Development News for McPherson, Kansas

Bethany Visitors Bureau Approves Visitor Attraction Grants

The Bethany Visitors Bureau (CVB) approved several visitor attraction grants funded by local hotel guest tax revenue. These grants include $1,000 for the Great Plains Nature Department's annual meeting, $250 for Maxwell Wildlife Refuge's 'Party on the Perry' event, and $500 for the McPherson Police Department's Community First Responders Night event.

McPherson County Reports Strong Economic Growth and Focus on Quality of Life

Casey presented the 2025 economic report, highlighting strong performance in industrial growth, workforce development, talent attraction, and regional collaboration. The focus for 2026 will be on building communities where people want to live, work, and raise families, emphasizing workforce, housing, child care, infrastructure, and placemaking. The report detailed over $50 million in capital investment in 2025 and a pipeline of $71 million for 2026, including a $14 million expansion by Wesley Pipes. McPherson County maintains a strong manufacturing base, evidenced by its high percentage of manufacturing jobs (31%) and competitive average weekly wages, typically ranking between fifth and eighth in the state. The MIDC is focusing on building talent pipelines through initiatives like the SME Society of Manufacturing Engineers Prime Program, although its implementation is pushed to the 2027 school year due to leadership changes at the school, with curriculum alignment starting this fall. The 'Go McPherson' initiative aims to attract new residents, with a successful 'Home in the Heartland' grant partnership with Make My Move providing cash and soft incentives for relocation. The county also saw a 5% growth in sales tax revenue in 2025 and ranked 11th in the state for sales tax generation and 13th in GDP.

McPherson Fire Department Deployed to Statewide Wildfire Incident

Chief Mayberry provided an update on the department's deployment as a state asset during large-scale wildfire incidents. The department agreed to be deployable in May, and subsequently, Chief Mayberry and Chief Ram responded to a wildfire incident in Clark and Edwards Counties on May 14th. Chief Mayberry served as a liaison and incident commander, managing multiple fires over a 108-hour period. The department's brush truck was part of the Dickinson County Task Force, and personnel were rotated due to the extended duration and demanding conditions. The incident involved approximately 130,000 acres burned, and the department's participation provided valuable experience and field testing for new equipment. Reimbursement is expected to cover all costs.

Public Works Provides Updates on Electric and Water Projects, Advises Customers on Peak Charges

Josh provided updates on ongoing public works projects. The electric overhead project on the countryside involves setting poles between Maxwell and Meyer, with approximately 10 polls remaining to reach Grimes. Conductor pulling and service transfers are expected by July. The underground crew is assisting with converting services before conductor pulling. The Ash Street Main Replacement for water is progressing, currently between sites A and B, with a tie-in planned soon. Josh also reminded non-residential customers that the 'feed season' for setting transmission and capacity charges for the year runs from June 1st to August 31st, advising them to manage loads during peak hours (1 p.m. to 7 p.m.) to potentially save costs.