Saturday, July 12, 2025
Budget requests from the Cloud County Resource Center and the Concordia Senior Center, and the purchase of rifles for the police department were several of the items on the agenda for the regular meeting of the city commission on Wednesday, June 18. Commissioner Ashley Hutchinson was absent.
Tonya Merrill, the executive director of the Cloud County Resource Center (CCRC), presented her budget to the commissioners and asked for a $5,000 increase in funding for the next fiscal year. Merrill stated that the increase was needed to offset the rising cost of food and hygiene products for the food bank.
Merrill reported that in 2024, the food bank cared for 1,889 people, with a repeat customer base of about 280 people, or 15%. Nearly 40% of the families that utilize the food bank are single-parent homes. Over half of the remaining households are seniors over the age of 55, and children under the age of 12.
Merrill added that the steep rise in food prices, primarily due to inflation, has made it increasingly difficult to meet the community's needs.
In 2024 the CCRC launched three new pantries to support vulnerable individuals throughout the county. These new pantries have added 250 new clients to the care list, including over 100 infants under the age of two.
Richard Hubert, the treasurer of the Concordia Senior Center, presented its annual budget review and request for funding. Hubert reported that the senior center served 11,435 meals from mid-May 2024 to May 2025. The current meal pricing is $5 for those who are over 60 years of age and $6 for those who are under 60.
Hubert reported that about one-third of the meals are served in-house. Two-thirds of the meals are served by Meals on Wheels, and Hubert said that the senior center was very grateful to the volunteer drivers who deliver those meals to residents, most of whom are elderly.
Wages paid to the senior center staff, including the cook, assistant cook, manager, and maintenance personnel, totaled $26,692.56. The center's food cost from January to May was $19,790.34.
In the action item portion of the meeting, commissioners approved the appointment of Lucas Chavey, Lance Link, and Wyatt Trost to regular board membership positions on the Concordia Airport Advisory Board. Commissioners also voted to appoint Randy Greenwood to the ex-officio board position.
By unanimous vote, commissioners approved the purchase of 10 Black Rain Ordnance Spec 15 Mil-Spec 5.56 rifles with Burris RT-3 Prism sight and Blue Force Vickers Slings, from DC Firearms, LLC, in the amount of $9,672.60, to be paid from the Equipment Replacement Fund.
The Spec 15 Mil-Spec 5.56 is an AR-15 style rifle chambered in 5.56 NATO rounds, manufactured by Black Rain Ordnance, based out of Neosho, Missouri.
Police Chief Brent Gering stated that law enforcement officers are increasingly confronted with active shooter incidents, heavily armed suspects, and threats that exceed the capability of standard-issue sidearms or shotguns. Gering also stated that equipping patrol officers with patrol rifles is no longer a luxury — it is a necessity in today’s threat environment.
Commissioners then met in executive session for 15 minutes with City Manager Amy Lange and City Attorney Justin Ferrell. No action was taken.
Commissioners then authorized Lange to sign a purchase agreement for the property located at 620 East 12th Street. The property is being purchased for the purpose of development for the Moderate Income Housing (MIH) Grant.
With no other items on the agenda, the meeting adjourned at 6:29 p.m.
