By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Board of Reno County Commissioners will be meeting on Wednesday, November 3, instead of Tuesday, November 9 and Commissioner Ron Sellers made comments at Tuesday's meeting explaining why he sees that as one of the reasons there should be more than three commissioners.
"We just talked about that we're moving a county commission meeting, due to the fact that one commissioner can't be here," Sellers said. "I don't think it's in the interests of the county to just have two commissioners so I suggest that this is a good reason to have five commissioners, because there's always going to be times that one commissioner can't be there. You have conflicts, you have illness, you have vacations and so forth and so I think that's an excellent reason."
Commissioner Daniel Friesen was not there Tuesday and county administrator Randy Partington wanted to see if the other two commissioners could assist so that he didn't miss two meetings in a row and they agreed to do that.
As for the three to five issue, Commissioner Ron Hirst believes that is still ultimately a decision for the voters on Nov. 2.
"We should put the information out there," Hirst said. "Despite our views on whether we should or should not go three to five, whether we should or should not do other things as they come up, I think we should be responsible for putting the information out there and then let the public decide. I don't feel that it's my place to promote one thing or the other. I think we need to put it out there and that's just my personal opinion."
The commission has had challenges in recent years when down to two commissioners to make decisions as happened on several occasions during the illness of the now deceased Bob Bush.