By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Last year, the Barton County Commission approved several projects under its Façade Improvement Grant Program. Deadlines for the completion of those projects, set a year out after approval, are quickly approaching. Tuesday morning, County Administrator Matt Patzner asked the board to extend the deadline to Dec. 31 for approximately a dozen projects still under construction.
"We've reached out to some of these applicants," he said. "It seems like a main theme in some of the delays and why they're not done yet had to do with the hail storm in July. That really set things back. We were already dealing with supply chain issues before that. That seemed to amplify everything."
Prior to approving the deadline extension, the commission recognized Treasurer Jim Jordan for savvy accounting that yielded $1.32 million in interest for the county in 2023. Commissioner Shawn Hutchinson said money for these projects will continue to benefit the county even with an extension.
"I think one of the super important things for us to understand is this money is still in Barton County," he said. "We still have the money. Even though we've allocated it to these projects, it's still in a CD somewhere drawing interest. It's not hurting us by extending these."
The Façade Improvement Grant Program helped many business owners update their building's physical appearance along the main business corridors in Great Bend, Hoisington, Claflin, and Ellinwood.