City buys retail study proposal
By Joey Berlin
Originally published 01:45 p.m., December 20, 2007
Updated 01:45 p.m., December 20, 2007
The Emporia City Commission is on board for another retail development study.
Commissioners voted 4-1 Wednesday night to approve a contract with Buxton, a customer analytics firm based in Fort Worth, Texas, to conduct a new retail study for the city. The contract will be for $70,000, with several local agencies, the county and the Regional Development Association of East-Central Kansas all contributing funds. The Regional Development Association will contribute $20,000. Lyon County will throw in $10,000.
City Manager Matt Zimmerman said the study would be valuable because it would show what types of retail businesses Emporia should try to attract and how the city would market to them. He said the fact that so many community organizations were supporting the study was also beneficial.
“I think this is a great opportunity for building goodwill as well as improving our ability to draw retail,” he said.
Commissioner Jeff Longbine said the study would do multiple things for the city.
“No. 1, it will identify retail that’s realistic, that we can get,” he said. “While members of the community want a specific retailer or whatever, the likelihood of us getting a Saks Fifth Avenue is not good in Emporia, Kansas.”
Second, Longbine said, the study would show what gaps exist in retail businesses that are already in Emporia.
“Maybe they’ll extend their product offerings to fill a void that the community has,” Longbine said. “So it’s got the possibility of helping existing retailers also.”
Mayor Julie Johnson cast the vote against approval. She told the other commissioners that while she liked the idea of community entities banding together, she remained unconvinced the study would be the answer to pinpointing Emporia’s retail needs.
Johnson had two reservations about approving the Buxton study. She said after the meeting that because the city hadn’t done much after previous commercial development studies, she felt approving the funding for the Buxton study was “a step we’re taking too quickly.”
“I would’ve preferred that we give the studies that we already had maybe a chance for us to work with those, and move forward,” she said. “My other concern was that, from the presentation that the Buxton representative made (in October), it sounds good because they talk about matching the assets of your community and businesses.
“But I suspect that what many people in Emporia want is not really a business that reflects what our demographics are, but they want something that reflects what they hope our demographics will be.”
Commissioner Kevin Nelson said the last retail development study the city commissioned wasn’t done very well, and he hoped this one would be a better use of taxpayer money.
“Obviously, this isn’t something that’s going to boom and bring us 10 projects,” he said. “But if we can get one or two, and get something started, I think that’s what we’re trying here for.
“I think we need to try a different angle, and they seem to have a different angle, so that’s what I’m basing it on.”
Regional Development Association president Kent Heermann will serve as the city’s project liaison.
In other activity Wednesday, the commission:
• Tabled a request to modify an article of the Metropolitan Planning Area Zoning Regulations that allows one pole sign for each business located in a parcel of land. The modified regulation would allow just one pole sign per parcel, rather than one per business. The Planning Commission previously approved the modification at an April meeting.
• Presented a plaque to retired Assistant Fire Chief Bob Binder to recognize him for his service. Binder’s last day was Dec. 14.
• Approved a request for a minor plat on .86 of an acre of property located on the corner of 24th Avenue and Industrial Road. Commissioners also approved rezoning that property from an R-3, high density residential district, to a C-2, restricted commercial district. Re/Max Select Realtors and Emporia State Federal Credit Union requested the land to build an automated teller machine and, later, a branch bank.
• Approved the 2008 maintenance agreement for the Emporia Public Library in the amount of $36,900.
• Approved an ordinance increasing by 18 percent santitation collection and disposal rates for residences and businesses with more than one polycart, and for special collections.
• Awarded to Carter-Shown the Commercial Street storm sewer improvement project. Carter-Shown submitted the low bid of $22,603.
• Approved the establishment of the Kahola Park Fund at the Emporia Community Foundation. The commission also approved the establishment of guidelines for the fund’s expenditures and the transfer of $1.54 million from the city’s Kahola Park fund to the new community foundation fund.
• Approved amendments to the 2007 budget in six city funds. Director of Administrative Services Larry Bucklinger explained the changes in each fund.
• Approved the annual city boundary resolution, which this year added 45 acres to the city as the result of annexations. Emporia’s land area is now 7,563.83 acres, or 11.82 square miles.
Comments
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Posted by madpoet (anonymous) on December 20, 2007 at 2:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gee, I wonder where that $70,000 is coming from? It's no wonder our taxes are so blinking high! When you're trying to just scape by and make ends meet you don't blow a huge wad of money on a study which may or may not help bring businesses in. Why don't we just invest in lottery tickets and be done with it!
Posted by create (anonymous) on December 20, 2007 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So the last study wasn't done very well. How do you tell? Just spend another chunk of change and maybe that will be the one? My taxes went up this year and I'm guessing all these Buxton studies and image studies and John Deere building mistakes are probably why. Slow down!!!
Posted by Clayton (anonymous) on December 20, 2007 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well . . you know . . .for just a small portion of that $70K . . say maybe $15,000 . . .I can tell the city all they need to know.
We're not getting a Target. We're probably going to lose another grocery store or two in the next five years. We'll probably get at least one new pizza place if not two or three. The new turnpike entrance is going to be great for travelers and truckers but confuse the everloving snot out of most Emporians. The Kmart/Big Lots buildling will sit forever empty . .although it has flea market written all over it and the city commissioners will find more and more ways to spend money on studies such as this one.
I could just be guessing though . . . .
Posted by Clayton (anonymous) on December 20, 2007 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oh . .and the more I see how Julie Johnson votes . . . .not always mind you . . but a majority of the time. . . . I sure am awfully happy with her votes and what she has to say
Posted by Renegade (anonymous) on December 20, 2007 at 6:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What!!!!?????....We just paid a large sum of money to bring in an "Image Consultant"....That went well, considering our image has already been determined by Tyson and the Refugee Resettlement Center.....
By the way, did we ever get a report from our Image Consultant?
NOW, we are getting another Consultant for "Retail Study?".
Why not take the money you spend on "Consultants" and HIRE a City PLANNER...to develop a Master Plan, for Emporia, and will work for us all year?
Clayton, I don't even know you, but you have my VOTE!!!
When is this craziness going to stop?
Posted by railroadhorn (anonymous) on December 20, 2007 at 9:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There's also the county's comprehensive plan on land uses like retail.
We've hired a Dallas company to study the city's workforce and now a Fort Worth firm to do this retail study. And ESU's has its strategic plan.
Let's hope there are not too many cooks in the kitchen!
Posted by Due_Process (anonymous) on December 22, 2007 at 5:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Emporia and Lyon County share retail sales tax revenues with the State, whereas manufacturing and production produces income for the area that stays in the community. Retail stores create a few dozen minimum wage jobs. Manufacturing creates many times more jobs at living wages. It is time to look at basic economic principles that say controlling the means of production is more powerful and effective than simply controlling distribution (retail). While I would greatly enjoy more retail options, the long-term economic sustainability of Emporia requires more businesses that manufacture or assemble products and generate income. Retail is just another way of handing our money to entities outside of Emporia.
Posted by create (anonymous) on December 22, 2007 at 8:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I like your thinking, DueProcess. Last night I watched Bill Moyer on PBS and he did a book review with an author I can't name off hand. Anyway, the name of the book is "Consumed" and he discusses the same principle of finding a better source of income than retail.
Great line from the interview: "We've got to stop getting up at 2 a.m. to go shopping" or words to that effect. It demonstrates the craziness we have allowed ourselves to become entangled in with allowing nothing but retail to dominate our thinking for how a city or town can earn income. All the while, retail is working like a pyramid -- the people in management get higher pay and bennies while those manning the cash registers and stocking shelves barely make a living wage. How is that benefitting a community when the numbers are so topsy turvy? Where do higher management people shop? How much do clerks spend?
Yes, we need to concentrate on manufacturing or assembly because it employs more people who spend their money right here in Emporia.
One area the guest author mentioned was the medical field. I think we need to get a think tank together and concentrate on how we can make Emporia's medical services better than they are now. Why exactly did the surgical hospital fail? What can we do with regard to Newman's that will make it the BEST hospital in the area, one that will attract more medical staff and have better equipment and services? Everybody is always complaining about Newman's. When will they get together and do something to make it better? How can we improve wages there? Nurses keep leaving. Why? I said a think tank, not the current board of directors.
In the meantime, I'm going to go to a retail store and buy that book, "Consumed."
Posted by emporian (anonymous) on December 22, 2007 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Manufacturing is not what this town needs. Bringing in more low paying jobs, no matter how many, will not bring us out of our current fiscal nightmares. We need to attract some good white collar jobs. We need something with jobs that pay better than $10 an hour.
Emporia will just keep slipping south if we bring in more manufacturing jobs.
Posted by create (anonymous) on December 22, 2007 at 2:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I did mention the medical field too. That's white collar. What else did you have in mind? I can see some in the Education sector, yes, but what else? Remember, we have numbers of working age people now that may not be able to fill white collar jobs because they are not uniquely qualified. I'm trying to put people to work here.
Posted by emporian (anonymous) on December 22, 2007 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Technology field. We have many students coming out of ESU with degrees in Computer Science, Graphic Design, etc. We need someplace like Sprint, Garmin, Etc. Factories do nothing to help Emporia.
Also, did you know that Newman's has to have Agency nurses because nobody applies for the nursing jobs in Emporia. Agency Nurses cost the hospital boatlloads because they must pay room and board, salary, car allowances, etc.
Ask almost any Nursing students attending classes at ESU, they dont want to work in Emporia. It is much like the Paramedic situation we face also. Better working conditions and much better pay/benefits are readily available in towns within 100 miles of Emporia.
Posted by create (anonymous) on December 23, 2007 at 2:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
One of the questions I asked was, "What can we do with regard to Newman's that will make it the BEST hospital in the area, one that will attract more medical staff and have better equipment and services?" Let me add to that what I should have added to begin with...better wages. So we need to concentrate on this problem of agency nurses. Newman's needs to realize that they need to keep up with surrounding areas. Do they care? If not, why not? My friend is a nurse who works in Springfield for far more than she can make here in Emporia so we have lost her and this is her home town. Pity. Can we blame her? Of course not.
While I agree with you that we need to employ Tech students from ESU, we must also be able to employ those who are not. You say that factories do nothing for Emporia. How do you plan to solve the problem of the drop out rate at the high school? What about those kids who do graduate from high school, but do not go on to any kind of post-secondary institution? What about them? Not everyone can be a white collar worker or is qualified for the Tech sector.
Posted by emporian (anonymous) on December 24, 2007 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Create,
I am a firm believer that there are enough factory jobs, etc for those who drop out or are not college bound. They just dont want to do them. What we have here though are a huge market of highly trained individuals seeking jobs straight out of college. If we had something to attract them maybe more ESU grads would stay. Lets face it though, they are not going to stay to work at Hill's Petfood or Tyson. They want good paying jobs in the fields they have studied. These jobs are available in Wichita, KC Metro Area, and Topeka.
Look at the housing market here. Who in the hell can afford 110,000 house on the salary a factory pays unless you have one of those "crazy" mortgages we hear about.
As for Newman's, I dont see anything changing. We are just to close to bigger Hospitals like Wesley, St. Francis, Stormont Vail, etc. Newman's is perfectly fine with the status quo. Didn't I just see that revenues were exceeding expectations? How bout using some of that money to get better wages to attract more nurses. Most of the nursing students I have talked to want to work at the "real hospitals" in the bigger cities. They laugh when you ask them about working at Newmans. That should tell you something. This city is way behind the curve in pay for the medical profession.
Posted by create (anonymous) on December 24, 2007 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I definitely agree with you with regard to this city and Newman's being "behind the curve" in wages for medical pros. And if they are indeed satisfied with the status quo, they should be ashamed. They should never be satisfied. Instead, they should be socking every extra penny into more and better equipment as well as a better wage base.
Perhaps there is a meeting of the minds here because I agree with you on how we need jobs for tekkies. How about a factory that manufactures medical equipment or drugs? :)
Our city people should make a trip to Wichita or KC or Topeka and tour facilities that employ tech graduates. Go see how we can do something similar to keep those kids here.
Yes, you're right, factory workers cannot afford the hundred thousand dollar plus homes on the market here. But look what is happening to the homes they once could afford. Pretty ridiculous how a house that sold only a couple of years ago for $25,000 is now selling for $60,000 and up. Same exact house. I'm with you there.
In the meantime, I will read "Consumed" and see if his ideas will work here. Merry Christmas.
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