Bobbi Miles Director of Economic Development

Home on the Range History

Geographical Center of US

Higley Cabin birthplace ofHOME on the RANGE

Little Miss Liberty

Newly renovated

Wagner Park

Historic Homes

Ingleboro Mansion

Relihan Rowa.k.a.

Millionaire Row

Historic Uptown Smith Center

Old 1st National Bank Building Kansas Historic Registry

KPA’s 1st revolving fund project

Uptown Smith Center

New Businesses on Highway 36

Beffort Ecowater EMS

Gene’s Heartland Casey’s Appliances & Furniture

other new businesses on hwy 36

Peterson Industries expanded main facility again & started

RV repair shop

LandMark Implement

Recently merged with

Minden Terminal & McClymont in NE,

and Phillips Co. Implement in KS

Businesses expansions on Hwy 281

Central Plains Co-op

(recent consolidation)

Athol, Kensington, Cedar & Smith Center

LTM of Lippert Components, Inc.

New Homes

Medical Facilities

Schools

Airport

Fairgrounds

Additional Facilities

Entertainment

Community owned theater

City owned 10-hole golf course

Businesses no longer operating in Smith Center (11)  since May of 2001

Style Shop

Jan’s Country Cottage

Prairie Wind Candle Business

Mapes and Miller

Radio Shack

Wangfoozle

Dale’s Grocery

Sale Barn for cattle

Simmons Furniture

Hair Today

Memory Lane

Businesses retained (16) since May 2001

Country General-----------------------------------------------------------OrschelnsJuenemann Optometrists----------------------------------Myers and ThompsonLyon Den ----------------------------------------------------------------2nd Cup CaféMcNerney’s Choice Amoco-----------------------------------Gibble Tire & AutoShane McCall ---------------------------------------------------Deitz and HardmanKlein’s Green house ------------------------------------------------- Golden PrairieSimmons Mortuary-----------------------------Simmons Olive Boeve MortuaryGene’s IGA ---------------------------------------------------------Gene’s HeartlandCenter Motel---------------------------------------------------under new ownershipScraptacular Scrapbooking-----------------------Memory Lane ScrapbookingSimmons Flower Shop--------------------------------Briar Ridge Floral & GiftsBaumann Ecowater------------------------------------------------Beffort EcowaterTux’s Floorcovering-------------------------------------------------Mr. CarpetmanJim Fetter’s Law Office------------------------------Allen Shelton’s Law OfficeFraming business---------------------------------------------------------Frame ShopHair Today--------------------------------------------------------------Hair Graphics

Businesses expanded (21) since May of 2001

Smith County Memorial HospitalSmith County Implement Innc.EMS expansion to new facility on HighwayHardly Used to new facility on Main StreetPooche’sGraphic Central (expanded to include additional store on Main Street)Wheels Unlimited to new lot on HighwayPeterson Industries several timesJoe Pahl’s expansion to new store on Highway and further expansionCenter Pharmacy to building to southLTM expanded and was sold for over $1 million Kevin Kriley T shirts, mugs, hats, etc.Jiffy Burger beautiful pond behind restaurantTracy Kinsbury expanded to do plumbing as well as tree trimmingFrame Shop to new location beside Ohmstede’s Coop consolidation between Smith Center and AtholControlled Air Inc. (Sinclair from home to new location on HWY 36)Gene’s IGA expanded into Gene’s HeartlandHair Graphics Tanning SalonStress Solutions expanded into an independent businessGene’s IGA

New businesses (27) since May of 2001

Livestock auction at Sale BarnDollar StopNexTechQuilt ShopMr. CarpetmanCedar Creek EmbroideryKeep you in StitchesStortz Auction Stress SolutionsLearning CenterWheels Unlimited Tea Parlor Art GalleryCrematorium

Scraptacular Scrapbooking Aflac Insurance

D & K Home RepairKina’s Kritters

Candle Business Wangfoozle

Shellito’s Auto RepairCenter Monuments

Antique Store in SimmonsLiberty Welding

Abigail’s Gourmet GiftsPeterson Industry’s RV Repair

3rd Street Design

Not all roses- Not all thorns

• Businesses no longer operating (11)

• Businesses retained (16)

• Businesses expanded (21)

• New businesses (27)

Current Economic Development Projectssince May 2001

0% Revolving Loan

to retain, expand and start local businesses

11 loans made to date (over $200,000 loaned)

Neighborhood Revitalization Program

tax rebate for improvements to property (personal or business)

30 approved projects and 12 pending

Wagner Park Renovation Project

Cooperation of KPA (Kansas Preservation Alliance)

Old Bank Building

Junior Economic Development

LMI Housing project with N.W. Kansas Housing

Demolition, clean-up and revitalization program

Set up (Rolling Hills) meteorological tower

(loan from WAPA, data analysis by NREL)

Investigating upper-scale no-maintenance housing

In the worksCall Center project

(feasibility study completed, investor lined up)

Developing Community Foundation

Developing free land project

Instituted transient guest tax to develop CVB

organizing CVB

plan tourist info. Center

Developing our new image

surveys to alumni and visitors

Promoting our new image

Website development with Nex-Tech

Work on our Main Street

Service Club Signs at entrance to city

Continuing work outlined in strategic plan

Completed projectssince May 2001

Ethanol feasibility study (shown not to be profitable at that time)

Lodging Feasibility study

2 additional Facelift projects funded by Ec. Dev.

DOC BREES program (survey businesses and get data analysis)

Strategic Plan for city (funding received from DOC)

Completed Rensellaerville Projects*Rent Reimbursal Program for new businesses *Movin’on Up Planters and handrails on Main StreetLive Better/Live Longer (recruit 50-65 year olds)3 - Improvement projects at the golf courseFacelift ProjectsClean up Highway 36Installing speaker system in downtownSigns on highway and advertising in travel magazinesBusiness directoryMentoring and working with young adultsGazebo at Park

Additional involvementAffiliate member of KDDA

KDDA Board member

Participant at annual Retreat for Rural Leaders

Prosperity Summit participant

Member of wKREDA

Member of N.W. Kansas Travel Council

Member of North Central Rural Development Council

Resource Conservation and Development (alternate)

Pioneer Country Development Board member

Review board for SBA loans N.W. Kansas Planning Com.

Kansas Preservation Alliance (KPA) board member

K State Extension Ec. Dev. Board

Member of Smith Center Chamber of Commerce

We are pleased to be a Pilot Project!

We intend to:

• Find out what already works• Develop new methods • Make mistakes so others

won’t have to• Transfer what we learn,

so we all can benefit