 or fewer residents.

Despite these disturbing population trends, the economy of Edwards County remains relatively vital. The basic economy of the region rises and falls in conjunction with conditions in the agricultural economy.

In addition, the City of Kinsley continues to live under the onerous conditions set forth by FEMA which has designated much of the City as being in a flood zone and certain portions of the city as being in a floodway. These conditions have limited growth and complicated housing issues. However, in January of 2008, most of the downtown area and some residential areas were taken out of the flood plane which poses new opportunities for those areas since they no longer have to abide by FEMA regulations.

The Comprehensive Plan adopted by the City of Kinsley in 1998 continues to be the source for the general guidance and priorities for development. The plan is reviewed and updated annually and as goals and objectives are met new challenges are added.

In 2003 and 2004 much effort and public attention was focused on the Circle K Ranch and the issues that developed over this property. Circle K Ranch is located in the Middle Arkansas sub-basin, approximately 5 miles Southwest of Kinsley. The ranch covers nearly 6,900 acres. The ranch has 57 wells under 30 water rights appropriated for 8,039 acre feet of water use. Currently there are 41 irrigated circles growing a variety of crops. Over 90 percent of the water pumped is for irrigation purposes.

Circle K Ranch was purchased by the City of Hays in January of 1995. Hays later sold 19 percent interest in the ranch to the City of Russell. Both cities purchased the land as part of a long-term public water supply strategy to meet their projected water needs. Since purchase, the ranch has been leased to BET Farms for irrigated farming, recently under one-year contracts. In 2004 Hays and Russell proposed the sale of the land to the State of Kansas in order to retire some of the water rights and possibly convert the property into a wildlife habitat.

Funds for the purchase of the Ranch were included in the 2004 State budget however, the budget crisis over the last several years have left the issue dangling.

In 2002 Edwards County joined with Barton, Ellsworth, Rice and Russell counties to form the Prairie Enterprise Project. With funding assistance from the Department of Commerce, this project in Enterprise Facilitation is working to serve the needs of small entrepreneurs by providing free and confidential business coaching. This strategy is based on the assumption that developing small business from within the community can be just as viable as or even more viable than trying to woo large industrial businesses to small rural communities. However, Ellsworth and Rice Counties have now dropped out of this Project to leave only Barton, Russell, and Edwards.

One item that has not changed is the strong commitment to the quality of life that the residents of Edwards County enjoy and insist is protected. In meetings in each of the county’s incorporated cities this theme was reiterated consistently.

Edwards County Strategic Planning Task Forces

Steering Committee

Julie Ackerman/Educator Don Stegman/Businessman Bob Ganley/Educator

Sally frame/Businesswoman Virginia Gleason/Retired Wayne Stegman/ Retired Banker

Agriculture & Agri-Business

Gary Meadows/Banker Mike Herrmann/Producer

Duane Mathes/Producer Ron Gruber/Co-Op Manager

Business Retention & Recruitment

Marlin Butler/Producer Ron Gruber Co-Op Manager Gary Meadows/Banker

Kathy Stegman/Businesswoman Bob Ganley/Educator

Connie Jo Oliphant/Businesswoman

Community Development

Virginia Gleason/Retired Pharmacist

Jane Wenstrom/Retired Businesswoman David Kazmaier/Businessman

Jay Dill/Kinsley City Manager Jay Schroetlin/Businessman

Housing and Commercial Property

John Ploger/Realtor & Appraiser Rex Woods/Housing Administrator

Ian McClellan/Cross Mfg. Mngr Dee Konrade/Businesswoman

Marvin Ryan/Businessman

Tourism/Recreation & Promotion

John Ploger/Realtor & Appraiser

Betty Ryan/Historical Society Sally Frame/Businesswoman

Virginia Gleason/Retired Pharmacist Deborah Call/ EMT

Education

Education issues are considered within the existing framework of the Kinsley/Offerle USD 347 and Lewis USD 502.

Healthcare

Edwards County Hospital and Healthcare Board of Trustees continue to oversee healthcare issues in Edwards County. In addition, the county has the Edwards County Health Organization to oversee the preventative health issues in the county. ECEDC assists with specific projects when requested.

AGRICULTURE & AGRIBUSINESS

Agriculture continues to be the dominant influence on the economy of Edwards County. Production agriculture in the county is by far the greatest source of employment and wealth. Traditional crops (corn, wheat, milo, soybeans and alfalfa) continue to be the most prevalent but there has been some minor diversification into cotton and some experimentation with sunflowers and canola and even a few isolated plots of edible beans and potatoes.

There have been increases in the number of small businesses offering services to the Ag economy. Tire repair, engine repair, commercial and aerial spraying services have all increased.

Edwards County continues to be an active member of the Western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance.

ISSUE Agricultural diversification is needed if the economy of the region is to prosper and endure.

STRATEGY Continue efforts to recruit a dairy or other major agricultural enterprise to the region.

TIMELINE 2009 and ongoing

PARTICIPANTS Edwards County Economic Development, Edwards County Extension Service, local producers, wKREDA

STRATEGY Find new ways to exploit the county’s strengths such as abundant water and the three US highways that pass through the county. Add pages to website specifically geared to potential businesses seeking relocation.

TIMELINE 2009 and ongoing

PARTICIPANTS Edwards County Economic Development, County Commission, US Highway 50 Association, local Producers and local manufacturers.

STRATEGY Assist local existing agribusinesses in efforts to expand and grow.

TIMELINE Ongoing

PARTICIPANTS Edwards County Economic Development, Edwards County Extension Service, Kansas Department of Commerce & Housing, local feed lots and producers, and Local grain elevators and coops.

BUSINESS RETENTION & RECUITMENT

ISSUE The local business base has remained relatively stable for the past few years. Although some small businesses have closed, others have opened maintaining a relatively constant availability of goods and services for residents of the County. (When the retail dry-cleaning business closed, for example, the service was made available through the drug store so dry-cleaning is still available within the county.) However, a large number of downtown business owners are nearing retirement. Retention of existing businesses is a major goal of ECEDC and the County.

STRATEGY Utilizing the resources of the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing through its local field representative and the personnel at the Small Business Development Center in Garden City and Great Plains Development, Inc. and Economic Development provide technical assistance to all businesses in Edwards County to strengthen entrepreneurial skills, seek financing and expand customer bases.

ACTION Recertify Edward County as an “Enterprise Zone”

TIMELINE January 2009

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC & County Commissioners

ACTION Continue publicizing the availability of “FREE” and “CONFIDENTIAL” business coaching through the Prairie Enterprise project and that the service is available to anyone wishing to start or expand a business in Edwards County.

TIMELINE 2009 and ongoing

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC, PEP Board, SBDC, volunteers

ACTION Develop entrepreneur education classes or seminars to encourage local people to start new businesses.

TIMELINE December 2011

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC, Kinsley High School, DCCC Outreach

ACTION Develop classes or seminars to improve existing businesses and make them more profitable and add to their value.

TIMELINE 2011

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC, Chamber, DCCC Outreach

STRATEGY Develop resources that specifically address the needs of business and identify all of the resources that are available for existing or new businesses in Edwards County.

ACTION Update commercial property information and retail businesses that are for sale and list on the County website and at the LOIS database.

TIMELINE January 2009 and ongoing

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC, local merchants, volunteers.

ACTION Develop information and training website pages, newspaper articles, and/or newsletters that provide business improvement information to existing businesses.

TIMELINE January 2009 and ongoing

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC, PEP, SBDC, Chamber

ACTION Update and redesign the existing comprehensive website for the county stressing the quality of life, abundant water, housing, schools, etc. The website is proving a much more effective and less costly form of marketing than advertising in local and regional publications. The website must be kept current, accurate, fresh and friendly in order to be an effective marketing tool.

TIMELINE Ongoing

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC, Cities of Kinsley, Lewis, Belpre, & Offerle, local merchants, Chamber of commerce, local citizens and County Commissioners.

STRATEGY Work with existing business owners nearing retirement to develop a plan for transition and retention of the business.

TIMELINE January 2009 and ongoing

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC, local merchants, Chamber.

STRATEGY Increase awareness of businesses and services in the County

ACTION Publish a series of articles about businesses within the County to let residents know what goods and services are available within the County.

TIMELINE Ongoing

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC and The Edwards County Sentinel

ACTION Nominate County Businesses for recognition through the KDOC&H Business Awards Program.

TIMELINE Ongoing, Annual

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC

STRATEGY Apply for the Main Street Kansas Designation.

TIMELINE Spring 2009

PARTICIPANTS ECEDC and Kinsley Downtown Businesses

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

In 2003 the Edwards County Economic Development Corporation launched a major website for Edwards County. More than a year was spent in developing and preparing the site to be a comprehensive view of Edwards County and its communities. The site includes information about businesses, history, tourist attractions, opportunities, the quality of life, education and healthcare. The site has been very well received and is a major focus of the Economic Development office.

All of the incorporated cities of Edwards County have expressed the need for funding to do community improvements like water systems, fire stations, ambulance housing, park equipment, etc. The office of Economic Development has been instrumental in the preparation of grant applications for such projects in the past. These efforts will continue. According to the 2000 census none of the incorporated cities in Edwards County meet the LMI requirement for CDBG eligibility. However, we will be working closely with the DOC Office of Rural Development to determine the best way to proceed with these projects.

A group of volunteers, called the “E-Team” was formed in 2001 to provide entertainment and activities for residents of the County. The group assumed management of the Palace Theatre in October 2002 and since then has maintained a regular weekly schedule of showing current release films. In addition, live productions and local talent shows have been held at the Palace. It has become a focal point for entertainment in the County. The E-Team also took the lead in developing an unsightly vacant lot in Kinsley into a fenced and landscaped basketball court that is widely used. They have also taken a vacant building and have turned it into a Community/Teen Center.