The Emporia City Commission approved an incentive compliance agreement for a $4 million warehouse expansion of Cargill, Inc. during a meeting Wednesday afternoon at the Civic Building.

The approval came after a recommendation from Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas President and CEO Kent Heermann, who said the project would bring a minimum of $330,000 additional payroll into Emporia.

“They guarantee that there will be at least 10 jobs or more than that created,” Heermann said. “The total payroll increase is $330,000, but that is the minimum threshold according to policy.”

The 50,500-square-foot warehouse will sit on a 5.94-acre tract of land owned by Emporia Enterprises, Inc. and includes a 10-year tax abatement. Cargill has invested more than $5 million in new equipment and upgrades over the last several years.

Mayor Danny Giefer said the expansion would be a boon for the city.

“With this investment of $4 million and the investment in the last couple of years — it solidifies Cargill as being part of our community,” he said. “There’s approximately a little under 50 jobs out there and it secures — as far as I’m concerned — their employment here.”

Vice Mayor Jon Geitz said the discussed expansion has been in the works for at least 10 years.

“Not only was this on the books when it was a Cargill project, but it was on the books when it was Emporia Pet Foods, when it was Safeway,” Geitz said. “We’ve been working on this project for a decade, so I appreciate the RDA and Emporia Enterprises for sticking with it.”

Giefer said the 5.94-acre tract is the last remaining piece of land in Industrial Park No. 2.

“It’s a great thing,” he said. “We’ve been talking about it for years and finally it’s coming to be. We’re excited.”

Commissioners also adopted an ordinance merging the Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Planning Commission and the Emporia Board of Zoning Appeals. The 9-member board will include seven representatives appointed by city commissioners and two appointed by the Lyon County Commission.

Giefer said city commissioners have been looking at various boards and determining whether they could be better served by being merged with other boards. The merger will take effect on July 1, and both boards will complete their current objectives leading up to that date.

“It just makes sense with the duties that they do that those boards are combined,” Giefer said. “We’ve got a lot of boards out there; they’re very important. We just want to make sure that we help them all we can to be successful.”

Commissioners also awarded a bid from Integrity Municipal Systems for a $401,500 replacement of three lime slaker units at the water treatment plant. The purchases are part of a five-year plan for the Waterworks Fund that will replace one unit each year from 2019-2021.

Public Works Director Frank Abart said it would take between 12 - 15 weeks for the units to be delivered and installation wouldn’t begin until the third or fourth quarter. The investment was worth the wait, he said.

“We’re about $90,000 below what we thought this (would cost),” Abart said.

Commissioners also approved a resolution to authorize the public sale of the city’s general obligation bonds for an approximate amount not to exceed $9,143,000. Projects in the sale include park improvements, water main and tower repairs, water line maintenance, lime slaker replacements; the purchase of an aviation fuel truck, rubber tire loader, and ambulance; and improvements on Sanitary Lift Station No. 9.

The final amount of the 2018 General Obligation Bond issue will be determined in the next few weeks, with the acceptance of the EDA grant for water tower construction to change the total amount of funds needed for that project.

Commissioners also:

Approved a $53,296.50 bid from Mayer Speciality Services for sanitary sewer line cleaning and closed-circuit television inspection of the downtown area

Approved a grant agreement with the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration for a $1,341,000 grant for a new water tower in Industrial Park No. 3

Appointed Michael Just and Monica Duncan to the Emporia-Lyon County Planning Commission, with Chip Garrett to serve as an alternate voting member of the board

Proclaimed May as Community Action Month following a presentation by ECKAN Human Services Coordinator Julia Wilson on recent projects and activities

Proclaimed the recognition of National Police Week to be held the week of May 13 following a request by Emporia Police Department Administrative Sergeant Lisa Sage

The Emporia City Commission will next meet for a study session at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Conference Room 1AB of White Auditorium. Housing, liquor laws anddog tethering are among topics expected to be discussed.