Osage County, KS

Explore, Discover, Renew

A County Centrally Located and a “ Gateway to the Lakes”

Osage County is a thriving region, centrally positioned with access to major highways and larger cities. With abundant resources and vibrant communities, the county offers a relaxed pace of life amidst expanding opportunities. Known as the Gateway to the Lakes, Osage is the only county in Kansas with two federal lakes and is also home to Eisenhower State Park. Together, these natural assets draw nearly a million visitors each year and contribute $12.5 million to the local economy.

“We are proud to celebrate our agricultural roots, rural lifestyle, safe communities, and tremendous quality of life here,” says Colleen Mendoza, Osage County Economic Development Director. “We are an hour from Kansas City, 30 minutes from Topeka, two hours from Wichita, right off primary transportation corridors I-70 and I-35.  Our proximity to growing markets with direct access to a strong logistic network makes us uniquely positioned for economic growth.”

A Fresh Approach

Osage County’s new branding initiative, DiscoverOsage.com, showcases that unique positioning. The website highlights outdoor recreation, lake life, and community charm through the tagline “Explore, Discover, Renew.” The site also celebrates the individual character of each community, from Burlingame, home to the widest brick Main Street in the country, to the thriving city of Osage City, and even the uninhabited community of Arvonia, showcasing the rich Welsh history of the former farming town.

Osage is also working with neighboring counties to launch Drive 75, a regional marketing initiative celebrating communities along the U.S. 75 corridor. “Historically, collaboration in small rural communities has been unknown, we are changing that here in Osage County” Mendoza notes. “Our communities recognize we are stronger together. We have an opportunity to celebrate and strengthen the I-75 corridor, and collaboration is a huge part of how we are doing that.”

Building Communities

Revitalization efforts are ongoing, with new development happening on all fronts. In the county seat of Lyndon, residents recently celebrated the opening of a new community center, funded through a state grant. Other recent additions include the Jones Park Sunflower Disc Golf Course, and pickleball courts both popular attractions.

Former Osage City Mayor Quintin Robert, now owner of QRC Business Consulting, notes that housing and redevelopment are top priorities. He says a Moderate-Income Housing (MIH) grant has jump started construction on 15 new homes in Osage City, while the community of Carbondale is welcoming a new 40 unit Tucker Subdivision.

“Carbondale is a community that has not seen significant development since the 70’s,” remarks Mendoza.  “It is very rewarding to see the momentum in the community growing. We are working on a downtown revitalization effort there as well as a commercial rehabilitation project with the goal of bringing a restaurant and other vital services to the community.”

Supporting Local Business Development

Through the “Love Kansas” campaign, the county is partnering with the Kansas Department of Commerce to showcase the region. “This is an initiative to attract talent and promote living and working in Kansas,” expands Mendoza. “Currently there are 68,000 jobs open in Kansas, so the goal at the state level is to fill these jobs. For Osage County, we want to stop the decade decline in rural population. Our goal is to actively develop for the next generation, promote our thriving and vibrant communities and grow our population.”

To achieve that, Osage County is offering incentives to shop local. “Every month we are offering a $50 gift certificate to residents who are supporting our business,” Mendoza says. Along with this, the county is offering $500 to local enterprises. “We rotate a new business each month to be in a different community. Within a year, we will have two business grants awarded in each community. It seems small, but our businesses did not feel appreciated historically, and we are really working to turn the corner to support and provide resources for our local businesses to build a thriving business climate.”

Robert adds that incentives are also in place for developers and property owners in the form of a tax abatement neighborhood revitalization program. “So, if you want to redevelop a business or a residence, there are tax incentives to do so,” he affirms.

On the industrial side, recent changes have opened new doors. “We’ve had a large manufacturer leave the city of Osage City through a purchase and consolidation,” Robert expands. “So we currently have a 200,000 square foot facility, and it’s provided the catalyst to really get our incentive ideas in order and get them codified.”  Osage County is developing incentive packages to attract new tenants, and a new workforce development portal on the county website will share demographics, education, and labor force data for potential investors and employers.

“When we think about recruiting new industry to Osage City, we understand that it’s not just housing and workforce determiners. It is a welcoming community with a vibrant downtown. High-speed broadband and all the other amenities that families and new businesses are looking for,” Mendoza stresses.

Infrastructure for Healthy Communities

The county has partnered with the Kansas Infrastructure Hub to secure funds for projects, such as a Safe Streets for All grant, which is intended to improve sidewalks and streets promoting pedestrian and road safety. “In these small communities, without access to matching funds, large street and sidewalk projects just never get off the ground,” Mendoza acknowledges. “Wherever we have requested help, the Kansas Infrastructure Hub has provided matching funds.”

The county also continues to pursue development of a transload rail facility, leveraging the BNSF main line that runs directly through Osage County. “Our goal is to build a facility where we can move long-haul freight by rail and offload commodities to get them to businesses in the surrounding region,” she suggests.

The county is also ensuring that the foundation is in place for future development. “We’ve been blessed that most of our communities have had a vision for investing in water and sewer infrastructure,” says Mendoza. “I have come to learn how critical that is to growth. We do have our two lakes, and that is a point of differentiation.” Robert elaborates on how local water infrastructure supports regional needs. “Osage City has almost 40 percent unutilized capacity,” he explains.

“We feel like, as far as treated water and distribution, we’re in great shape. In this end of the county, there are other water suppliers as well, but by Osage City taking that lead, we’re able to provide water at a really competitive rate by basically consolidating the needs of several communities.”

Sewer and power systems are equally robust. “We’ve spent several million dollars over the last four years redoing almost all of the sewer collection system,” Robert says. “So as far as either industrial or residential expansion around Osage City, we feel like we’re in a pretty good position.”

He adds that Osage city has the ability to generate its full load of power. “It makes our electric rates very competitive for an industrial customer, and our electrical service much more predictable. It’s pretty unique for an industrial customer to have one point of contact, that includes water, sewer, gas, electric, waste collection provided by the city of Osage City.”

Broadband expansion is also nearly complete. “We will have fiber in all quadrants of the county by the end of 2026,” Mendoza confirms. “There are a couple of pockets that are more rural that will bleed into 2027, but the majority of our county will be covered.”

An Investment in the Future

On the list of exciting new ventures for Osage County is the development of a municipal airport, which is part of a long term strategic plan. “That new airport has been in planning for over 20 years,” Robert relays. “We are slowly stepping up to the actual construction. Over the past several years, that’s involved the acquisition of land, most of it through private transactions, but some through eminent domain. All of the land is collected and ready to go for the project for next spring.”

Childcare capacity has been a pressing issue statewide. “At one point the State of Kansas was saying we had 400 early childcare openings to fill,” Mendoza recalls. “We were able to add capacity in Burlingame and temporarily in Osage City, but we really realized this required a larger initiative.” The solution is now underway, with a new childcare wing being opened at the local school in Osage City, filling a need in the growing county.

Another ambitious investment is the new law enforcement center, a $23 million, 120-bed facility offering both detention and mental-health services. Funded through a small county sales tax, the center serves Osage County and surrounding jurisdictions. “It is a new revenue stream for the county,” Mendoza details.  “Sheriff Chris Wells led efforts to bring this innovative facility to the county and the community rallied around it.”

From housing and broadband to parks and childcare, Osage County’s forward-thinking initiatives are helping to build strong communities. With a clear vision, passionate leadership and commitment to excellence this county is putting itself on the map as a model for innovation and opportunity.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Osage County, Kansas

What: An thriving county, close to urban amenities and rich with quality of life opportunities

Where: County Seat, Lyndon Kansas

Website: www.discoverosage.com