In a heated series of exchanges, former Iola Councilman Ken Rowe came before Allen County Commissioners to challenge the proposed partnership between Allen County and Our Hometown Market in Humboldt.
Rowe stated, “I hope [Scotty Welch] is able to open up a grocery store, and have a booming business … and that it just thrives. But that doesn’t make me believe that it’s a good idea to throw government money at it.”
Rowe discussed a previous committee that had been formed to evaluate proposed public-private partnerships, recalling that The Mildred Store and Bolling’s Meatery had previously been denied similar funding assistance.
“How is it fair?” he asked, “for the Commission and the taxpayers of Allen County to deny giving money to Bolling’s, and then turn around and give money to somebody that’s going to be in direct competition with Bolling’s?”
In response, Humboldt Administrator Cole Herder argued that the denial of assistance had been based on “the quality of the application” for those funds.
Our Hometown Market’s business proposal is even stronger than that of Marmaton Market’s, claimed Herder, which was ultimately funded by the county to the tune of $100,000.
Another disagreement that arose between Rowe and Herder regarded whether a grocery store should be viewed as a vital service worthy of economic development monies.
“It’s not the same thing as incentives to get a major manufacturing plant or a major business,” Rowe contended.
In previous Commission meetings, Herder said a grocery store should be understood as an infrastructure investment, one connected to growing the health of community members.
Rowe further challenged the proprietors of Our Hometown Market, and their store manager’s, ability to successfully run the store, saying “it takes knowledge, it takes training. Not everybody can do it.”
In response, proprietor Scotty Welch highlighted the experience of his manager, Devin Donaldson, who Herder mentioned has been working in and around grocery stores since he was 15 years old.
Donaldson worked at Moon’s Hometown Market, and previously served as a manager at G&W Foods. He also worked at grocery stores in Chanute and Cherryvale.
“I have all the expertise I need in him,” said Welch.
Herder further explained “the manager will be managing the store just like a manager of a manufacturing plant manages that plant.”
Rowe asked the commissioners whether they’d contacted “any expert grocery store people.”
