Barton County Commission meeting at a glance:
Here is a quick look at what Barton County Commission did Wednesday morning:
• Discussed a verbal emergency declaration made by Barton County Emergency Risk Manager Amy Miller Tuesday afternoon as the county supports wildfire-fighting efforts in Pawnee County. Commission Chairman Shawn Hutchinson signed it to formalize it Wednesday morning.
• Approved a request from Great Bend Economic Development President Sara Hayden for $435,714 to help fund GBED’s new childcare facility in Great Bend.
• Approved a proclamation marking this as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Family Crisis Center Executive Director Kylee Graves said April is designated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence.
The Family Crisis Center provides services for sexual assault survivors at no charge and offers educational and professional training for community members and professionals.
• Approved a proclamation marking this as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month.
Graves said the Proclamation states that child abuse and neglect can be reduced by making sure families have the support needed to raise children in a healthy environment and that there are dedicated individuals and organizations in Barton County working to counter these problems.
• Reappointed Emergency Risk Manager Amy Miller to the South Central Regional Council for Homeland Security for another two-year term.
Miller said the council supports statewide all-hazard preparedness while reducing vulnerabilities by building capabilities and developing comprehensive strategies in partnership with other government agencies and the private sector.
Miller has served as Barton County’s representative since 2006 when the council was formed.
The council, one of six covering Kansas, includes 19 south central counties.
• Held a review of the commission’s joint meeting with the Great Bend City Council held Monday night at the Great Bend Events Center. Commissioners said they and the council members all felt the meeting was productive.
Topics ranged from workforce issues to childcare and housing shortages to ways to keep property taxes lower. Both bodies plan making the combined meetings a regular occurrence.
• Updated the Community Development Block Grant offered INA Alert of Ellinwood.
Director of Operations Matt Patzner said INA Alert was provided a Barton County CDBG award in 2019. The company is changing banks and requested the release of the current uniform commercial code.
• Approved the Computer Information Concepts Inc annual peopleware agreement for $42,625.
In 2013, the county purchased a commercial software package from CIC. The software includes tax administration, budgetary/fund accounting, indexing/imaging, payroll/personnel and time/attendance. Added since that time are portals for the treasurer and the appraiser, Patzner said.
After meeting with CIC personnel to discuss service issues, the commission moved forward with the agreement with the expectation that CIC will continue to implement improvements.
• Voted to accept a Kansas Health and Environment Family Planning Grant.
The KDHE announced that the State Fiscal Year 2022 Family Planning grant program award to Barton County is increased by $1,622, bringing the total award to $57,325. The increase funding, provided for contraceptives and other local priorities, must be spent by March 31.
Acknowledging the need for childcare in the county to foster economic growth, the Barton County Commission Wednesday morning approved a request from Great Bend Economic Development President Sara Hayden for $435,714 to help fund GBED’s new childcare facility in Great Bend.
“I honestly never thought that childcare would be something that I would be here promoting,” said commission Chairman Shawn Hutchinson, District 3. “It just didn’t occur to me how important it was.”
To date, GBED had raised $435,714 in assets through tax credits and private and municipal support for the planned $1.6 million center. At the March 16 commission meeting, Hayden first asked the commission for match.
The funding would allow GBED to use $871,428.00 to aid in the submission of a matching-funds grant, thus raising enough to pay for the project.
The commission tabled the matter at that March 16 meeting. Although supportive, they wanted to first approach the Great Bend City Council to see if the city would pony up more for the endeavor.
The issue came up at the joint commission-council meeting Monday night at the Great Bend Events Center. Eventhough council members said the city couldn’t contribute more, commissioners felt comfortable moving forward with the county’s contribution.
The city and the county have each pledged $250,000 to GBED. Of Great Bend’s portion, $70,000 is earmarked for the childcare center.
“I think this is an incredible project. It is desperately needed,” said District 4 Commissioner Jon Prescott. But, he did have some concerns about its long-term sustainability in terms of staffing in at a time when help wanted signs dot the landscape and self-sustaining funding.
As for employees, “we will be paying an elevated wage,” Hayden said. Salaries for part-time and full-time personnel will be significantly higher than the state average for childcare workers, and they will look at apprenticeships and internships to bring i n younger staff members.
With funding, she said they are “padding the budget” with grant funds for the first year to make sure it is self-sufficient. They will also seek other grant opportunities.
The facility will be a 501c3 non-profit under the umbrella of GBED called Advancing Barton County Childcare Inc. They would hire a director to run this center and then the subsequent centers in other county communities.
The facility will provide services for 59 children.
“I really want this to succeed, I really do,” Prescott said. He has heard from businesses excited as well and are even willing to offer scholarships to help employees pay for childcare.
“We’ve had so many incredible employers throughout the county reach out to form these partnerships,” Hayden said. “There are other partnerships and ways that these employers will interact with us that will help this to succeed and be sustainable as well.”
If all goes as planned, the facility should be paid for before it is built. But, should the grant GBED seeks using the county’s match falls through, Hayden said they have loan and/or rent payments factored into their budget for now.
This is an important economic development tool to keep residents in the county and bring more people here, Hutchinson said. “I don’t know of a better way that we can help people remain in this community and support them then with quality childcare.”
Hutchinson said he was a prime example. He and his wife have three children and both have full-time jobs.
“We would not not have been able to both be as productive in this community as we’ve been” without good daycare, he said.
