Commission approves reaching out to former Miami County economic development director

By Charlene Sims

linncountyjournal@icloud.com

MOUND CITY – On Monday, Dec. 22, the Linn County Commissioners rehashed different options for hiring a person to do economic development in the county. County Clerk Chasity Ware brought the concerns of the Linn County ECommunity Foundation about not having an economic development director for the county.

The ECommunity Foundation is a spinoff from the economic development committee with the same members ,but it is a registered 501(c)(3). Article 2 of the Linn County ECommunity Foundation Inc. states the purpose and objectives of the foundation.

They are:

“Section 1. The Linn County ECommunity Foundation, Inc. strives to stimulate innovative projects and programs that encourage collaborative approaches to address economic needs of Linn County, KS.

“The Foundation also strives to provide a vehicle for the acceptance and management of donations of cash, securities, and other property and grant funds to be used to fund the activities and projects of The Foundation.

“Section 2. The general purposes of The Foundation are to operate solely and exclusively as a charitable, scientific, literary, and educational organization as designated by Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

“The objectives of The Foundation are:

• To encourage and assist in building prosperity, reducing disparity, and increasing

sustainability within Linn County, KS.

• To promote a plan for the development of the area to include:

o Business retention and recruitment

o Seed financing through low-interest loans.

o No-cost business assistance to new entrepreneurial ventures,

o Workforce development to benefit low- to moderate-income employment.

o Training to develop leadership capabilities of individuals, communities, and

businesses within the county.

o For any other lawful purpose allowed consistent with Section 510(c)(3) of the

Internal Revenue Code and the laws of the State of Kansas.”

Ware said that she had sent emails to the commissioners regarding the ECommunity Foundation from Jennifer Leach Harlow in regards to the piece of property that sits behind the Casey’s in Pleasanton.

Ware asked the commissioners how they wanted to handle that moving forward.

Commissioner Jason Hightower explained, “It’s not our property. It’s not under us. It’s under them as the ECommunity foundation.”

“It’s theirs,” said Commission Chair Jim Johnson.

“So how would you like for me to take that back to them?” Asked Ware.

Hightower said that they could handle that property however they want to.

Johnson said they always previously paid the taxes our of their funds or their grant money.

“I think their concern from what I’m understanding is the absence of an economic development director,” Ware said. “So I guess they’re inquiring are you looking to replace that position, and if you are not then that leads them to where they need to go with maybe dissolving this foundation.”

Hightower answered, “I’m still sitting where I was before as far as replacing that position. I think that it’s …..”

At the Sept. 22, 2025 meeting, Hightower suggested getting rid of the economic development position citing that the commission hadn’t followed through on a lot of economic development possibilities, so he thought at that time it was a waste of money.

Commissioner Alison Hamilton said, “I still feel that we should move forward with the board and keep the board and have a commissioner as a representative at those meetings and they answer to us still.”

“But what are they going to be doing at those meetings?” asked Hightower.

“Whatever we are directing them to do,” said Hamilton. She then asked, “Do you feel like we should dissolve it all?”

Hightower asked Ware whether the ECommunity Foundation applies for grants through Kansas Network.

Ware explained,”So they’re kind of a gap, what I call a gap loan for individuals that want to bring a business to town that maybe don’t have the best scores to be able to get a loan at your average bank or at a bigger facility.

“And so, Kansas Network and the ECommunity board work together to provide that gap in those funds that keeps someone from getting a loan to bring in a business to town. I haven’t seen anything obviously for several months, but when I left here I believe there were five or six businesses that had benefitted from that and over that time frame obviously a lot more.”

“But recently I know that there were several businesses that benefitted from that,” Ware said. “Again without that board that’s not a possibility or an availability to patrons that may be .looking to bring economic development to our county. So it is beneficial in some ways. But again, without a board, that’s not going to to be a possibility. But without an economic development director as the middle.”

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“Can we contract with somebody to handle those situations as they arise for Linn County instead of hiring a full-time?” Hightower asked. “They’re still working with the board, but only on an as-needed basis.”

“Like on a contract type basis that any businesses that they did bring in, but we did paid them accordingly,” said Johnson.

Right, said Hightower

Johnson asked Hightower where they could go to find someone like that.

Hightower suggested asking the former economic development director of Miami County Janet McCray, but Johnson said someone had told him that she had got another job.

Johnson asked Hightower if he could reach out to her, and Hamilton said she was fine with that.

Johnson said that the ECommunity Foundation could go ahead and pay the taxes on that land.

“I don’t think they were arguing the paying,” Ware said. “I think their concern was if you’re not going to get an economic developer to continue with the ECommunity board that’s their move or thought to what they will do moving forward. So that’s what they were trying to figure out.”

Hightower said he did not have a problem with them looking into selling it.

“They’ve had it for four years as I know of,” said Johnson.

Hightower answered, “Yeah, a lot longer than that so this is ground that was purchased as right of away by the state of Kansas when they redid the four lane around there.”

“It is prime land,” said Hamilton. “They should develop it. That’s what I personally feel like. It’s sitting there and they own it. Make something happen.”