The sale of real estate gifted to the O’Connor Animal Shelter, and new windows for the north side of the Brown Grand Theatre were two of the action items on the agenda at the regular meeting of the city commission on Wednesday, June 3.
The meeting began with Mayor Ashley Hutchinson signing a proclamation making June 2026 Elder Abuse Awareness Month in Concordia.
WHEREAS, according to the National Council on Aging, one in ten seniors in America
experiences mistreatment or abuse—including domestic and sexual violence, financial
exploitation, and neglect; and
WHEREAS, abusers of older adults are both women and men and are usually family members,
caregivers, health care workers, or other trusted individuals—and due to the shame, fear, and other barriers elders face in reporting abuse, only a limited number of victims are able to get the help they need; and
WHEREAS, elders throughout the United States lose an estimated $2.9 billion or more annually due to elder financial abuse and $28.3 billion annually due to financial exploitation — such as the illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a senior for another’s benefit; and
WHEREAS, too often, elder abuse threatens the livelihoods of older individuals, erodes their extraordinary potential, and increases their risk of death by 300% compared to seniors who have not been mistreated; and
WHEREAS, Cloud County’s vulnerable and older adults of all social, economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds may be targets of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, which can occur in families, long-term care communities, and medical settings; and
WHEREAS, we all have a responsibility to support the safety, welfare, and dignity of vulnerable and older adults and must work toward ending elder abuse by assisting victims in accessing the information and supportive services they need, creating better and more resources for older adults in need, instituting effective intervention and prevention policies, and engaging in discussion with family members and peers to promote awareness and prevention of the quiet epidemic of elder abuse.
The City of Concordia urges all citizens to work together to help protect elder adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation and refuse to tolerate the indignity of Elder Abuse.
In the action item portion of the meeting, commissioners approved Resolution 2026-2235 that closed out the condemnation process of the structures at 311 W. 2nd Street, allowing the return of insurance proceeds.
The house was damaged by fire in February 2026, and the City received insurance proceeds of
$10,570.95. Within 45 days of receiving these proceeds, the City was required to set a public hearing date by resolution. The structures at this property have now been removed, and the property has been returned to safe conditions. The insurance proceeds can be returned to Anthony Hilpipre of Formoso, KS.
In their next item of business, commissioners approved the sale of real estate gifted to the O’Connor Animal Shelter, and authorized Mayor Hutchinson to sign a Beneficiary Acknowledgement, Consent, and Approval of Sale of Real Estate document.
In January 2025, the City was informed of a gift of land in Republic County to the O’Connor Animal Shelter. Since that notification, this estate has been through probate court. On May 14, 2026, the court authorized pursuit of the sale of real estate from the estate, including the 40-acre parcel designated to benefit the O’Connor Animal Shelter.
The proposed buyers of the property are neighboring property owners, who have agreed to pay the full appraised value for the real estate. The net proceeds of the sale, after closing costs and expenses authorized by the court, will then be distributed to the animal shelter.
Commissioners then approved the reduced-scope quote of $150,000 from Sprowls Construction
& Restoration, LLC, pending the successful sale of the State Rehabilitation Tax Credits, for the replacement of 17 windows on the north side of the Brown Grand Theatre.
The City solicited bids on May 1, 2025, for repair and restoration of the windows on the north face of the Brown Grand. Because the building is registered with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the scope of work required approval by SHPO. The priority of SHPO is to preserve the original building material and architectural aesthetic of buildings on their registry.
The scope of work included removal and replacement of paint, glazing and caulking, removal and replacement of window sills and trim, modifications to help water drain away from the building, and the addition of storm windows.
The sole bid received was for $238,565 plus 10% contingency from Sprowls Construction and Restoration Service, LLC. This bid was denied due to lack of funding, but the windows continued to deteriorate, allowing ongoing damage to the interior of the Brown Grand.
The City budgeted $50,000 in its Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for this project, originally to serve as a local cash match for grant funding. However, both grant applications were denied.
The HEAL grant application was denied because the Brown Grand has been maintained and is an active theatre. One factor that may have contributed to the denial of the T-Mobile grant application is the fact that Concordia is not designated as a Main Street Community. Last fall, the City was also denied a Heritage Trust Fund grant.
SHPO notified the City that it should proceed with a portion of the window project, and then apply for the HTF to help finish the project.
On March 30, 2026, the City received approval for participation in the State Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program for $100,000 for the window replacement project at the Brown Grand. The City will be responsible for securing a buyer for the tax credits, which are estimated at $0.90-$0.95 / dollar. The City would then receive 40% of the tax credits purchased. Using these figures, the City could expect to receive $36,000-$38,000 toward the window project.
A revised plan now focuses on 17 windows on the north face, reducing the scope of the project to $150,000. The City now proposes funding from CIP with a $50,000 allocation toward windows, a $42,450 remaining allocation toward HVAC/Boiler, plus $38,000 from the State Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program, and the remaining $19,550 from the City's Reserves.
Next on the agenda, commissioners approved authorizing Mayor Hutchinson to sign a request to exchange federal funds in the amount of $73,801.09, and to apply for the reimbursement of $66,420.98.
The Federal Fund Exchange program would allow the city to receive 90 percent of the funds to be exchanged. Exchanging these funds would allow the City to be more flexible in the way the funds are used.
During staff reports, the City's Director of Public Works Shane Kisby reported that most of the curbside tree limbs and debris from the recent storms had been picked up. His department's efforts were slowed because of equipment breakdowns. He thanked the Cloud County crews for assistance with their vehicles and staff.
With no further items on the agenda, the meeting adjourned at 5:54 p.m.
Commissioners then held a study session with Concordia Fire Department Chief John Christensen to review his proposals to adjust the department's budgeting priorities and changes in payroll.
Christensen stated that about 95% of the department's callouts are for EMS, and only about five percent for fire. The department's budget, payroll, and staffing need to more accurately reflect this.
Christensen also stated that it is a top priority to replace the department's Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), most of which is 15 years old.
Commissioners then ended the study session and called to order a meeting of the Concordia Land Bank, which authorized the sale of property at the St. Joseph Subdivision.
The meeting of the Land Bank was then adjourned.
