The Montgomery County Commission denies the City of Coffeyville's request for an Neighborhood Revitalization plan.

 

At this week's meeting, Coffeyville City Manager Ben Brubaker asked for the county's approval of the City's Neighborhood Revitalization Plan. An N-R-P provides property tax rebates to encourage people and businesses to fix up old buildings or build new ones in designated areas. The county wants to focus on agricultural and residential properties and to exclude commercial from the plan, partially because commissioners say commercial properties have the opportunity the recoup their costs in ways that the other types do not. Commissioner Phil Clubine says county taxes are another reason.

 

Last year, the county commission approved a similar plan for the City of Independence. Half of that city is represented by Clubine and the other half by Commissioner Robert Bever. Commissioner Mike Cordray represents Coffeyville and says he worries about hurting that City's economy.

 

Commissioner Bever says he wants to see more cooperation between the cities in Montgomery County.

 

County Appraiser Melody Kikkert says, in the long run, that would be the ideal solution.

 

The final vote to deny Coffeyville's request was 2 to 1, with Commissioner Mike Cordray voting no.