HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission Tuesday granted the request of South Hutchinson to annex a small portion of land near K-96 and Morgan Road, which will soon be the home of the new Agricenter location. The company wanted its facility to be in the South Hutchinson city limits so it can be hooked into city utilities.

The land is 20 acres, according to South Hutchinson City Manager Matt Stiles. The cost to add the water lines will cost just under $70,000. That will be paid by the city from money received from a quarter cent sales tax the city implemented years ago. Stiles says, eventually, they will extend sewer lines to the business as well.

The commission did table discussion for one of two property owners seeking a tax abatement because of a fire. One home was destroyed by fire on Jan. 8. This property was not destroyed as part of the wildfires, but under state statute, could still qualify for the abatement. The commission decided it wanted to study the issue, saying it may want to limit who would qualify under similar circumstances.

The commission approved the other property owner’s request because that was the result of a natural disaster, that being the wildfires.

The commission also granted the request from Sheriff Randy Henderson to spend $7,764 in JAG grant funds toward the cost of the APS Modular backup system for the new IT server room.