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The Rundown is prepared by the City of Newton Communications Office to summarize the City Commission meeting and does not represent official Commission minutes.

Jan. 28, 2025, Newton City Commission meeting

City gets first look at grain elevator mural project

At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Commission received a presentation on a new mural planned for the Ardent Mills grain elevator.

Greg Bontrager, associate director of the Newton Community Foundation, presented the concept design. The mural will cover the west end of Ardent Mills’ north elevator at Seventh and Pine streets, overlooking the new Newton Public Library. The 7,600-square-foot mural will highlight elements of Newton’s history and culture reflected in books on a shelf, flanked by sunflowers and wheat.

The mural’s artist is Mindy Allen, a Junction City-based artist who travels the country painting large-scale murals. In 2024, her completed projects included murals in Abilene; Herington; Ellis; Mobridge, South Dakota; and her largest mural to-date, a 108-foot grain elevator in Inman.

The bottom section of the mural will be completed as a “community coloring book,” with residents and children invited to help paint the design outlined by the artist.

The Newton Community Foundation is set to launch a fundraising campaign for the mural, and Newton Murals & Arts is applying for grants. The total cost for the project is estimated at about $160,000. Organizers hope to begin the project this summer if funds can be raised in time.

Donations can be made online through the Newton Community Foundation. (Designate “Elevator Mural” in the comment box.) Or mail a check to:

Choose Newton Fund – Elevator Mural
Newton Community Foundation
400 S Main, Ste 100
Newton KS 67114

In other action, the City Commission:

1. Set the 2025 dates of fireworks sales for June 27 to July 4. The Commission will discuss the permitted times and dates to set off fireworks at a future meeting.
2. Allocated $36,000 to continue the downtown façade improvement grant program. Since the program began last year, 12 awards have been granted to downtown building owners for exterior improvements like lighting, painting, awnings, doors, etc.
3. Approved plans and specifications for reconstruction of Runway 8-26 at Newton City/County Airport and set a bid date of 11 a.m. March 11. The local share of the project is estimated at $512,025, to be split between the City and Harvey County. The balance of the project will be paid by the FAA.
4. Received the year-end report for the Main Street program.
5. Approved a request to close Athletic Park Circle on April 26 for Newton Bible Christian School’s Eagle 5K.
6. Approved an access easement for Avcon Industries for its newly acquired building at the Newton City/County Airport.

For more information, please contact Communications Director Erin McDaniel at 316-284-6055 or emcdaniel@newtonkansas.com.