Workforce, housing needs dominate Alliance meeting

Workforce shortages and housing availability remain two of the biggest barriers facing Thomas County businesses, Economic Development Director Vernon Hurd told the Thomas County Economic Development Alliance during its Aug. 19 meeting at the Alliance office.

Hurd said conversations with local business owners have repeatedly returned to the difficulty of finding employees. The Alliance is exploring several approaches intended to strengthen the local workforce, including exposing students to career opportunities available in Thomas County.

Hurd has met with the career specialist for the Jobs for America’s Graduates program at Colby High School to discuss connecting students with local career paths that could allow them to remain in the community after graduation.

He also discussed the ACT Work Ready Communities program, which uses assessments and certificates to document workplace skills. Hurd said aligning the program with the needs of area employers could give students useful credentials while allowing businesses to more easily identify qualified applicants.

Housing is closely connected to the workforce issue, Hurd said. The Alliance is arranging a tour of a prefabricated-home plant in Wichita to determine whether factory-built housing could provide a more affordable option for Thomas County. Representatives of the company told Hurd that its process could reduce construction costs by 30% to 40% compared with building entirely on site.

Board member Ron Alexander also plans to visit the company’s operations later this fall.

Hurd reported four inquiries during the past month about the Alliance’s cooperative housing program. The program can help finance new housing, but applicants must meet matching-fund requirements.

The Alliance is also preparing for the first meeting connected to $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding designated for tourism and workforce recruitment. Board members Pat Mallory and Alexander volunteered to serve on the project’s steering committee.

As part of the project, the Alliance plans to overhaul its Choose Thomas County website, promote available residential and commercial lots and create a social media schedule highlighting local programs and reasons to move to Thomas County.

Hurd said the Alliance is researching additional recruitment assistance through the state’s Home and Hometown grant program. The program can provide as much as $250,000 to communities seeking to attract out-of-state residents earning at least $55,000 annually. A 20% local match is required.

The money may be used for marketing, moving costs, housing assistance and other recruitment incentives. Hurd said he has contacted officials in counties that previously received the grant to learn what made their applications successful. The Alliance expects to pursue funding during the next application period.

In other development work, Hurd said Brewster has a new teacher interested in involving students in the Youth Entrepreneur Challenge. Brewster representatives will be invited to the program’s planning meeting this fall.

Hurd is also studying how other Kansas communities have attracted smaller manufacturers employing approximately eight to 10 people. He plans to meet with economic development representatives in Salina to discuss whether their approach could be replicated in Thomas County.

The Alliance is working with the City of Colby and Northwest Kansas Planning and Development Commission to identify possible grants for St. Thomas Historic Residences. Storm-related flooding damaged the building and displaced basement-level residents. Repairs are expected to exceed $200,000.

Hurd also praised the ongoing renovation of the Luckert Lofts and updated the board on downtown revitalization efforts, including the Community Empowerment Program.

To improve communication with local governments, Hurd plans to send a monthly report to the Colby City Council and Thomas County commissioners summarizing Alliance activities and local economic indicators.

The board approved its financial statements for the month ending July 31. The statements showed July revenue of $13,956.51 and expenditures of $14,779.86, resulting in a monthly operating loss of $823.35. For the first seven months of 2026, the Alliance reported revenue of $130,188.37, expenditures of $127,961.88 and net revenue of $2,226.49.

The City of Colby sales-tax economic development fund received a $3,922.50 payment in July associated with the city hangar and ended the month with a balance of approximately $2.12 million. All outstanding Alliance loans were reported current.

During a discussion of the fund’s history, board members said the sales tax was originally intended to give the community the ability to pursue a major economic development project that would create jobs and generate broader economic activity. The board could consider a related proposal at its next meeting.

The board also approved the 2026-27 Network Kansas eCommunity Award Agreement. The online agreement must be submitted by Sept. 30.

The Alliance’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. Sept. 16.