“The grocery store — they’ve pretty much stopped work on it,” said Cole Herder, Humboldt city administrator, during Tuesday’s meeting of Allen County Commissioners.
Herder noted that proprietors Scotty and Amy Welch had invested upwards of $20,000 of their own money in the project so far.
One factor, Herder said, was waiting to hear if funding would be available through the Kansas Healthy Food Initiative, an entity that helps, in part, rural areas retain local markets.
As spring nears, timing becomes an issue as well, explained Herder, with regard to hiring contractors during a busy time of year.
One possible alternative to help the store may come by way of the local health and wellness nonprofit Thrive Allen County, which recently gave a national organization a tour of the county’s markets in hopes of attracting funding for Humboldt’s.
Efforts to start the store in Humboldt have also captured the attention of Kansas State University, said Herder, mentioning that he’d been asked to speak at a conference on how communities work together to create services for the common good.
Despite being in limbo, “We’re still excited about what’s going to happen,” Herder said.
With regard to the store project, commissioner Jerry Daniels added “We’ve gotten a lot of emails in support. A few, not so much.”
THE MEETING began with a visit from Georgia Masterson, who asked for and received approval from commissioners to get a letter of support for a grant to help fund Humanity House.
House and grounds director Ron Holman then showed the Commission some options on chairs for the Humboldt Senior Center.
After trying out the chairs for themselves, commissioners voted to approve purchasing 60 of one particular model from Lorell Company for $26.02 a piece.
Public Works Director Mitch Garner presented bids for dust control and asphalt oil.
For dust control, the Commission approved a bid from Scotwood Industries in Overland Park. After two free hours of spraying, they charge $85 per hour.
For asphalt oil, the Commission approved a bid from Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions in Kansas City (for RS-1H), who charge $88 per hour after two free hours of labor, and one from Asphalt & Fuel Supply in Tulsa (for MC-800), who charge $75 per hours after two free hours of labor.
Commissioner Bill King pointed out that it’s important to spray the roads at least twice, because otherwise any repairs will not last.
