Fennie County Development Corporation hears housing, industrial prospects as Tyson plans to relocate about 200 workers

The Fennie County Development Corporation heard staff reports on housing and economic development Wednesday, including anticipated interest from Low‑Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) developers and a reported relocation by Tyson that could add more than 200 employees to the local labor pool.

Lorna, a staff member giving the prospects update, said the county is likely to receive extra consideration in the 2025 LIHTC round because it has not hosted a light‑tech project recently. She said the City of Garden City issued a request for proposals so the city can gauge how many developers might apply for Finney County projects. "We are working with a couple of LIHTC developers," Lorna said. "The city actually put out an RFP ... asking for interested parties to express their interest to the city of Garden City."

Why it matters: LIHTC awards are competitive; extra application points can materially affect which projects receive tax credits and therefore which housing developments move forward. Board members pressed on eligibility and income limits during the meeting, and staff cautioned that income thresholds have been modified and can make qualifying residents harder to identify in higher‑wage areas.

Staff also described near‑term additions to housing stock and related infrastructure. Lorna said the county accepted infrastructure for the Country Acres project at a recent county meeting and that Hunters Glen has two more phases expected to begin shortly after the new year. She said the Prairie Wind mobile home community recently installed owner‑occupied units that can come online faster than some traditional construction. On the MIH ARPA project on Palace, Lorna said the board has had multiple meetings with KHRC and that new construction partners are coming on board: "That project should get underway, to get those MIH ARPA units built," she said.

Economic development prospects included two RFPs reported by another presenter, one seeking a 350,000‑square‑foot existing building and a second prospect seeking 50–250 acres for a large facility. An unidentified presenter described the site requirements and said such large prospects are challenging to accommodate locally.

On workforce impacts, Lorna said Tyson plans to relocate "somewhere over 200 associates to the community, with the closure of their Emporia plant," and staff are coordinating housing and childcare responses. She said the Garden Academy Early Learning Center on Thompson (in the former nursing home facility) will expand hours to open as early as 4:45 a.m. to help cover early shifts.

Formal actions and next steps: The board approved the consent agenda by voice vote and later voted to enter two executive sessions—one for client confidentiality and one for non‑elected personnel—with an estimated 15–20 minute duration. No formal votes on LIHTC applications or project approvals were recorded during the public meeting; staff indicated active pursuit of grants and federal/state program partnerships (KHRC, MIH ARPA, KDOT grant applications) to support infrastructure and housing work.

The board adjourned the public portion of the meeting to begin the first executive session.