City moving forward with plans for conference center

Plans are moving forward with the agreement to bring a hotel and conference center complex to Newton.

The Newton City Commission at its Thursday meeting approved a resolution to set a public hearing for July 22 concerning a development agreement for the hotel and conference center.

The date was chosen to coincide with the public hearing on the organization of the redevelopment district where the construction will take place.

The proposed hotel/conference center would be in Pyle First Addition, east of Interstate 135 on Broadway, on the north of side of the street.

City Attorney Bob Myers said by designating the hotel/conference center as a redevelopment district, the increase in bed tax and other revenues from the hotel would be used to repay the debt on the conference center.

The entrance to the proposed hotel/conference center would be located about where the house on East Broadway is located, said Tim Johnson, community development director. There would only be the one entrance to the property from Broadway. There would not be access from Spencer.

The city commission also heard requests for funding from two outside agencies — Harvey County Economic Development Council and Peace Connections.

Mickey Fornaro-Dean, executive director for the Harvey County Economic Development Council, asked for a 6.5 percent increase for 2009 over the 2008 budget.

She said the increase is due to the addition of the Newton Workforce Center at the Axtel Learning Center. The council provides funding to the center to help job seekers and employers find each other.

The 6.5 percent increase brings the budget to $85,684 for 2009 from $78,876 in 2008.

Myrna Krehbiel, executive director of Peace Connections, asked the city for $5,225.

The city commission will have another budget hearing from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. July 15.

In other business, the commission:

• Voted to support a regional strategic plan and a request that Harvey County remain a non-metropolitan business region under the Kansas Enterprise Zone Act

• Approved the acquisition of property on South Kansas Avenue for a prospective Fire/EMS station. The purchase price of the land is $212,000, with other costs for the transaction bringing the total to $230,000.

• Hwa Davis Construction of Newton was awarded the contract for the Magnolia Street bridge reconstruction project for $259,096.

• Executive sessions were called to discuss an economic development prospect, items under litigation and non-elected personnel. Following the 35 minutes of executive session, the city approved negotiating for the purchase of property for the construction of the 12th Street water tower.