By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioner Ron Hirst said Friday that the county can't help with the Scott Boulevard bridge in South Hutchinson.
"There's very little the county can do," Hirst said. "Statutorily and therefore, legally, the county cannot provide funds to another taxing jurisdiction. By definition, that would be something like the different fire districts and that would be cities and townships. We cannot do that."
Generally, the law would appear to be well intentioned so that the needs of a local jurisdiction aren't paid for with taxpayer dollars not from that jurisdiction, but in the specific case of the bridge's proximity to the county's public works department, Hirst was dubious about whether it makes sense for the statute to be adjusted to help, even if it could be proven that the county's heavy equipment contributed to the bridge's wear and tear.
"I think that would be pretty tough to do," Hirst said. "I think you could come across thousands of instances where you'd have to make a new statute or a new law for. Just to cover that one instance, I'm not sure how feasible that is."
Hirst said the county is willing to lend its engineering expertise to the degree that it can, without specifically giving the city of South Hutchinson county funds.