Allen County has $2.5 million, give or take, lying in a pigeon hole of its general fund. The money was an unexpected windfall from the substantial increase in the county’s assessed valuation — from a little less than $100 million to $141 million — almost exclusively because of the recent construction of the Enbridge Pipeline that passes through the county.
That reserve, surplus or whatever name is attached, has given commissioners time to plan for its insertion in the 2017 budget.
At Tuesday’s meeting Commissioner Tom Williams asked Mitch Garner, director of Public Works, to provide a list of infrastructure projects — roads, buildings, or other improvements needed to upgrade the county.
“We need to give the money back to taxpayers,” in tangible form rather than a blanket ad valorem tax reduction, Williams said. Earlier this year they committed $100,000 to the Bowlus Fine Arts Center from the fund.
Upon Commissioner Jim Talkington’s suggestion, commissioners agreed to speed up the needed work on Humboldt streets, specifically the main thoroughfares of Ninth and Bridge streets.
County Clerk Sherrie Riebel cautioned the reserve money was in the general fund, not a part of road and bridge revenue. However, commissioners noted, it could be transferred.
WILLIAMS asked County Counselor Alan Weber to produce a formal letter giving his opinion on “the issue of incompatibility of public offices.”
The letter is in response to Williams recently announcing he would not serve on a Judicial Nominating Committee, whose members will select a magistrate judge to replace Tom Saxton, who retired. He cited his being a member of the county commission as a conflict.
Commissioners also answered questions posed by Iolan Larry Walden, including that jail bonds may not be paid off before 2020, in an issue to end 2023, because when they were renegotiated at a lower interest rate the payment schedule was locked in.
Said they would reconsider a two-month-old pledge to give $100,000 for three years in support of the Bowlus Fine Arts Center. Williams said legislative changes in school financing might permit USD 257 to resume a larger role in financing the Bowlus after this year.
IN OTHER NEWS, commissioners:
— Rejected for the fourth year paying $750 annual dues for the county to be a member of See-Kan Resource Conservation and Development. The organization advertises itself as “striving to improve the quality of life throughout southeast Kansas by working across county lines to address local and regional concerns.” Commissioners said Tuesday, as they have in recent years, they thought Allen County accrued few benefits from being a member.
— Accepted an $807 grant from the Kansas Waste Tire Program to purchase four eight-foot-long benches for the east side of the courthouse lawn, to support the weekly Allen County Farmers Market. The benches are made of shredded tires.
