LAHARPE — LaHarpe’s neighborhood revitalization will be investigated in the coming months to determine if houses built at a nearby regional technical education center can qualify.
Ray Maloney, who owns the old Diebolt Lumber property and its buildings — which will serve as the tech ed center’s home — explained his vision Wednesday to LaHarpe City Council members.
Eventually, Maloney would want to see the construction class — which is being offered to area high-schoolers by Fort Scott Community College — build small houses on site and have them moved to various properties.
“Kind of like a building trades class,” Maloney said.
LaHarpe’s revitalization policy would allow property owners to receive a tax break on improvements for 10 years, provided their homes are at least 1,000 square feet.
Maloney wondered if that threshold could be reduced to 500 square feet.
Council members were intrigued by the idea, but noted “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
That is, if qualifications were expanded to include buildings made by the tech ed center, others would be eligible, too.
Councilman Danny Ware said any change would need to be worded to ensure a smaller home was still a good, quality structure.
City Attorney Chuck Apt agreed.
Construction trades classes will be offered at the tech ed center starting Aug. 22, and will feature students from Iola-USD 257, Marmaton Valley-USD 256 and Uniontown-USD 235.
BREAKING the law in LaHarpe just got a bit more expensive.
Council members voted, 4-0, to increase LaHarpe Municipal Court costs from $65 to $80 per defendant.
Apt noted the $65 court cost was among the lowest in the state.
He suggested upping the figure to $75.
Council members thought an even higher number was appropriate.
Police Chief Jason Prock noted that paying $80 in court costs might spur property owners to keep their lawns better maintained. He cited four in the past week for having unkept lawns.
