(WIBW) - A group of people is in place to help people living in Treece find new homes.

Governor Mark Parkinson has appointed five Southeast Kansans to the State Public Trust that is charged with administering the relocation assistance.

The Kansans named to the trust are Gene Bicknell, James Dahmen, John Delmont Jr., Eddie Hamilton and Betty McBride.

“The residents of Treece have been waiting many years to begin the relocation process, and with these appointments, we are one step closer to making this a reality,” Parkinson said. “These five individuals are recognized financial officers, business leaders and public servants who will uphold the integrity of the citizens of Treece.”

Bicknell, a Pittsburg-native, is a recognized Kansas businessman as the creator of five companies, including NPC International, Inc. and Pitt Plastics, Inc. Throughout the years, Bicknell has served on numerous boards and councils and was previously appointed by former-Governor Mike Hayden to the statewide economic development task force. In 2004, he was named Ernst & Young’s Master Entrepreneur of the Year and has also been bestowed a lifetime achievement award for supporting projects that encourage good quality of life for Kansans. Bicknell received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in business administration, from Pittsburg State University.

Dahmen, Columbus, has extensive background in economic development and has been the general manager of the Columbus Telephone Co., with the Independent Telephone Cooperative for 25 years. He served on many councils and boards throughout the years, and was a former chairman of the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation and the Kansas Telecommunications Industry Association. Dahmen also brings experience as a trustee for Mid America, Inc./SEK, Inc., a ten county economic development organization for Southeast Kansas. He attended St. Mary’s College in Minnesota.

Delmont, Columbus, formerly served as a Cherokee County Commissioner for 20 years. He served on the Kansas County Association Multi-line Pool (KCAMP) Insurance Board and was a past president of the Kansas County Commissioners Association Board and the Kansas Association of Counties Board. Delmont is a lifelong resident of Cherokee County and a cattle rancher and farmer.

Hamilton, Columbus, is a retired postal worker and a former Cherokee County Commissioner chairman. He has served on the Kansas Highway Advisory Commission, as the chairman of the Maude Norton Memorial Hospital Board and as a member of the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission Board. Hamilton was also in the U.S. Naval Air Force and is a member of VFW Post 1372 in Columbus. He graduated from Fort Scott Junior College.

McBride, Columbus, is a former Cherokee County Treasurer and director of the Division of Vehicles for the State of Kansas. She spent almost 25 years as the chief financial officer of Cherokee County before being appointed to oversee the Division of Vehicles in 1991. McBride is a current member of the Kansas Board of Healing Arts and was previously on the board of directors for the Kansas Development Finance Authority as well as a past president of the Kansas County Treasurers Association. She has been bestowed with many accolades over the years, and the Kansas County Treasurers established the “Betty McBride Outstanding County Treasurer Award” presented annually to a Kansas County Treasurer. McBride is now retired and working part-time as a loan document manager for Exchange State Bank in Columbus.

The State Public Trust will make the final decisions regarding the buyout procedure of the environmentally-stricken town of Treece. The governor’s appointments are subject to Senate confirmation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has budgeted $3.5 million for the buyout. In conjunction, Governor Parkinson has included a ten percent match in state funds of the federal buyout, as stipulated by the EPA, in his Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal. The $350,000 in state assistance must be approved by the legislature.