HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County sales tax numbers were down again for the month of December when compared to last year. The county also fell more than $202,000 short in revenue for the year compared to 2016 figures.

It’s the third straight year the county has taken in less sales tax and the lowest since 2012. Sales tax revenue for the year totaled $4,292,000 compared to $4,495,000 in 2016.

Sales revenue for the jail fell as well, but is still running ahead of projections according to County Administrator Gary Meagher. Total sales tax revenue generated for the jail totaled $5,296,000 compared with $5,525,000 in 2016.

Even with the lower numbers, the county still expects to pay off the jail by 2021.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners tabled any action on an amendment to the protest procedure for the County Solid Waste Utility fees during Tuesday’s agenda session. The matter will be taken up again next week.

Property owners who wish to protest solid waste fee assessments may do so by submitting a written protest form that briefly summarizes the basis for which they believe the real estate shouldn’t have been assessed or that the amount of the fee exceeded the fees established by the county for the applicable property classification.

All real estate parcels where a structure exists as of Jan. 1 of each year, regardless of classification, are assessed at least the minimum fee provided for each parcel.

Commissioners also took time to go over some county accomplishments from the past year including major work on roads and bridges. That included the resurfacing of North Plum, 43rd Avenue, and 56th Avenue. It also included the replacement of many small bridges.

Commissioners also looked ahead to the renovation or replacement of several other bridges in the county including the 43rd Avenue span over the Union Pacific Railroad.

Commissioner Bob Bush commended Public Works for saving money by doing some of the smaller bridge projects itself and finding other savings in the budget that allowed more roads to be resurfaced than in past years.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Tickets for this year’s Hutchinson Reno County Chamber of Commerce annual meeting sold out in less than six business days. It’s one of the fastest sellouts of the annual meeting according to the Chamber. The Chamber had 880 dinner tickets available that went on sale Dec. 5.

This year’s featured speaker is Alison Levine. Levine was team captain of the first American women’s Everest expedition and is the author of the New York Times best-seller On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Everest and Other Extreme Environments. She’s one of just 44 explorers who have conquered the Seven Summits and skied to both the North and South Poles.

While the dinner tickets are gone, gallery seating is available for the presentation only. Gallery seating is $10 to Chamber members and $20 at the door. Non-member tickets are $15 in advance and $25 at the door. For more information, contact the Chamber at 620-662-3391.