By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioner Ron Sellers wants an expanded commission not to cost taxpayers any more in salary.
"Back before we went to a county administrator government, commissioners were paid $36,000 a year," Sellers said. "It was about a half-time job. They were in the courthouse every morning. They had two public meetings a week. They ran the departments."
The commission doesn't do those things any more.
"Now that we've gone to a manager, a professional manager form of government, there's much less duties of the commission. It's my suggestion tomorrow that in the event the electors of Reno County approve the change in the number of commission districts from three to five, the annual salary for each member of the Board of County Commissioners, effective for the pay period starting January 8, 2023, shall be $10,800. We're currently paying $18,000."
That would make the move from three to five commissioners, in terms of salary, revenue neutral. There would likely be some incidental costs related to additional desks and IT infrastructure for additional members.