[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6538679,"mediaKeyId","3802199-28acbe10ff3bf8965bb15d0cb594b652","parentId",3802199,"title","Newton staff ask commission to explore hotel-incentive framework to attract events and visitors","audioSeconds",443,"startMs",1765000,"endMs",2208000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802199-28acbe10ff3bf8965bb15d0cb594b652&start=1765&end=2208","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802199-28acbe10ff3bf8965bb15d0cb594b652/thumbnail_1765000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6538679/Kansas/Newton-staff-ask-commission-to-explore-hotel-incentive-framework-to-attract-events-and-visitors","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6538679-d08933964a156daf2abb2c4d26bbb224/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137255&Signature=Iol3cKg4a0h7O~mxp1HwLwDsy4VJOHyjLjfluEnzgIDZV4oocjHGw6SSkiVUFTCMXjbI55-JSWLJonf5DaaIoErNopg8IU37a4QQcAK5a2hTgEDgAq8v9WaXk0FppCZiSFN1zGMvl-2OwpqrOnKMuGRdYuI3ZIuk3zHlVsSEhP34HLoChMJ5M72W0XcackZLjQt~a1TYNqTSpIJFb6GoFAtyaPaOzilKdf3az-jKfEC43jFW7g8W6wExSZUljSRedRJrGRmC27q~7YK3TS~QIgXUsdOzzixvwDoHiaSuNUlsaYTyV76W39qlCe6dowjZ1dBv~PlipRJepgvqThuOWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Newton, KS","date","2025-06-11T12:51:16Z","article","Newton city staff on June 10 asked the City Commission to endorse development of a hotel-incentive framework and to authorize staff to engage with qualified developers, but they did not request or receive approval for any specific incentive package or commitment of city funds.

Economic-development staff described how limited lodging capacity has hampered efforts to recruit conferences and events — citing missed opportunities tied to a U.S. Golf Association adaptive open and a fire-marshal conference — and outlined incentive tools other communities have used, including community improvement districts (CIDs), industrial-revenue bonds (IRBs), tax-increment financing (TIF), and payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) or pilot programs.

Staff reviewed examples from neighboring cities: McPherson’s use of a CID and IRB with a 50% pilot payment back to the city, Edgerton’s aggressive package including IRB and TIF, Andover’s tiered abatement structure, and Goddard’s reliance on STAR bond-type arrangements. Staff said the city’s current economic-development policy contains many of the tools referenced but noted that sharing transient-guest-tax revenue would require additional policy consideration.

Staff proposed identifying shovel-ready sites near existing infrastructure — along the I-135 corridor next to South Dillon’s, near Applebee’s, south of the Meridian Center, and a potential boutique option near the Occidental property — and said they would seek to prepare an incentive package for commission consideration, potentially this summer. No developer or project was before the commission; the request was to authorize staff to develop a framework, not to approve incentives or award a contract.

Commissioners asked for the slide deck and for follow-up data on when neighboring communities implemented their incentives and what outcomes they achieved. One commissioner emphasized the need to consider smaller boutique hotels separately from larger chain projects.

Staff’s stated intent: make Newton more competitive for regional hospitality markets, align incentives with city economic-development policy and infrastructure standards, and pursue options that ‘‘invest in the community’’ rather than simply ‘‘giving away tax dollars,’’ language staff used while presenting the framework concept.

No formal motion to adopt incentives was made; staff will return with a packet that outlines preferred tools, potential deal structures and recommended policy language if the commission wants to proceed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Commission - 10 Jun 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff requested direction to develop a hotel-incentives framework using tools such as CIDs, IRBs and PILOTs to attract new lodging, saying a lack of rooms has caused missed events. Commissioners asked for comparative data and success metrics; no commitments were made.","taxTitle","Newton, Harvey County, Kansas","taxId",61138,"location","Kansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6538684,"Votes at a glance: Newton commission approves minutes, schedules special-assessment hearing, OKs permits and contracts",205,1367000,1572000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802199-28acbe10ff3bf8965bb15d0cb594b652&start=1367&end=1572","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802199-28acbe10ff3bf8965bb15d0cb594b652/thumbnail_1367000.jpg","/articles/6538684/Kansas/Votes-at-a-glance-Newton-commission-approves-minutes-schedules-special-assessment-hearing-OKs-permits-and-contracts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6538684-4f4544f83362e776580104e164bc2897/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137255&Signature=fm3st43ni2tHjVfrVVb6n1taBhPYX6y9p9m9fD6DG-YzYisg6oO4Sg-Np~kqI5l5Q~BM~gKmHPinsPJNmP48Ngd7hGgW15k5OF4J9Ja9gafbJJd4E~1wsEP20x0ARFh4hX1rrAYDPAuE18idgTGFnjWxaPWu2KovNqwQKsGF5hPCNX9PTZourwQR4xqlOaIOyiv4cdTU4ZDF0cOjIZXSV6v8amCLVt5jthqLguJedWutg18wuEcGnunwA2yuciZtbgJE4FKuKHWctZ~Zs~r7BnicDAJdPo5ErtQ2X08TAasD3oD4Wkd7j7XiRZQJlCoAch0~QZkRDTL7zkCKA8N36w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Newton City Commission on June 10 approved several routine and project-related measures. Key actions taken by voice vote or motion were: approval of meeting minutes, authorization to proceed with special-assessment notices and a July 8 public hearing, approval of a temporary alcohol permit for a library lawn summer concert series, and approval of an engineering agreement for East First Street paving with Garver.

Minutes: Commissioners approved the minutes of the May 27, 2025 meeting and the June 5, 2025 agenda-review session by voice vote.

Special assessments and bonding: Staff asked the commission to start the bonding process for several special-assessment projects, including four Fox Ridge Addition Phase 1 projects and the Rolling Hills Addition traffic signal at First and Spencer. Staff said the city will not pay for Fox Ridge lot assessments and will cover 66.67% of construction costs for the traffic signal under an agreement with Kwik Trip Corporation. The commission approved the statement of final costs, the assessment-roll certification and the form of notice; staff will publish the notice in the official newspaper and mail a statement of costs and notice of hearing to affected property owners. The hearing was scheduled for July 8, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.; property owners may pay assessments in whole or in part on or before Aug. 11, 2025, and any unpaid amounts will be collected in 20 annual installments, per the documents presented.

Staff estimated the total bonding could be between $5 million and $6 million depending on which projects are included. Staff also read an estimated debt-service figure as part of the presentation; that figure appears in the meeting documents.

Temporary alcohol permit: The commission approved Resolution G1359 to allow temporary alcohol sales at the summer concert series held on the library lawn. Staff said the permit application was already submitted to the state and the resolution formalizes the city’s approval.

Engineering agreement: The commission approved an agreement with Garver for design of East First Street paving improvements and authorized the public-works director to sign related documents. Staff noted the county agreed to cover half the design costs up to $250,000 at the county commission’s recent meeting.

Executive session: The commission voted to add an executive-session item to the agenda and then recessed into executive session to consult with legal counsel concerning privileged attorney-client matters; the open meeting resumed at the time announced and the mayor stated that no action was taken during executive session.

Votes were taken by voice vote for most items; individual roll-call tallies with member names were not recorded in the public transcript for every motion. The actions recorded at the meeting were procedural and project-authorizing; none created a budget appropriation on the floor of the June 10 meeting.","At its June 10 meeting the Newton City Commission approved routine minutes, set a July 8 public hearing on special assessments, approved a temporary alcohol permit for a summer concert series, and approved an engineering agreement for East First Street paving.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6538689,"Newton proclaims June as Pride Month after divided public comment; two commissioners abstain",1155,161000,1316000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3802199-28acbe10ff3bf8965bb15d0cb594b652&start=161&end=1316","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3802199-28acbe10ff3bf8965bb15d0cb594b652/thumbnail_161000.jpg","/articles/6538689/Kansas/Newton-proclaims-June-as-Pride-Month-after-divided-public-comment-two-commissioners-abstain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6538689-229d7eedd07f6bf31015f90bec2a481d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137255&Signature=LeCJC9Ko-EM6kxtg5B-8vDOCCP264reNzxg4LzedBM6N21SnihQ5QhbYEaK9~ZmHZKJFPDkjYlbToIHZHgVb1YopE8duBGpffbNAtdCFYNK0Tj9~2lkI3AxhOBJzAbRGuffPjbfPWjzL43KIeNGwQO~bhL5AZGp6vIsYrhnZkAtaLPk3TXXwmFyVeHVeUzfMem4jNFNTI76-Wf~4WfSmcPiThO2OuW0LEmE6KzryJomTGtiVx25M0Hz7dAlSVveu-JV47xom9hk8KWUTppb8CpdSYqp6~LGBYKF2IrDQU8qO8ysJtAxYCLOre~y1V9eUY3LC649KzuUIUn7vk1Hd1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Newton City Commission on June 10 approved a proclamation declaring June as Pride Month in Newton, Mayor Rich Stinnett read the proclamation and the motion passed with two commissioners recorded as abstaining and no recorded votes in opposition.

The proclamation was delivered publicly by Molly Millsweiss, who identified herself as a lifelong Newton resident and as a gay woman. ‘‘This proclamation tells our LGBTQ community members, especially young people, that they are seen, valued, and welcome in Newton,’’ Millsweiss said while reading the proclamation text to the commission.

The proclamation text — read in full at the meeting — affirms that the city ‘‘is dedicated to fostering acceptance of all its citizens and preventing discrimination and bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity,’’ and urges residents to ‘‘recognize contributions made by members of the LGBTQ plus community and to actively promote the principles of equality and liberty.’’ Mayor Rich Stinnett then formally proclaimed June as Pride Month in Newton.

Public comment at the meeting was sharply divided. Betty Fineger, who identified herself as not born in Newton, said she opposed the proclamation on religious grounds and urged the commission instead to adopt a general ‘‘Proud to be Newton’’ proclamation that would not single out a specific group. Her husband, Kevin Finneger, spoke in opposition for similar reasons.

Other residents spoke in support. One resident who identified themself as a lesbian said they had left Newton previously because they did not feel welcome and described the proclamation as an important signal that people can ‘‘be your authentic self’’ in their hometown. Laurie Hartke, another speaker, said the commissioners who opposed the proclamation had lost her vote.

At the dais, at least one commissioner said they would declare a conflict of interest and abstain; another commissioner stated they would abstain as well. One commissioner reported they would vote ‘‘no’’ but, in the roll-call style voice vote, the clerk recorded the motion as passing with two abstentions and no opposing votes.

The commission did not take other formal actions connected to the proclamation at the meeting beyond adopting the proclamation itself.

Community members and staff in attendance were told the proclamation is an official city statement of support but does not create new city regulations or programs; no implementing directives or budget changes were included in the motion.

The proclamation followed the meeting’s earlier routine business and preceded other agenda items including special assessments, permits and a discussion of hotel incentives.","The Newton City Commission approved a proclamation declaring June as Pride Month after public testimony both supporting and opposing the proclamation. The vote passed with two abstentions and no recorded opposing votes.","actionData","errors"]

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Newton staff ask commission to explore hotel-incentive framework to attract events and visitors

Votes at a glance: Newton commission approves minutes, schedules special-assessment hearing, OKs permits and contracts

Newton proclaims June as Pride Month after divided public comment; two commissioners abstain