Port Authority and LCDC unveil public education campaign, ask county for restored stable funding; request totals $331,292 for 2026

Leavenworth County Port Authority members and Leavenworth County Development Corporation (LCDC) staff presented an education campaign to explain their economic-development work to the public and requested restored, steady county funding for 2026 operations.

Greg Cause, a Port Authority member, described the campaign as a response to public unfamiliarity about what the port authority and LCDC do. The campaign — developed with an outside firm (identified in the presentation as Golden Shovel/Golden Shoe agency) — will include polling, tailored messaging for different local communities, social media, public meetings and a press release. Cause said the campaign aims to explain how strategic economic development can raise commercial tax base and help lower property-tax burdens across the county.

Funding request and reserves Port Authority directors asked the commission to consider a 2026 county contribution of $331,292. Port Authority representatives said the organization has reserves (presentation cited roughly $700,000 in reserves) and historically larger county support; they said county funding previously approached the $300,000 range before declining to a much smaller level in recent years. Lisa Hack, LCDC executive director, said the campaign costs are $30,000 and the earlier survey cost $20,000 ($50,000 total contracted with the marketing firm).

Economic development rationale Presenters cited local examples of return on investment: the Tonganoxie business park (Hills Pet Nutrition) and other projects that produced capital investment and new jobs. They argued larger industrial parks today often need 300–500 acres and significant upfront capital (presenters estimated a very rough $25–30 million for initial development of a 400-acre park, depending on utilities and infrastructure).

Commissioner concerns and conditions Commissioners pressed for clarity about how county funds would be used, governance and oversight. One commissioner asked whether Port Authority or LCDC would accept a county policy requirement that the county have a representative on LCDC’s executive committee if the county is a primary funder; Port Authority members said the board would need to consider that proposal. Commissioners also asked whether the Port Authority planned to use reserves for specific projects; presenters said no specific project used that money at present.

Next steps County officials said they would consider the Port Authority’s 2026 funding request during budget deliberations and asked the organizations to provide any additional detail about campaign outcomes, governance and how the requested funds would be allocated. Presenters said the education campaign would launch after briefing local governments and that investigators had found 78% of polled residents view economic development positively but that many opposed new taxes.