Pittsburg commission approves up to $300,000 for research-park drainage after tax-burden debate

The Pittsburg City Commission on Aug. 26 approved a recommendation from the Economic Development Advisory Committee to allocate up to $300,000 from the city’s revolving loan fund to pay for drainage improvements in the city’s Research & Development Park. The financing will combine with $150,000 committed by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) to cover an estimated $450,000 detention-pump and stormwater solution.

Pittsburg State and project partners presented the plan, describing the 7-acre site as the infrastructure backbone for future private investments and jobs. Ed McKechnie of Pittsburg State summarized the campus-connected build-out and said the investment supports early-stage infrastructure that could unlock about $100 million in follow-on development and jobs. “This is what the new facility is gonna look like,” McKechnie said during the presentation, outlining the planned material-science and battery-related facilities.

The item drew extended commissioner questioning about who pays. One commissioner argued local taxpayers were effectively subsidizing a project already supported by state and federal dollars: “So we in Pittsburg gonna pay twice for this, tax twice,” the commissioner said, adding later that residents were being taxed “two and three times” for the same development. Other commissioners responded that the state’s general-fund investment and bond financing benefit the region, that EaglePicher’s bond-backed portion is not state general-fund tax dollars, and that the RLF exists specifically to help create local jobs.

Darren (city administration) and project proponents said the stormwater work addresses an existing drainage basin problem and is a proportionate infrastructure investment to attract employers. City staff noted the RLF is intended to leverage relatively small public incentives to secure large private investment and job creation; one commissioner said spending $350,000 to catalyze what could become $100 million in private investment is a reasonable trade-off.

Commissioner 12 moved to accept EDAC’s recommendation with the city’s contribution capped at $300,000; the motion was seconded and the commission voted in favor. The commission recorded no further conditions in the minutes. The ground-breaking for one partner facility was described as imminent, and presenters said construction contracts were being finalized.

What’s next: staff will coordinate final contract and construction sequencing with project partners; the commission approved the funding authorization so the city can participate in the stormwater work that city engineers said is required for the larger park development.