HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commissioners have set a public hearing of next year’s budget which calls for a one mill increase for next year. They set Wednesday, August 20, for that hearing, however they will have an evening meeting at the Hutchinson Public Library before the public hearing so county residents can comment on the budget. That’s scheduled for August 13 at 7 p.m.
The commissioners seem to agree on the budget which will end with the mill levy at 39.603 mills. There were some mixed feelings about adding a cost of living adjustment on top of step increases for employees of the county, but County Administrator Gary Meagher convinced the commission to go along with that recommendation, saying that 50 percent of the cost would come from sales tax dollars and the other 50 percent from the employee benefit fund. They expect to get a rebate again on insurance which would offset the cost.
Commissioner Dan Deming again tried to get the other two commissioners to add back $5,000 for Downtown Development in Hutchinson. But, the other two commissioners believe they need to be consistent to all the communities in the county.
The commission also approved a contract with the city to place fiber optic cable on city property in Hutchinson which would connect the courthouse and the new county jail.
Although they did discuss the Cottonwood Hills development, it was more about infrastructure than anything else. That would possibly include dissolving a rural sewer district, saying the developers may use a private sewer system. Apparently, no one is being served by that district at the moment.
The developers may also have to go through the platting and zoning process for the development at the intersection of Buhler Road and 4th Street. Any development would come in phases, according to Public Works Director Dave McComb. No timeline was given for any work to be done on the development.