Greetings!
The purpose of this report is to update the members on the activities of the EDC and the general economic development activity in the area impacting southwest Johnson County.
BNSF Intermodal: The work continues on the intermodal. The new opening date is September 2013.
City of Edgerton plans sewer expansion and new interchange: The City of Edgerton has selected Burns and McDonnell for the wastewater design build project supporting the BNSF Intermodal. CAS Construction was selected along with Burns and McDonnell. The City of Gardner is considering a partnership with Edgerton to address future sewer issues.
The bid for construction of the new interchange at Homestead was awarded to Clarkson. The completion date is September 2013.
Activity: I attended RILA (Retail Industry Leaders Association) Conference in February. We are partnering with KC SmartPort. John Smith, LS Commercial and Andrew Nave, Shawnee EDC also attended. The speakers were more optimistic and the attendees were more positive. We received several good leads and there was much discussion regarding the trend toward intermodal distribution.
Southwest Johnson County EDC Quarterly Meeting: The Quarterly Meeting for the EDC will be held on Wednesday, April 11th. The location will be the New Century Fieldhouse and the program will be the Southwest Johnson County. The theme, Southwest Johnson County: Opening the door to the world. Brian Bickford, President of AgriLogistics, Inc., will moderate a panel discussion on exporting. Presentations: There has been increased interest in the intermodal information. I have been giving presentations to individuals and groups. Some of the groups are the Johnson County Assessors Staff, Johnson County Legislative Delegation, Shaner Appraisals and the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce. The Olathe City Council has asked to give a short presentation on March 20th along with Paul Welcome, Johnson County Appraiser. Hire a Veteran Today: The Kansas Department of Commerce is pleased to announce that the Veterans Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) is currently able to partially fund employer on-the-job training programs. We can also help eligible Veterans with assistance for educational training and job placement. The intent of the VWIP program is to provide support for employment and training services through grants and contracts that assist eligible veterans with reintegration into meaningful employment within the labor force and stimulates the development of effective service delivery systems that will address their complex employment problems. The Veterans Workforce Investment Program would like to build a strong relationship with your business and help you train employees to perform the job duties to the best of their ability. The process is streamlined and easy to get started. Additionally, "The VOW-Hire Heroes Act 2011" provides employers a payroll tax credit, between $2,600 & $9,600 for 2012 for any new veteran hire that meets certain criteria. You may find out more at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/21/fact-sheet-returning-heroes-and-wounded:warrior-tax-credits. If you have any questions or would like to team up with the Veterans Workforce Investment Program, do not hesitate to ask your Local Veteran Employment Representative. We hope we can build a great relationship with your organization. To find your local "Kansas Works" office, go to www.kansasworks.com and click on the "Contact" tab.  | 
