If our community was given $450K, what would you like done with the money....

[flo]

for old retired people that want to go with the flo....w

Here we go again, all going with me.  That's okay, we'll all go down and have one of those ice cream cones at the soda fountain.  Hey, how many agree, isn't PEP just a breath of fresh air?

[Joanna]

... No this idea blows!

... Hey, how many agree, isn't PEP just a breath of fresh air?

Speaks for himself doesn't he! I do enjoy his posts!  Keep it up PEP.

I think we've hit on most of the issues that would make this a better community.  I believe that priorities are jobs, housing and water to build our population.  More people would help our tax base (available budget) and we'd begin spiraling up instead of down.  I'd spend the biggest portion of that $450K a year building or enticing a variety of new businesses (mostly the kind who will provide jobs).  Those new employees/people and their families will add to our community; and without preconceived school/town rivalries ... there's no telling what would happen...

[Tobina+1]

I love all the big ideas!  My ideas are a little simpler...
Elk County Website; one that attracts traffic on the internet super highway and on the highway itself.
Billboards/signs to promote local businesses along Hwy 99 and Hwy 400. (P.S.  I love that Severy repainted their sign on 400; it looks so good!)
Clean up/rejuvinate the downtown buildings that are unused (you know my obsession with the old Howard State Bank building)
Hire people to come and help everyone pick up their lots/homes, and paint them.
Hire a control officer to enforce mowing rules, picking up the lots, etc.
Wind farm that brings energy to the county (rather than taking it elsewhere).
Clean up all the junky oil fields around the county.  There are people who have contaminated rural water because of leaking oil fields.
(This is more of a dream than reality...) Pay to re-route Hwy 99 through the downtown area in Howard.

[Diane Amberg]

Maybe you could make Howard a tourist destination.  A tent camping experience, Dude ranch, ghost tours, horse wrangling, breakfast trail rides through the prairies, bison herd, oil well tours and museum or make the town an old Kansas cowboy's art colony with cowboy art, wrought iron work, tooled leather work, chuck wagon cooking, fudge, ice cream, pies, ...bring tourists in by the bus load. You've got the talent, use it to make your own town better. If Elk Falls gets people in for the out houses, and the pottery, (Have they moved to their new place yet?) Build on that.  Become the poker capital of Kansas ....Maybe Teresa can create something for Howard in regard to her shooting friends and have a Howard sponsored shoot out. If Kansas has an economic development office like we have here, they might help. As Tobina says, advertise, but create something that will make the tour companies want to come to Howard.

[Marcia Moore]

Tobina -
   Glad you like our newly painted sign at Severy.  The SCA (Severy Community Activities Group) checked in to having it professionally repainted, but the cost was so overwhelming that some of the members pitched in and did it.  Those doing the painting were Chris Hare, Larry Nusz, Larry Wilson, Lesa Schroeder and daughters, and me.  Before too long we may attach a sign that reads "75th Year" and possibly another one with the dates of the three-day event.  Of course the numbers on the attached signs would need to be changed every year.   

[flo]

kinda dense here, Marcia.  75th year for what?

[Diane Amberg]

Chigger Chariot Races? I'd come see that! Sorry, couldn't help myself. I'll go away now.

[Marcia Moore]

This year is Severy's 75th annual Labor Day Celebration.

[flo]

okay, but on the "Severy" sign, wouldn't it sound like Severy was 75 yrs. old? May not, . . .  what I get for thinking out loud. 

[Marcia Moore]

No, because the sign now advertises Severy's annual Labor Day Celebration.