Blog Archives

High Radon Levels an Issue in Some Homes

What is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States?

Radon. Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the soil. It cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. Outside, radon is diluted to low concentrations and is not considered harmful. Indoors, however, radon can reach elevated levels that are considered dangerous.

In Kansas, 1 in 4 homes has high levels of radon.

According to the county map available at the Kansas Radon Program website, much of the NCRPC 12-county region has high average radon values. If your home tests high, it can be fixed. A radon mitigation system should be installed by a certified radon mitigation contractor. If you already have a radon system in your home, it should be tested every 3 to 5 years to ensure that it is functioning properly.

Testing is the only way to know your level of exposure. You can buy a do-it-yourself radon test kit or hire a professional. NCRPC has a Kansas certified radon measurement technician on staff that can complete this for you. Contact the NCRPC Housing Department at 785-738-2218 for a quote.

If you opt to test yourself, radon test kits can be purchased at many local extension offices or ordered from the National Radon Program at www.sosradon.org. For accurate results, windows should remain closed for the duration of the test.

For more information, visit the Kansas Radon Program website at kansasradonprogram.org/home.

This article appeared in the May 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


Assistance Available for Small Public Water Supply Systems

Small public water supply systems with populations of 150 or less may qualify for loan forgiveness of up to $500,000. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Kansas Public Water Supply Loan Fund established the new qualification for loan forgiveness earlier this year.

Knowing the general scope of the project and having an estimated cost is all you need to fill out the project submittal form to be put on KDHE’s Project Priority List. The deadline to submit a form to be considered for the 2020 Project Priority List is June 17, 2019. Once the project is ranked on the priority list, then cities will have a better idea if they should complete an actual application. Each year the highest ranked projects for the available funds to KDHE will be invited to complete an application.

A preliminary engineering report (PER) is an important part of the application process. Systems without a PER may have difficulty meeting application deadlines. For more information, contact the NCRPC Community Development staff.

This article appeared in the May 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.

 


Board Field Trip Focuses on Innovation, Responsiveness

Viewpoint Column by Doug McKinney, NCRPC Executive Director

The invention of keeping mechanical parts held together was created in North Central Kansas 113 years ago. The hitch pin, the locking washer and the bushing were innovatively introduced by Guy Huyett when he created G.L. Huyett Manufacturing in 1906.

Being ready and responsive to basic needs can have great value. Guy Huyett heard and saw a great need for holding wagon and plow parts together and explored ways to make it happen more effectively than ever. Being responsive to needs is something North Central Regional Planning Commission and affiliate NCKCN Co. also strive to be.

The Executive Board Field trip on April 25 included a tour of G.L. Huyett in Minneapolis. Board members also heard from the North Central Kansas Regional Special Response Team that day.

On April 25, 2019 the NCRPC Executive Board continued its annual field trip tradition and convened in Minneapolis. Board members met with modern day owners and managers of G.L. Huyett and toured the company facilities. State of the art highly durable fasteners are still made and efficiently sold all over the continent. Little known area discards such as corn husks are used to polish the pin pieces and round pieces of metal. Zinc plating is done to protect the finished products. Broadband Internet is vital to the web portal as well as to sales and distribution staff. The workforce continues to grow and even more local and regional benefits are gained though the business’ charitable giving. The company is 120 employees strong with many examples of how technical training is significant.

Earlier in the day, board members enjoyed lunch at the Golden Wheel just south of downtown in Minneapolis. It is next door to the unique Ottawa County Museum and near where Mr. Innovation, George Washington Carver, once resided.

The board also heard from representatives of the North Central Kansas Regional Special Response Team. This highly trained and skilled tactical law enforcement group are partially supported with Homeland Security equipment and training, as well as Dane G. Hansen Foundation support; however, they are largely supported through cooperation from several counties in the region. They work together to solve crimes and intervene in situations to protect persons and property. Deputy Sheriff Becker and Deputy Sheriff VanCoevern articulated the value in collaboration before, during and after incidents.

Thank you to all who helped make the April field trip to Ottawa County a success. There are many innovative, positive, undertakings in the region.

This article appeared in the May 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.

 

 


Project Spotlight: Waterville Drainage

The City of Waterville, a town of approximately 680 people located in Marshall County, was awarded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to make drainage improvements throughout the city. Although drainage systems are often overlooked by residents and visitors to a community, problems occur when these systems fail.

The recent drainage improvement project in the City of Waterville included this intersection near the historic Waterville Opera House.

The 2017 award of $199,788 came from the Kansas Department of Commerce Small Cities CDBG Program in the Community Facilities category.  The city provided an equal amount in matching funds through City cash. NCRPC Assistant Director Emily Benedick administered the project.

“Utilizing the CDBG funding, as well as local City cash, Waterville made noticeable improvements to their city’s drainage system throughout town,” Benedick said.

The project consisted of replacing 3,420 linear feet of concrete curb and gutter, installing or replacing 10 inlets, installing 2 manholes, installing a flume grate, 18 linear feet of concrete flume and 10 linear feet of trench drain, and installing 413 linear feet of storm sewer. Also included was the installation of 21 ADA concrete curb ramps and 160 square yards of concrete sidewalk. Additional concrete work included replacement of 215 square yards of driveways connected to the curb & gutter and 1,272 square yards of concrete patching to transition between the new curb and the existing street.

Installing or replacing 10 storm inlets were one part of Waterville’s drainage project.

In the planning process, the city’s governing body and staff worked to review areas of need and prioritize those based on their location and impact to citizens and city maintenance programs. Completion of this project addressed the most problematic areas throughout the city’s drainage system.

“The most noticeable change by far is cosmetically speaking,” Waterville Mayor Josh Stoudt said. “The curbs and guttering look great. I would definitely recommend this program and hope to utilize it again in the future for Waterville.”

For more information about the CDBG Program, visit  www.kansascommerce.gov/cdbg or contact the NCRPC Community Development staff.

There are many great things happening in North Central Kansas. The Project Spotlight series features projects around the region to share ways communities have solved challenges. To view more Project Spotlights, visit https://www.ncrpc.org/tag/project-spotlight/.

This article appeared in the May 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.

 


Ophthalmologist Expands Practice to New Salina Location

After renting office space for several years to see patients in Salina, Dr. V. Esther Rettig, M.D., P.A., has purchased a permanent Salina location.

Dr. Rettig is a Mayo Certified Ophthalmologist/Surgeon offering medical eye care, surgical eye care, and cosmetic care. She began practice in May 1998 in McPherson. This practice continues. Rettig has also seen patients in Salina since 2014, but at a space she rented from ophthalmologist Dr. Weiner one day per month. Dr. Rettig routinely partners with optometrists in North Central Kansas to assist their patients with various eye surgeries.

Dr. Esther Rettig, M.D., P.A. expanded to a new permanent location in Salina at 2525 S. Ohio Street in November 2018.

Dr. Rettig’s new Salina location at 2525 S. Ohio Street has 11,800 square foot and was formerly home to Brown Mackie College. In addition to the space utilized by the practice, office space is occupied by Pickel & Bruckner CPA and another 3,000 square feet is available to rent.

The project to purchase the Salina office location was made possible with investment by the owner as well as funding from First Bank Kansas, NCKCN-Four Rivers Business Down Payment Assistance Program, and the NCRPC-Revolving Loan Fund. It is anticipated that four full-time jobs will be created within the next year.

For more information about the financing programs used, contact NCRPC Business Finance Director Debra Peters at 785-738-2218 or visit www.ncrpc.org/services/business. To contact Dr. V. Esther Rettig, M.D., P.A. at its Salina location, call 785-371-2425 or find the business on Facebook.

This article appeared in the May 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


Strategic Plan Updated for Region

A multi-year strategic planning process that included collaboration among partners and stakeholders has resulted in the completion of the most recent strategic plan for the region.

The plan is formally known as the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, or CEDS for short. A CEDS is updated every five years and is also a prerequisite for Federal designation as an Economic Development District. The NCRPC Economic Development District includes 12 counties in North Central Kansas and 83 member cities.

A 2018 CEDS survey of individuals who live or work in the region indicate there are many positive and unique attributes in North Central Kansas on which to build. The “word cloud” image below represents responses to the following question: What makes North Central Kansas unique? More survey results are included in the 2019 CEDS.

This word cloud visually represents November 2018 survey responses to the following questions: What makes North Central Kansas unique? How can we capitalize on that?

Through the planning process, NCRPC identified five main visions critical to the success of North Central Kansas:

  • Regional Collaboration
  • Economic Prosperity through Innovation
  • Superior Physical Assets
  • Passionate Leadership from Empowered Citizens
  • Exceptional Quality of Place

The NCRPC appreciates the many partners — cities, counties, nonprofit organizations, banks, businesses, educators, current and past board members, and all leaders and citizens — who participated in this process to plan and strategize for a stronger North Central Kansas.

To learn more or to view the latest CEDS, visit www.ncrpc.org/about/abouttheregion/ceds/.

This article appeared in the March 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


Two High School Seniors Win Rural Voices Youth Contest

Two high school seniors in North Central Kansas are being recognized with the John R. Cyr Rural Voices Award for submitting the top entries in the 2018-2019 Rural Voices Youth Contest.

Students had the option to submit an original essay or video reflective of the contest theme — “Rural Kansas…My Community.” McKenzie Shippy, a senior at Herington High School, was awarded first place in the video category. Kara Eilert, a senior at St. John’s Catholic High School, Beloit, was awarded first place in the written category. Both students will receive a cash award of $850.

The awards are named in honor of John Cyr who served for 22 years as the NCRPC Executive Director. High school seniors in the 12-county NCRPC service area were eligible to participate. NCRPC has sponsored the contest annually since 2006 and has awarded more than $22,000 to seniors from across the region.

“The contest theme this year allowed high school seniors to reflect on their community and the value it has in their lives,” NCRPC Executive Director Doug McKinney said. “Community culture, whether it is a specific place or an overall feeling in a broader area, is important. Knowing how a community works and its strengths and opportunities is also important.”

Both students say they enjoyed participating in the Rural Voices contest.

“I loved the opportunity to be creative showing Kansas how my community has shaped me into who I am,” Shippy said. “This video was my way of giving back to Herington and Woodbine for all the support they have given me.”

“To me, rural Kansas is home, so I was very excited about the opportunity to write about what rural Kansas means to me and share my thoughts on how we can strive to keep our communities sought after places for individuals to call home,” Eilert said.

To view the top entries or to learn more about the contest, visit www.ncrpc.org/ruralvoices. Details for the 2019-2020 contest will be announced in the fall.

This article appeared in the March 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


Communities to Receive Funding for Improvement Projects

Several NCRPC member cities were recently awarded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to help complete a variety of community improvement projects. The CDBG program is administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce.

The City of Assaria was awarded $433,840 to make water distribution improvements. The city will provide $433,840 in matching funds it secured from the Kansas Department of Health & Environment.

The City of Beloit was awarded $300,000 for housing rehabilitation and demolition. A local match of $41,000 is being provided.

The City of Frankfort was awarded $265,656 to complete a street project. USDA Rural Development will contribute $265,657 in matching funds.

The City of Greenleaf was awarded $300,000 for housing rehabilitation and demolition. A local match of $10,750 is being provided.

The City of Tipton was awarded $101,665 to complete a storm drainage project. A local match of $101,665 is being provided.

The City of Washington was awarded $600,000 to make water distribution improvements. The city will provide $7,668,350 in matching funds through loan and grant funding it secured through USDA Rural Development.

To be awarded CDBG funds for a project, local government units must meet at least one of three program objectives: benefit low and moderate-income persons; prevent or eliminate slums and blight; or resolve an urgent need where local resources are not available to do so.

For more information, visit www.kansascommerce.com/cdbg or contact the NCRPC office to discuss project needs.

This article appeared in the March 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


New LMI Percentages Take Effect in April

 

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program requires that each CDBG funded activity must either benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons (at least 51% LMI), prevent or eliminate slums or blight, or resolve an urgent need where local resources are not available to do so.

Many CDBG projects benefit LMI persons. If a community does not automatically qualify at 51% LMI based on Census data, it must survey to determine if the service area of a proposed activity meets the LMI criteria.

In February, HUD released new LMI percentages. The effective date for the new data is April 1. That release has created changes for some cities in the region.

“More than a dozen cities now qualify LMI from the Census numbers, which means they no longer would have to survey to apply for CDBG funding,” NCRPC Assistant Director Emily Benedick said.

Any cities that have completed a LMI survey since 2012 can use those surveys until the 2020 Census numbers are released, which may be 2022. For communities considering a project that could involve CDBG funds, Benedick has advice.

**UPDATE April 2019: At the FY2020 CDBG application workshop, it was learned that this funding cycle is the last chance to use LMI surveys completed prior to the new Census numbers taking effect on
April 1, 2019. Any surveys completed using the 2010 Census numbers are no longer eligible to be used after the FY2020 CDBG funding round (this Fall).

“The first step is to call our office to discuss if their project would be CDBG eligible,” Benedick said. “Then we can help them determine if they need to complete an LMI survey and help in that process.”

This article appeared in the March 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.


NCK Home Ownership Pilot Program Had Positive Results


Home Ownership Program LogoHelping make home ownership more affordable was one goal of the NCK Home Ownership Pilot Program that assisted home buyers this past year in Cloud and Mitchell counties.

The program officially launched in April 2018. It assisted home buyers with down payment and closing cost assistance in the purchase of 26 homes — 16 in Mitchell County and 10 in Cloud County. The total value was $3.2 million, with $260,900 coming from the pilot program.

Primary objectives of the pilot program were to help make home ownership more affordable, be a catalyst for first time home buyers, benefit employers in recruiting and retaining employees, reduce employee time spent commuting to work, and market the program to alumni considering a move to live closer to friends and family.

An award from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation of Logan, Kansas, assisted in the creation of the loan and grant pool. NCRPC provided program administration led by Debra Peters, NCRPC Program Manager.
Of the home buyers who used the NCK Home Ownership Pilot Program, 39% bought their first home, 31% took a new job in the last year, and 25% moved from outside of the NCRPC 12-county service area. Nearly 60% of the home buyers reported graduating from a high school located in the NCRPC region. In addition, 25 children were either new to the local schools or will be entering school within the next five years.

“One goal of the pilot project was to test whether the use of a housing incentive would be a catalyst for people to stake roots in our region and we were pleased with the results,” Peters said. “The two biggest impacts we saw were with employment and schools.”

The results of this project will be used to launch an updated version of the pilot program in Ellsworth and Lincoln counties, pending funding. Future plans include the development of a regional home ownership program.

This article appeared in the March 2019 NCRPC Newsletter.



Archives