By Lucky Kidd
BARTON COUNTY, Kan. — Barton County Commissioners Tuesday approved a resolution authorizing 2025 participation in the Kansas Rural Opportunity Zone Student Loan Repayment Program. This program provides up to a $15,000 benefit as a workforce development tool for eligible persons establishing domicile in Barton County. As approved, Barton County has pledged a match of the benefit provided, with funding provided in the 2025 budget.
The Commission approved the appointment of Ethan Ludwig as Albion Township Trustee, succeeding Raymond Christians who recently resigned from that post, and a resolution designating the official depositories for county funds, which are the nine banks having facilities in Barton County along with the state’s Municipal Investment Pool.
Commissioners approved renewal of membership in two organizations for 2025. This includes due for the National Association of Counties and the Kansas Legislative Policy Group. The latter is a coalition of Western Kansas Counties with the common interest in preservation of the counties’ tax base and retention of local control.
Commissioners declined to act on joining the League of Kansas Municipalities. Commissioners approved extension of the employment contract of County Administrator Matt Patzner, which will now run through January 31, 2029, and the independent contractor agreement with County Counselor Patrick Hoffman, which also runs through January,2029. Hoffman provides similar services for Reno County and the cities of Lyons and Ellsworth.
A resolution was approved authorizing participation in the Online Application Intake System for Telecommunications Programs and USDA’s Online Financial Reporting and Compliance System. Hoffman said the county has historically participated in the USDA grant program, and a requirement of that is designation of a Representative-Signature-
Next week’s Barton County Commission meeting will be held on Monday morning at 10. This change is because of a state law that requires the annual reorganization of the Commission to occur on the second Monday in January.
