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Commissioners press LCDC/Port Authority on use of taxpayer-funded advocacy and executive-board representation
Summary
Leavenworth County commissioners probed LCDC and Port Authority representatives about whether taxpayer-funded economic development groups have advocated for controversial projects and about whether the county should have an executive-board representative; Port Authority officials said their role is to bring projects to the governing body rather than approve them.
Representatives of the Leavenworth County economic-development organizations answered questions from commissioners about funding, staffing and whether the organizations had taken advocacy positions on discrete projects.
A Port Authority representative said the authority and its staff ‘‘bring projects to the community’’ and evaluate economic impacts but do not make final decisions. Commissioners repeatedly asked whether the organizations had advocated in favor of projects such as the Kaw Valley sand pit and a proposed data center in Tonganoxie. The Port Authority representative said, "We support the economic development impact that it will have," and clarified the organization does not unilaterally approve projects.
Commissioners also raised the fact the Port Authority had approximately $750,000 in reserves (discussed during questioning) and debated whether the county should require a county representative on the LCDC executive board. The Port Authority said board confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) for prospective clients complicate direct county representation; commissioners said a county appointee could improve coordination and accountability.
The presentation included an economic-impact claim that the authority helped attract about $551 million in investment over five years; the Port Authority said much of that figure reflects one major project and asked commissioners to consider the long-term returns from modest annual funding. No vote or formal funding decision occurred during the presentation; commissioners asked for financial reports and for documentation of past investments and reserve balances.
