No real surprise that the county voted against providing any financial help to the city when it comes to repairs of the city’s levee system. Last week, County Commissioner Dan Deming attempted to persuade his fellow commissioners that the county should help, but failed to gather any support from either Commissioner James Schlickau or Brad Dillon.

He didn’t have any better luck this week and the issue was voted down by the county with Deming the only one voting in favor.

The board had received a formal letter from Hutchinson City Manager John Deardoff asking the county contribute 27% of the cost of the levee repairs, which are needed to keep the system up to the Army Corps of Engineers standards. Failure to do the repairs would put a large portion of the city in the flood plain, forcing property owners to buy flood insurance.

County Counselor Joe O’Sullivan has repeatedly said any inter-local agreement with the city can only be made for new projects, not existing ones.

Again, the County Commission voting it down this week.