HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners made no endorsement of the Reno County Extension Offices redistricting plan, deciding instead that they want more information, including a budget on what it would mean for taxpayers if they combine with three other counties. Those counties include Rice, Stafford and Kingman.
They also decided against a proposal to expand the zoning to five miles of the HABIT airfield near Yoder and will send a letter to Andrew Peters over any zoning plans near the airfield.
Peters is the current director of the Sunflower Soaring Foundation and was before the commission in May asking that the county zone a five mile radius around the airfield to provide protection against unwanted land uses such as wind farms or tall structures. But, in a letter sent to the county recently, he rescinded that somewhat, saying three miles would work.
The commission also declined to change the policy to reduce the Sheriff Department’s jail overtime and courthouse security. Some have suggested that there isn’t a need to have an actual deputy at the main entrance to the courthouse while there are two contract officers working that area. Sheriff Randy Henderson says he knows it looks like that deputy doesn’t do much and wants to change that perception by having the deputy who works at that entrance do more roving around the courthouse. He also noted though that the deputy has made 90 arrests while at the position.
The commission also went over the preliminary numbers for the 2018 budget, which shows it will stay basically the same next year with no increase in the mill levy. That means the goal is to keep it at 41.774 mills. Two mills are for the bridge fund and another mill is for the road fund. One mill equals $577,881.
The commission also issued its annual proclamation for the Ulster Project that brings teens from Northern Ireland to the U.S. Protestants and Catholics mingle with each other while here in the states. Those teens and local teens were in attendance and took a tour of the courthouse after leaving the meeting.