The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday) approved the renewal of $40,000 per year funding for Fiscal years 2014 through 2018, for the Valley Business Park loan. The funds are payable out of the Local Option Sales Tax fund in Cass County. Audubon County has already agreed to the continuation of their payments. The process to spur economic development in the area began in 2003.

A 28-E agreement was entered into, with the Board of Supervisors in both counties making a formal commitment of $50,000 per year for five-years, to develop the area. The CABEDA (or, Cass-Audubon Business Economic Development Agreement) Board, which is comprised of representatives from both Counties and local economic development officials, agreed to purchase 149 acres of land at a cost of $1-million, in March, 2007.  Cass County Supervisor Duane McFadden said in November 2006, the counties agreed to share in paying on a loan for the purchase of the land.

McFadden says the loan was later rewritten, so the interest rate was reduced from 6.25-percent to 3.95-percent, which he says has made a “big difference” on their payments last year. It means an additional $4,000 each year can be made toward the payments. McFadden says at one point they had a serious prospect for the land, but then the economy tanked. Still, he says efforts persist to market the area. Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) Executive Director Russell Joyce echoed McFadden’s statement, and said while they continue to seek businesses for the area, the land is being rented out to local farmers, which is bringing in much needed revenue. He says the amount of rent payments they receive has nearly tripled since it was purchased, and the value of the land itself is nearly double what it was purchased for in 2007.

In other business, the Cass County Board of Supervisors approved a two-percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Child Support Recovery employees, which is covered under the Intergovernmental Cooperative Reimbursement Agreement between the County and Dept. of Human Services. They also approved the hiring of Cory Kirchhoff for the Secondary Roads Department, for an Operator 1 position at the Atlantic office. Engineer Charles Marker said there were 50 applicants for the position. Six of the applicants were interviewed, with Kirchhoff being well qualified and having met all the requirements, according to Marker. The Board also received two bids for sanitation and recycling services at the courthouse. They approved a lower bid of $100 per month from Cook Sanitation of Atlantic, effective April 1^st.

City Officials in Harlan have approved the refinancing of their 2007  General Obligation bonds. The City Council Tuesday approved a  bid from UMB Bank in Kansas City, MO for $2.845-million in G.O. Refunding Bonds, Series 2013. Jenny Blankenship from PFN in Des Moines, reported to the Council on the three bids the city had received for the bonds. The bonds were originally from 2007 and were set at a 4.25% interest. Blankenship demonstrated to  the board that with the new bid from UMB Bank, the interest rate will fall to a true interest of just over 1.88-percent. The annual savings from 2016 to 2027 will amount to a little more than $318,700, with a net savings of just under $280,000.

In addition to approving refinancing of the bonds, the Harlan City Council agreed to spend $13,567 on new Christmas decorations. City Clerk Debra Sawyer said with the money, the city will buy 11 LED Candy Canes and 11 Standing Deer for Chatburn Avenue, along with new garland and 1500-feet of LED lights for the downtown area. The money will come out of the 2011 bond issue.  Sawyer said the city will be purchasing more Christmas decorations in the coming years.

And, Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen provided the City Council with his regular report.  Bissen said the Fire Department held a board meeting Monday, and elected one new firefighter. The addition brings the total number of members in the department to 35. The maximum number of personnel the department is allowed to have is capped at 40.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)