NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday moved to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate for the special districts budget at their regular meeting.
Reno County has a budget document that is prepared and approved every year separate from the overall county budget. This budget is the special districts budget. The Reno County Commissioners are the governing body for each of the special districts independently.
According to agenda documents provided to commissioners, to simplify the adoption of the budgets, each of the special districts listed below are included in the budget.
Fire District No. 2 (Hutchinson Fire, surrounds the city)
Fire District No. 3 (Nickerson and Highlands area)
Fire District No. 4 (Partridge, Arlington, Plevna, Pretty Prairie, Langdon area)
Fire District No. 6 (Sylvia area)
Fire District No. 7 (Turon area)
Fire District No. 8 (Yoder, Pleasantview, Habit area)
Fire District No. 9 (Haven, east side of Cheney Reservoir area)
Fire District Joint No. 1 (Reno/Kingman) (Pretty Prairie and west side of Cheney Reservoir area)
Fire District Joint No. 2 (Reno/Harvey) (Buhler area)
Sewer District No. 1 (Cedarview)
Sewer District No. 3-10 (Blue Spruce)
Sewer District No. 201 (Yoder)
Sewer District No. 202 (HABIT)
Sewer District No. 8 (Highlands)
Water District No. 8 (Highlands)
Water District No. 101 (Yoder)
At the requested and recommended level, all but four special districts would go above the RNR.
Reasons for this include low assessment increases in various districts, along with increased costs and the build-up of their reserve funds. The four (4) funds/districts under the RNR are Fire District No. 8 (Pleasant View, Yoder, and HABIT area), Fire District No 9’s Bond & Interest (Haven area), Sewer District No. 8 (The Highlands) and Sewer District No. 8 Bond & Interest.
Below is a tentative budget schedule, along with deadlines from the State of Kansas, based on the county exceeding the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR). Even if the RNR is not exceeded with the final budget, it is strongly recommended going through the process in anticipation of exceeding the RNR to protect the county. The purpose of following the process to exceed the RNR is that the rate is based on an estimated assessed valuation that may go up or down between now and November 1, 2023.
July 20 – Last day to notify the County Clerk about Reno County's Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) intentions.
August 20 - September 20: Hold RNR hearing prior to official budget hearing. Publication of hearing must be published in the newspaper and online at least 10 days prior to the hearing.
August 20 - September 20: Hold official Budget Hearing with same publication requirements as used for the RNR hearing. The two hearings can be on the same day.
August 20 - October 1: Pass Resolution to exceed RNR and formally adopt 2023 budget.
August 30 - October 1: Certify budget and electronically submit to the County Clerk.
The commissioners chose to file the Revenue Neutral Rate exceedance paperwork, which allows them more time to make specific decisions on if any cuts will happen, but it appeared that they were likely to keep most of the fire district budgets at staff recommended levels, at least.
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