Leavenworth County Port Authority outlines public education campaign as county funding drops

Leavenworth County Port Authority representatives briefed the Leavenworth City Commission on a planned public education campaign Wednesday aimed at explaining the authority’s role in attracting industrial and commercial development and restoring steady local funding.

The port authority’s appointee to the board, Greg Cause, said polling by consultant Golden Shovel found “78% generally supported new economic development, which sounds great, but less than 50% want to pay for it.” He told commissioners the campaign will focus on three areas: the value of economic development, transparency and accountability, and building trust and support.

Cause and co-presenter David Schrader, co-chair of the port authority, said the county reduced its annual contribution from “just under $300,000” in past years to a projected $25,000–$75,000 for the current year. The presenters said the funding shortfall complicates long-term projects such as 300–500 acre industrial parks that, in their estimate, could cost “25 to 30,000,000” to develop with streets and utilities. “In order to do any type of financing, we’ve got to have a steady stream of income,” Cause said.

The presentation described six outreach components, including targeted marketing by community, efforts to counter negative social media, and public meetings. Cause said staff and board members will give elected officials advance notice of a press release and the campaign materials, with the campaign likely to run “another 6 to 9 months.” He also described a desire to shift the local property-tax mix from roughly 90% residential / 10% commercial to nearer 70/30, saying more commercial assessment could reduce residential property-tax burdens.

Commissioners and staff asked about transportation constraints that could limit development. Cause described an existing state planning process and said one port priority — Highway 5 from K‑7 to I‑435 — is in the study phase and could be scheduled for construction around 2031. He urged greater local participation in Kansas Department of Transportation consult meetings to improve the project’s ranking.

Other presenters at the meeting included Lisa Hack, executive director of the Leavenworth County Development Corporation, and Doug Schimke and Doug Champion of the port authority. Commissioners thanked the volunteers for the work and suggested staff follow up on specifics such as the funding timeline, staffing needs and precise cost estimates.

The port authority materials included sample social-media graphics and a draft FAQ. Cause asked commissioners to send questions to him or Hack ahead of the campaign launch so the group can refine messaging.

Community leaders said the regional shortage of developable land around Kansas City will likely push large projects into Leavenworth County; port authority members urged proactive planning to attract what they characterized as the “right” projects.

The presentation closed with a request that cities and counties coordinate on project lists and with an acknowledgement that any large park would require borrowing, bonds or other financing and additional staff capacity at the port authority.