EDC failure-again

The Daily Union has an article today about Edenspace, the technology company we gave four million tax dollars to to relocate to JC. They ended up in Manhattan, and are having their building remodeled by Manhattan's EDC to, presumably, keep them there. I'll let you mull over the retardation of Junction City and Geary County giving millions to a company so they relocate to Manhattan, evidentally with no provision for recouping our money in the event they didn't come to our fair city.
Ben Kitchens was not on the EDC at the time of the fiasco, but he did publicize the situation.
ypical DU coverage, only reporting what they were told, with no comments requested from Jeffrey Black or members of our EDC.
What strikes me as important is the need for a city commission that is more responsive to the community. The EDC is basically appointed by the mayor and the chairman of the county commission. Until we get common sense commissioners, we will continue to have the EDC populated with members looking out for themselves- and not very smart ones, at that. To me, this is why it is so important for a change in commissioners come next election, with a corresponding change in attitude to the use of our tax dollars.
Hopefully the next elections will bring in people smart enough to change the way the EDC board is appointed, and along with it, the quasilegal Spirit of '76. In the meantime, continuing to publicize the failures of the EDC will perhaps force them to begin to try to get our tax dollars back.
Here is a link to the EDC website.
http://www.jcgced.com/about/index.html

I agree with Ben Kitchens when he stated that he would like the see in future economic development agreements, that businesses receive incentives only after a company meets certain goals, not beforehand. He would also like to see if the city and Spirit can recoup the money that has been invested in Edendspace.

In a quote from Kitchens, "In my opinion, it would be better to have a horrible ending to this than to have a horror with no ending."

Did not read daily union. Is Edenspace still coming to Junction City in the future? If not coming what did Manhattan give them to get them? Did we spend any money on recruiting them?

I just read this article in the paper and I was so mad I had to come here to see if anyone else was talking about it.

So let me get this straight. We have invested $4 MILLION dollars into this company that is now located in Manhattan (and whose employees now live in Manhattan)?????

I am utterly speechless.

yeah wrote:

I just read this article in the paper and I was so mad I had to come here to see if anyone else was talking about it.
So let me get this straight. We have invested $4 MILLION dollars into this company that is now located in Manhattan (and whose employees now live in Manhattan)?????
I am utterly speechless.

someone needs to go to jail

I don't think it's true. Junction City would not give away four million dollars and get nothing in return. If it were true and our city lost four million you would see people get fired. No True.

It is true. This last six years the city government has given away more money than the last 20 years combined, with little or no results. No one will be held accountable by the local officials because they are all cross linked together. Look at the membership of the commission, EDC, Spirit of 76, school board, and MPC. Then look at the businesses these people own or work for. This is one big bed and a lot more people are involved with their own agenda to make a profit at the taxpayers expense. Guaranteed.

Watch the Topeka IP's its the SAME lady! She's the psycho Mary I. "Emanon" "Inform" "Info" etc etc etc

She obviously doesn't have a job - Her job is stirring up *%#@ on Topix.

Meg wrote:

Watch the Topeka IP's its the SAME lady! She's the psycho Mary I. "Emanon" "Inform" "Info" etc etc etc
She obviously doesn't have a job - Her job is stirring up *%#@ on Topix.

Since you obviously do not understand how the servers work, you ought to just keep your opinion to yourself. you are making yourself look stupid.

There are probably a few posters showing up from Topeka IP may not be the same person. There are alot from Junction City Salina and other IPs too. Really it doesnt matter whos who, everyone can say their own opinion anonoymously and who cares.

Meg wrote:

Watch the Topeka IP's its the SAME lady! She's the psycho Mary I. "Emanon" "Inform" "Info" etc etc etc
She obviously doesn't have a job - Her job is stirring up *%#@ on Topix.

The "Salina" post of many, many various names always defends Mick and Rod....wonder why?....Barb. I have taken the heat from her ever since I posted on the trial and she is p---ed. She is so wrong...there are many others who post on here with a Topeka IP, but I use "emanon" and "info" when I reported about the trial, which many said they found informative. If have you read some of the posts she has made against me, you will see just how filty mouth and psycho she is. She is not fooling anyone and showing her ignorance....and you can't fix stupid!

Asking wrote:

Did not read daily union. Is Edenspace still coming to Junction City in the future? If not coming what did Manhattan give them to get them? Did we spend any money on recruiting them?

In the article the founder of Edenspace said they were still going to move to JC. They are waiting to see if they are awarded a large federal grant so they know how big of a building they need in JC. One for 100 employees or one for up to 200.

The only reason they are in Manhattan is because JC doesn't have any wet lab space, temporary or otherwise. Manhattan is adding more wet lab space to the incubator that Edenspace is housed in. They will use it until JC builds their building, but Manhattan is investing for the companies that will be coming as a result of NBAF.

Come on, that is really weak. Four million dollars so they move to Manhattan, work in Manhattan, and live in Manhattan?
The EDC has been completely without meaningful oversight for far too long. Bad deal after bad deal. If you'd like, respond, and I'll list all of them that come to mind. Otherwise, we'll let that statement stand on its own merits.
The massive foolishness with tax dollars would bring a huge outcry in virtually any other municipality. Here in JC, it's just business as usual, we're so used to it. And now we're supposed to build them a building? Who is paying for that? Are there going to be any demands placed upon Edenspace for the new building (as if we don't have any empty buildings in JC), or will it be another $85,000 a month building for $25,000 a month in rent?
I'd like an answer to this: do you currently sit on the EDC? If not, were you on the commission during the last five years or so when so many incredibly poor business decisions were made? Would you agree that tax dollars have been wasted, or do you think the EDC has made sound financial use of our tax dollars?

taxpayer wrote:

Come on, that is really weak. Four million dollars so they move to Manhattan, work in Manhattan, and live in Manhattan?
The EDC has been completely without meaningful oversight for far too long. Bad deal after bad deal. If you'd like, respond, and I'll list all of them that come to mind. Otherwise, we'll let that statement stand on its own merits.
The massive foolishness with tax dollars would bring a huge outcry in virtually any other municipality. Here in JC, it's just business as usual, we're so used to it. And now we're supposed to build them a building? Who is paying for that? Are there going to be any demands placed upon Edenspace for the new building (as if we don't have any empty buildings in JC), or will it be another $85,000 a month building for $25,000 a month in rent?
I'd like an answer to this: do you currently sit on the EDC? If not, were you on the commission during the last five years or so when so many incredibly poor business decisions were made? Would you agree that tax dollars have been wasted, or do you think the EDC has made sound financial use of our tax dollars?

Taxpayer, would you please list those "bad deals" just to refresh our memory why we have gotten into this mess we are in? Thanks

Not suppose to build them a building, we have to.

Edenspace, Amarillo Bioscience, Spherion, Capgemini, buying the old New Horizon's building, almost every NRP project, because they have ended up being taxpayer financed rewards, not incentives; building the leaky pond, David Christie, Malone Construction, Unplugged Cities, missing the recycling plant ending up 25 miles from here, contracts giving away tax dollars with no provisions for getting the money back.
My God, how much money has been wasted that translated specifically into debt for taxpayers?

taxpayer wrote:

Come on, that is really weak. Four million dollars so they move to Manhattan, work in Manhattan, and live in Manhattan?
The EDC has been completely without meaningful oversight for far too long. Bad deal after bad deal. If you'd like, respond, and I'll list all of them that come to mind. Otherwise, we'll let that statement stand on its own merits.
The massive foolishness with tax dollars would bring a huge outcry in virtually any other municipality. Here in JC, it's just business as usual, we're so used to it. And now we're supposed to build them a building? Who is paying for that? Are there going to be any demands placed upon Edenspace for the new building (as if we don't have any empty buildings in JC), or will it be another $85,000 a month building for $25,000 a month in rent?
I'd like an answer to this: do you currently sit on the EDC? If not, were you on the commission during the last five years or so when so many incredibly poor business decisions were made? Would you agree that tax dollars have been wasted, or do you think the EDC has made sound financial use of our tax dollars?

I am not on the EDC nor have I been a commissioner. I'm just a regular joe who gets up and goes to work everyday. The city isn't "building" the Edenspace building like they did for Cap Gemini, they are just facilitating it, and Edenspace will be paying the entire debt service, unlike CG.

Economic development is a risk/reward business, just like any other business. We aren't the only ones having problems in this global down turn. We were just late to the game, so we didn't have a chance to really establish some of our companies before the bottom fell out. For every Greek To Me for Manhattan, there is the Verizon call center closing. For every Home Depot distribution center in Topeka, there is Payless Shoes moving to California. Edenspace will still move here, Ventria is consolidating its operations from California and North Carolina to JC, UPU is doing well now, Grocery Supply is staying open as Nash Finch, Foot Locker is open, Aurmor Eckrige is doing well, Lead Horse has just gone commercial, Marco Paper is doing fine, New Horizons has weathered the storm, JC Wire Harness is doing great, Millennium Rail is still plugging away.

It's easy to sit back and point out failure. Read Manhattan's Economic report, they have a whole page of failure, yet somehow are held in high regard as if they only make perfect decisions. They just spent $70 million on their downtown redevelopment that they are struggling to fill. The North End that everyone here seems so enamored with has been a work in progress since 2002 and there has been extreme public outrage over the project the whole time. Sometimes you just have to do what you think is right for the community. That's why they approved the $70,000,000 in bonds unanimously. Manhattan has spent over $100,000,000 for their economic development since 2002. We've spent $28,000,000.

taxpayer wrote:

Edenspace, Amarillo Bioscience, Spherion, Capgemini, buying the old New Horizon's building, almost every NRP project, because they have ended up being taxpayer financed rewards, not incentives; building the leaky pond, David Christie, Malone Construction, Unplugged Cities, missing the recycling plant ending up 25 miles from here, contracts giving away tax dollars with no provisions for getting the money back.
My God, how much money has been wasted that translated specifically into debt for taxpayers?

Edenspace = Still Coming to JC

Amarillo Bioscience =$500,000 (which didn't come to fruition) for stock at $0.10. Trading at $0.18 today has traded as high as $0.30. Phase 2 study in Australia on Swine Flu with amazing results 3/4's through the study.

Spherion = Shows how little you know. They were the company running the workforce at Cap Gemini. No agreement or money spent on them.

Cap Gemini = Multi national cooperation who's contract at the JC facility was with Sprint. Sprint was doing great in 2006, when they all but collapsed in 2008 their contract was terminated. No contract, no work for the workers.

New Horizon's building = Part of the incentive to keep them here.

NRP = agree to disagree.

Leaky pond = Johnson swindling the city to make his property more valuable. Also, no specials down there. You and I are paying for that one.

Christie = Had some personal issues over the Bluffs, but project looks nice and they're pretty full. Not sure how that was a failure.

Malone = scumbag

Unplugged Cities = scumbag, but the JC is getting it's money back.

Recycling plant = unproven start up + smelly and unsightly + millions of dollars in investments by the city + JC didn't have land they could use, so it was a moot point anyway. If you like it so much go ahead and work there, talk to me in 3 years.

Contracts = well, some did, some didn't. Former City Attorneys weren't the best. You get what you pay for.

Sorry, sport, with tax dollars, "some do, some don't" isn't good enough. Unfortunately, that is the exact attitude at the EDC.
Almost every business you named was here before the great debt buildup. What have you done for us in the last five years?
Let's face it- if Ben Kitchens wasn't exposing the bullshit at the EDC, it would be business as usual-one bad investment after another.
The last five years of the EDC have been one failure after another- but unlike the way it works for most of us, the taxpayers pick up the pieces with unbelievable debt, and the EDC continues to ignore the will of the local citizens.

taxpayer wrote:

Sorry, sport, with tax dollars, "some do, some don't" isn't good enough. Unfortunately, that is the exact attitude at the EDC.
Almost every business you named was here before the great debt buildup. What have you done for us in the last five years?
Let's face it- if Ben Kitchens wasn't exposing the bullshit at the EDC, it would be business as usual-one bad investment after another.
The last five years of the EDC have been one failure after another- but unlike the way it works for most of us, the taxpayers pick up the pieces with unbelievable debt, and the EDC continues to ignore the will of the local citizens.

How are contracts the EDC's fault. The EDC brings them to the table. Lawyers write contracts.

Mr. Kitchen's isn't exposing anything. He is jumping to conclusions with out all the facts. Which as Chairman of the EDC is concerning. I don't know if he doesn't ask for all of the information before making public statements, doesn't understand or is just not being told. All of the above is probably true to some extent. If we tell Edenspace to just go ahead and stay in Manhattan we lose. The City hasn't fulfilled its obligations.

Who's sport? When given factual answers your immediate reaction is to call names, just because you don't like the answer? And the great majority of those have been recruited or retained in the last 5 years or so. Define "the build up".