By Gail Parsons
DCNT News Editor
Land at the intersection of highways 77 and 56, where BC Motors is, was annexed into the City of Herington to make way for its sale and subsequent construction of a Casey’s gas station.
City Commissioners approved the annexation at their Oct. 18 meeting.
Branden Dross, city manager, said because the land was annexed at the behest of the property owner, a public hearing was not required. County officials also did not oppose the annexation.
“In this case, the county was very happy with what this is going to do for the county and this part of the county in general,” he said.
When the conversation came up with Casey’s, moving forward was contingent on the property being annexed.
“Herington needs to (be able to) collect sales tax,” he said.
The city will use American Rescue Plan funds to cover the necessary $120,000 to $150,000 in infrastructure improvements.
“The money that we’re gonna use to (improve) the infrastructure there, we’re gonna see come back probably within six to nine months of them being open,” Dross said. “Then we’re going to do that 10-fold over the next five to 10 years.”
Dross said the expectation is for the gas station and general store to be in operation within the next 365 days.
“Normally they have about a 300-day window from when they sign the contract,” he said. “They get very aggressive. The biggest issues right now is the cost of supplies; the supply chain; finding adequate contractors to do the work, I know that they have their family of contractors to do the work.”
He said the intersection is in for improvements as well and is the first step, “In a wave of things to come.”