County continues EDC contribution

Red Willow County commissioners approved the county's contribution of $10,000 to the McCook Economic Development Corp., but not without some reservations.

"We appreciate your partnership," MEDC director Rex Nelson told commissioners during their weekly meeting Monday morning, after commissioners unanimously approved the 2007-08 contribution, which is the same as it was in 2006-07.

"We will continue to work together and accomplish as much as possible," Nelson said.

Nelson told commissioners that the city's new quarter-cent sales tax designated to help fund the EDC will provide a "better funding foundation" for the MEDC.

Half of the city's new one-half cent sales tax is earmarked solely for the EDC. Doing the math means that county residents are paying for the MEDC more than once -- through the sales tax that McCook residents approved in November and with the county's $10,000 contribution.

Part of the sales tax money that every county resident pays is going to the EDC, said commissioner Steve Downer, which is in addition to the $10,000 flat-rate contribution from the county. The contribution may be "hard to justify," he said.

Commissioners Leigh Hoyt and Earl McNutt said later they didn't feel a part of a "partnership" when the city declined to share the half-cent sales tax it requested of voters in November. Commissioners said they would use one-fourth of the city's one-half cent sales tax to fund capital improvements in the county's roads.

Hoyt was obviously still frustrated by the lack of cooperation from the city at election time, and Downer said, "I felt like an orphan ... "

"The bottom line is," McNutt said, "we did budget $10,000 (for the EDC) last summer."

The vote in favor of the contribution was unanimous, but not without undertones of frustration.

McNutt said the biggest economic boosts to the overall county -- creating new jobs, attracting new residents and new shoppers and bringing in new money -- have been the two dairies and the Kiplinger Arena, none of which were MEDC projects.