Housing. Access to broadband. Health care. Those are the three areas that stood out this summer for Kansas Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers as he traveled 20,000 miles to hear about the good and the lacking of rural Kansas.

For the Wichita Democrat, Ellsworth was the 65th county stop Thursday, Nov. 21, on his journey to create an Office of Rural Prosperity. Rogers sat at a table for about an hour with more than a dozen representatives from the Ellsworth Correctional Facility, manufacturing companies, the medical center, school district and government.

“One of the things we have to do in rural Kansas is tell our story,” Rogers said.

Those around the table responded with positive stories from Ellsworth and Ellsworth County — from education to health care to cooperation between region’s many sectors.

“We share a wonderful relationship with the community,” said Carolyn Graves of the correctional facility.

“We are very, very blessed.”

Wayne Scritchfield, an Ellsworth City Council member who works for Kirkham Michael, and Stacie Schmidt of Ellsworth County Economic Development, talked about the Missouri developer who plans to build 12 single-family rental units in Ellsworth and two in Kanopolis. They also pointed to the Joiner housing on the north side of town. Schmidt said the duplexes rent for $850 and $1,250 a month.

Scritchfield said spec housing has not been especially successful in Ellsworth and, as a result, builders are reluctant to invest in new construction.

As a council member, he pointed to four highway projects and the drainage plan on the city’s north side to protect downtown from flooding that are expected to be done through a blend of local, state and federal dollars.

Rogers said such partnerships allow the state and cities and counties to stretch their dollars.

As for housing, he said the Kelly Administration has considered the creation of a working group to brainstorm ideas — some of which can be done through administrative action, others that will need the blessing of the Kansas Legislature.

Rogers said seven or eight state agencies have a piece of the housing pie.

Attorney Patrick Hoffman said he was in Barton County recently and officials talked about their opposition to taking money from the Kansas Department of Transportation for other programs, a practice common during the Brownback Administration.

If the state’s debt were paid off, Rogers said, every Kansans would be responsible for $2,000. That compares to $200 per person in other nearby states.

“The governor’s intent is to close the Bank of KDOT, but it’s going to take time,” he said.

Other speakers pointed to schools and health care services as examples of the good things Ellsworth has to offer.

Schmidt and Ellsworth city clerk Patti Booher also talked about access to broadband — about 86 percent of the county is covered.

“We’re fortunate here,” Schmidt said.

Rogers said most of the Kansans he has met on his trips share a common interest — no matter their address. They want good paying job, a place where they can raise their families, a good quality of life and hope for the future.

Rogers said he has heard stories of communities that are doing amazing things. Such activity benefits everyone.

A recent study showed that a 1 percent increase in rural income is matched by a 1 percent increase in urban income.

“If rural Kansas prospers, urban Kansas prospers,” Rogers said.