By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
COLUMBUS, Kan. — The Shawnee Township board plans to pursue grants for a community center at Crestline after meeting last week with the Cherokee County Commission.
Board members Carol Stone and Sandra Friend appeared before commissioners, seeking advice about restoration work that would be needed at the old school building at Crestline. They said former County Commissioner John Green and his wife, Connie Green, were hoping to use the building as a sort of clearinghouse for clothing and other items for community people in need.
Commissioner Pat Collins said a new building may be a better idea than a building that would need extensive repairs and maintenance.
“What we need to do is start the ball rolling to get a new building there,” Collins said.
“This is needed, badly,” Collins said.
Collins said Roseland successfully pursued a grant for a community storm shelter. He said West Mineral recently built a fire station with grant money.
He said a possible grant source may be the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development agency. The Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission also may help with a grant application, he said.
State Rep. Doug Gatewood, D-Columbus, told of the situation, said by phone Wednesday that he also could help the township board members identify grant sources. He said the Roseland project was done with a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, but that didn’t furnish the full cost of the project.
Stone and Friend met with County Emergency Management Director Jason Allison after they met with commissioners. Allison worked on the grants in Roseland and West Mineral.
