Hillsboro council OKs refinancing

for Golden Heritage

The Hillsboro City Coun?cil agreed to refinance industrial revenue bonds for Golden Heritage Foods during its Nov. 5 meeting?but without the city being listed as the bond facilitator.

The decision was prompted by the honey-processing company?s plan to expand its facilities in the Hillsboro Industrial Park, according to City Administrator Larry Paine.

?They want to do it in a way that does not include having the city of Hillsboro on their books as the facilitator of their financing,? Paine said.

?At the end of the day, it is good for both Golden Heri?tage and the city. Our chief benefit is that they will no longer be involved in the tax abatement process we go through very year?and we will see the abated property back on the tax rolls.?

With that explanation, the council approved Resolution 2013-08, authorizing the move that Paine said ?removes any financial connection that Golden Heritage has with the city of Hills?boro related to the IRS.

?The total risk was with Golden Heritage, but our name was on the document as the seller of the bonds,? he added. ?Some bond buyers look at the offering and assume the city of Hillsboro is the one doing the project.

?So, getting this IRB off the table is a good thing for us.?

Highway project

The council also voted to receive three quit-claim deeds associated with the plan to have the Kansas Department of Transpor?tation construct turning lanes at the intersection of Adams Street and U.S. 56.

?Prior to the construction of the new highway, KDOT had to use the eminent domain process to get access to all the property to construct the highway,? Paine said.

?Most of the property they purchased outright and have full title of the property. The three properties they could not purchase went through the eminent domain process and they received a permanent easement.?

Paine added, ?Receiving the three properties (through a quit-claim deed) allows us to complete the ownership issues so that the highway can be annexed, fulfilling a requirement for the grant award (to fund the project).?

Options for contractors

The council approved a set of three options for contractors who want to renew their licenses to work with?in the city limits in 2014.

Last year, the council agreed to a plan where contractors could present copies of invoices for the purchase of new city code books that applied to their particular license, and the city would waive its $50 license fee.

Paine said seven contractors took advantage of the offer, which resulted in $450 of deferred payments.

The three options the city is offering contractors this year are:

? If a contractor has purchased a code book for a specific license since the last renewal, the renewal fee will be waived.

? If a contractor purchased a code book and received a waiver for the 2013 license, no waiver will be offered for that license.

? If a contractor purchased a code book for license ?A? and received a waiver and is now wanting a license ?B? for which the contractor did not receive a waiver in 2013, the purchase of a new code book for license ?B? will allow a waiver for that license only.

Other business

In other business, the council:

? affirmed two city staff members with certificates for milestone anniversaries: Glenda Stoppel for 30 years, and Mike Duerk?sen for 25 years.

? approved Mayor Delores Dalke?s appointment of Nikki Jones to the Hills?boro Housing Authority.

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