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Chamber, EDC push for DOD infrastructure grant, tackle energy and spec-building constraints
Summary
The chamber and economic development staff told commissioners they are finalizing a Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot application (DCIP), pursuing spec-building options, and pressing state contacts on regional energy supply issues ahead of anticipated grant NOFO release.
Representatives of the consolidated chamber, its economic development corporation and the county gave the commission a multifaceted update Tuesday on business recruitment and a pending federal grant application to support infrastructure near Fort Cavazos.
Nikki Thurney, president of operations for the consolidated chamber, and Kelly Cook, director of membership relations, said the chamber—s VetEpic pitch competition and other membership events have grown attendance and that business-support programming will continue. Winners from the local veteran entrepreneur competition included Bluebird (first), Mata Aviation (second) and Coachworks (third); Network Kansas provided extra prize funding after the chamber—s pilot event.
On economic development, staff said they have been working on a Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot (DCIP) application that would fund infrastructure projects to support Fort Cavazos and surrounding communities. The committee has been meeting monthly since last fall and expects to submit an application when the Department of Defense releases the NOFO. County and chamber staff said the NOFO has not yet been released and that if it is released late the deadline would likely not be extended.
EDC and county staff said their draft application aims to stay under the highest award amounts observed in past grants (the team cited a target near $14.4 million with contingencies) and that they have identified a NEPA exclusion that helps avoid lengthy environmental review because the project would not directly touch certain waterways or bridges that would trigger a full NEPA study.
Economic developers also reported active outreach to commercial prospects through SelectUSA and other channels but said a key constraint on recruitment is the lack of —ready-to-occupy— industrial buildings. To address that need they have a June meeting with a prospective investor to discuss a speculative (spec) building or a virtually pre-planned spec building to make a site more marketable.
Energy availability was a recurring concern. The chamber and EDC said they have raised the county—s electricity constraints with state officials and will use a recently arranged contact with an Evergy executive (facilitated by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt's office) to press the utility for clarity on distribution capacity and transformer availability. Developers said regional competition for transformers and utility capacity has previously affected economic development in other parts of the state.
Commissioners and chamber/EDC staff agreed the DCIP application and the energy discussions are priorities; staff said they will keep the commission updated as the NOFO is released and as meetings with potential investors and utility officials proceed.
