BARTON COUNTY, Kan. — Barton County Commissioners have approved a grant writing agreement. County Administrator Matt Patzner said Hometown Grants submitted a proposal under which it will write up to four grants over the next year, at a total cost of $50,004.
This is being funded from the county’s economic development funds under a change it approved earlier this month to change how it uses economic development funds that prioritizes funding based on projects that benefit the entirety of the county. This money had previously been given to Great Bend Economic Development. This contract was one of the specific items Commissioners wanted funding to be used for.
Commissioners approved the replacement of a broom used by the Road and Bridge Department. County Works Director said the current Broce Broom, which they use to help remove hazards from county roads such as loose gravel, broken glass and trash. The current 2002 unit has been used beyond it’s expected useful life. Road and bridge has four of these brooms, which get a lot of heavy use. Net cost for the purchase from GW Van Keppel Company with trade of the old unit came to $64,300 .
The last item related to the Barton County Courthouse HVAC project was approved by County Commissioners Tuesday, when it transferred the just over $1.35 million it received from sale of historic tax credits on the project from the general fund to the Capital Improvement Fund. Commissioners approved the appointment of Jennifer Schartz and Chrystal Trout to the Board of the Center for Counseling and Consultation. Schartz is being reappointed, Trout is filling an unexpired term.
The Commission also approved transfer of the remaining just over $15,000 in the Special Alcohol Fund to Central Kansas Community Corrections, which will use the funding for additional testing of clients, approved the 2024 Noxious Weed Eradication Report and 2025 Eradication Report submitted to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and adopted a resolution designating next week as severe weather awareness week in Kansas.
