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Sherman County Community Development cites business wins, asks Goodland for $30,000 to continue national marketing
Summary
SECD board president Matt McKenzie told the Goodland City Commission that the county development group helped 10 businesses expand or open in 2025, drove more than $1 million in capital into the county and is asking the city to consider $30,000 to continue a Retail Strategies marketing contract into 2026.
Matt McKenzie, president of Sherman County Community Development, told the Goodland City Commission that the group’s 2025 efforts yielded measurable business activity and increased visibility for the county.
McKenzie presented SECD’s annual report and said staff conducted 138 business visits, assisted 10 companies to expand or set up operations in the county, and helped bring “a little over $1 million” in capital into local businesses in 2025. He said the visitor center recorded 4,987 guest sign-ins and that SECD supported events and downtown projects including a mural program and a ‘‘building façade’’ grant initiative.
SECD has contracted with Retail Strategies, a national marketing firm, to pitch Goodland to regional and national chains. McKenzie said the contract is a multiyear engagement: year one establishes market data, year two narrows that to warm leads, and year three seeks hot leads. He told the commission SECD paid year one from its budget and has funding for the first quarter of year two but needs additional support to continue. "We need another $30,000 for 2026 and then we will need $45,000 in 2027," McKenzie said.
McKenzie also summarized downtown investments: a $10,000 grant program funded multiple public murals, a facade program assisted six Main Street properties, and SECD helped attract a small-animal veterinarian and other new businesses. He described collaboration with Kansas Commerce and regional partners and said SECD is exploring Main Street Kansas designation, which would require additional staffing and organizational capacity.
On finances, McKenzie said city and county contributions to SECD totaled $140,000 (he said $90,000 from the city and $50,000 from the county). He cited an analysis by Kansas Commerce that, he said, showed a 719% return on that investment for 2025 activity. McKenzie framed the request for more funding as an investment to sustain and amplify recruitment and retention work.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about Retail Strategies’ fee ($45,000 per year), what deliverables each year produces, and whether the contract requires renewal to deliver leads. McKenzie said the firm had been flexible and that continuing into year two would produce a short list of warm leads the city and county could pursue.
Several commissioners expressed appreciation for SECD’s work but asked for more formal budget requests in the future. McKenzie said SECD will return with more formal requests and quarterly updates.
