By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
At their meeting on Tuesday, the Barton County Commission approved grants to help renovate the storefronts of four buildings in downtown Great Bend. They were the first grants awarded in the county’s Façade Improvement Grant Program.
On August 9, the Commission set aside $300,000 from the county’s general fund to award money to building owners who improved their building’s exterior. Commissioners agreed to pay 75 percent of eligible project costs with a maximum award of $20,000.
The Commission reviewed four applications. Three of the owners received the maximum $20,000 grants, including Chelsea Morris who owns the building on the northwest corner of Forest Avenue and Main Street. That structure was the first stonemason building constructed in Barton County. Morris told Commissioners that the exterior renovations will be costly.
"I don’t believe that, even with my match to this grant, it’s not going to be enough to do this project,” Morris said. “So I’m looking at putting a much larger portion of this personally.”
$20,000 grants were also awarded to Mayers Properties, the owner of the building that houses Bling Glamour at 2019 Lakin Avenue, and Andrew Mingenback who owns the building on the southwest corner of Forest Avenue and Williams Street across from the Great Bend Public Library.
Jimlo Glass Center, Inc. at 1205 Kansas Avenue received the fourth grant which totaled $15,825.
All grants were approved unanimously. Commissioner Barb Esfeld said the spending will have a positive impact on the county in the long run.
"One of the things to mention is the money that we give out will come back to the county in valuation and taxes,” Esfeld noted. “So it’s just not money going out. It’s going to come back, and it’s going to help the county as well as make it look very nice.”
Building owners in designated downtown areas in Great Bend, Hoisington, Ellinwood and Claflin are eligible to apply for the grant money. 11 other applications have been submitted to the county for approval so far.