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Commissioners allocate $15,000 transit-guest-tax toward Byway kiosk at Smoky Gardens entrance
Summary
The Leyden High Scenic Byway committee briefed the board about kiosk plans; the county approved $15,000 from the transit guest tax to order and match other funds for kiosk construction and signage.
Sherman County commissioners voted to allocate $15,000 from the county's transit guest tax to help build an information kiosk at the Smoky Gardens entrance as part of the Leyden High Scenic Byway.
During the presentation, Helen Dobbs, a Byway representative, told commissioners the project has received KDOT permission but requires additional permitting, drawings and a survey. She said the kiosk vendor that supplied a nearby Cheyenne County kiosk is out of business; a manufacturer provided a new estimate of about $16,000 for the kiosk top, and Dobbs said using the local college to do site work could avoid sales tax and reduce costs. Dobbs estimated the entire project would run "closer probably to 30 to 35" thousand dollars and asked whether the county could provide $15,000 from transit-guest-tax funds as a match to accelerate ordering before material prices rise.
Commissioner Harvey moved to allocate $15,000 from the transit guest tax to the kiosk project; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Why it matters: The kiosk is intended to host interpretive panels, the life cycle displays of local crops and other tourism information to increase visitor awareness at a high-traffic Smoky Gardens entry point. County funding would act as a match to other grants and private donations and enable ordering the kiosk before cost increases.
Details from the presentation
- Kiosk location: southwest corner of the Smoky Gardens entrance (map shown to commissioners).
- Cost estimates: a prior Cheyenne County kiosk cost slightly more than $19,000; a new manufacturer estimate for the top is roughly $16,000. Dobbs estimated the total project cost at $30,000'$35,000.
- Project partners: the Byway committee is working with the local college to perform site work (survey/permitting) and seeking additional grants and private donations; the Kansas Historical Society will be consulted on interpretive content.
- Content: proposed interpretive panels on crop life cycles, and new content on water resources and local history.
Commissioners said the transit guest tax was an appropriate funding source. Commissioner Harvey moved the motion. A second was recorded and the allocation passed by voice vote.
Ending: Byway representatives said they will continue fundraising for the remaining project costs and work with county staff on permitting and construction scheduling.
