Agreement reached that will allow Briggs expansion

After viewing a map of proposed improvements, Fort Scott City Commissioners and city officials discuss a development agreement with Briggs Auto and Bourbon County during a special meeting Thursday afternoon at City Hall. Pictured are, from left, City Attorney Bob Farmer, Commissioners Randy Nichols, Jim Adams, Jolynne Mitchell, Jeanie Parker, Cindy Bartelsmeyer, City Manager Dave Martin, Director of Finance Jon Garrison and City Clerk Diane Clay.

Jason E. Silvers

City and county government leaders have shown support for a proposed economic development project that would result in improvements for a local car dealership.

During special meetings Thursday, the Bourbon County Commission and Fort Scott City Commission approved documents as part of a three-party agreement and sales tax rebate proposal that calls for interior and exterior improvements at Briggs Auto located at 1819 S. Main St.

In recent months, city and county officials have conducted several closed sessions with attorneys and Briggs representatives to discuss the proposal, which also includes land transactions.

The proposal involves the city and county dedicating a portion of incremental sales tax revenue toward financing proposed improvements at Briggs, which include a new access road off U.S. Highway 69 as well as physical additions to the dealership to accommodate expansion. The dealership plans to add two new showrooms on both ends of the property.

Any sales tax revenue above the base year taxes for the city and county would be reimbursed to Briggs, officials said.

Fort Scott Director of Economic Development Rachel Pruitt said the city and county would pledge 50 percent of the incremental tax revenue above the base.

“We would be sharing 50 percent of our 1 percent (with Briggs),” she said. “There’s a 1.5 percent city sales tax and the county is 1.4 percent … we would be pledging the incremental revenue from our base year, they would get half of the increment.”

County Commissioners approved resolutions for a sales tax rebate and development agreement with Briggs Auto. Officials at the meeting said some details are being worked out on land acquisition as the agreement involves property being sold to the county, as well as the new road, a site plan and location of the improvements in a flood plain.

“It’s a true partnership with the city and county,” Pruitt said.

According to the agreement, Briggs would purchase about 76,881-square-feet of property from the county for $70,000. With that purchase of land, the developer will “cause the owner of approximately 16,783-square-feet of property (the Cullor land) … to transfer title to that land to the county at no additional cost to the county,” the agreement states.

Pruitt said there are four waterways “the development would be going over” so future approval by the Kansas Department of Transportation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be needed.

“Buck Run creek runs behind the Briggs parking lot,” she said.