
By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Barton County office buildings will be closed Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Yet Tuesday's county commission meeting felt a little more like Christmas. The board approved a bid from Clocktower Tax Credits to purchase Kansas Rehabilitation Tax Credits that were issued for the HVAC Renovation Project at the courthouse. County Administrator Matt Patzer said the county will collect just under 93 cents on the dollar for the credits.
"With the original bid for the HVAC Project, plus all of the change orders, we ended up spending just under $5.2 million," he said. "If you use this tax credit to offset it, that brings the total to under $4 million. With these tax credits, we complete the HVAC project under budget and on time."
The county received the tax credits for rehabilitating an historic building but, being a government entity, could not use the credits, which could be sold. The county received two sealed bids on the $1,463,400 in credits. Clocktower's bid of $1,358,216.66 was the high bid by $19,171.
"I just think it's a very happy day," said Commissioner Donna Zimmerman. "I'm proud of this courthouse. I'm proud of what was accomplished and all the hard work by this administration. I know the commissioners,with your part, all the departments, to come in under budget is amazing."
With the sale of the tax credits, the HVAC Renovation Project will come in $358,067.04 under the original budget.