Lyon County issues are the focus of Saturday’s Eggs & Issues
Originally published 01:45 p.m., March 31, 2008
Updated 01:45 p.m., March 31, 2008
There were no eggs at Saturday’s Eggs & Issues, but there were enough issues being discussed to make a fairly rich omelet.
Saturday’s panel at the Lyon County Courthouse featured Lyon County officials, including the Lyon County commissioners. Eggs & Issues, sponsored by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters, is held several times each year and gives the public the opportunity to hear from officials and ask questions.
Lyon County Commission Chairman Scott Briggs took the floor first. This is Briggs’ first year serving as chairman. Briggs focused on positive developments in the county, including the Hills Pet Food plant that will be coming into Emporia.
“There have been a lot of positive things,” he said.
Still, Briggs remained cautious, especially in the wake of Tyson Fresh Meats’ decision earlier this year to lay off more than 1,500 workers.
“Our job is to make the county run as efficiently as we can,” he said. “It’s going to be challenging because we do know the tax base is going to erode some. ...”
Briggs talked about the state of roads in Lyon County after the unusually wet winter the area had.
“It’s been a tough winter for gravel roads in Lyon County,” he said.
Nearly 83,000 tons of rock were put on Lyon County roads in 2007, Briggs said. In February alone, 32,000 tons of rock were put on roads. Later in the program, Commissioner Bob Davis also touched on the tonnage of rock that is needed to maintain Lyon County roads.
“It takes a minimum of 115,000 tons a year to maintain our roads,” Davis said. “I mention this because I see some real storm clouds in city and county government and the first things they’re going to say is cut maintenance. Do not cut maintenance. That is going to haunt you for years and years. Don’t go there.”
Vice-Chairman Marshall Miller took the floor next, making a surprise announcement that he will not be running again for county commission.
“This is an election year,” Miller said, reminding people that the filing deadline is June 10. “Seven of the eight elected officials are up for re-election. All except (Commissioner) Briggs.”
County Controller Dan Slater commented on this.
“Two of my bosses are leaving,” he said. “So give me two good ones coming up.”
Miller talked about the country being in a recession. “People are trying to avoid that word,” he said. “But you look at housing ...” Miller said the housing situation is affecting more than just that market. It’s affecting builders, landscapers and any business that has to do with the housing market.
Miller brought up the topic of the Lyon County Extension Office and its new home near the Lyon County Fairgrounds.
“The good news is they are in there,” Miller said. Miller said by moving the Extension Office, the county was able to salvage jobs at TFI Family Services, which purchased the building the extension office formerly occupied downtown. The 402 Annex (old Lyon County Courthouse) is nearly full, Miller said.
“It’s almost completely filled with not-for-profit organizations,” he said.
Davis also made some introductory statements, re-iterating that he too won’t be running for re-election this year due to other obligations and business ventures.
“There’s some good people out there,” he said. “I’ve been talking to some ...”
Millions of dollars of capital investments are coming back on the tax role over the next few years, Davis said. In 2008, $26 million will be coming back on. In 2009, there will be $11,250,000 and in 2010, $18,700,000.
“Even though we’ve lost some employment, we do have some positives on the horizon,” Davis said. “The RDA has spent a lot of money bringing these industries into town. This is really the first year that we’re going to see the benefits of that.”
During the question and answer portion of the program, several issues were raised by the public. One of the issues raised centered around changing meeting times so more people could attend. Right now, the commissioners meet Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
“I think we’ve talked about evening meetings,” Davis said. “We just haven’t had a lot of discussion.” Davis said he wouldn’t be opposed to having a study session in the evening, but the action session would need to stay as it is.
Briggs also chimed in on the question. He said it could be costly because security would have to be in the courthouse after hours and some of the offices and departments wouldn’t be open.
Another audience member raised the question of law enforcement consolidation and what other ways the city and county could work together to save money.
“The city and county do cooperate and meet quarterly,” Slater said. “There is one phone system, one switchboard operator. But you do need to understand there are two different functions of the governments.”
Slater said there is a lot of behind the scenes cooperation that many people don’t realize.
“If you have a fire in the city of Emporia, you’ll likely see Olpe helping,” he said. Miller said the Emporia/Lyon County EMS is a cooperative effort and the city and county share in the purchase of ambulances.
“The last ambulance was $190,000,” Miller said. “They’re Cadillacs, but they last a long, long time.”
The renovation of the Lyon County Fairgrounds was brought up and Davis answered it.
“Two years ago we launched a campaign to start a fundraising effort,” Davis said.
Davis said that effort was pulled back and put on the back burner during Emporia’s search for a city manager. Davis said some beautification has been done on the grounds.
“I think we need something that when people drive into town they say ‘Oh man, look at that,’” Davis said. “They say that now but in a different perspective.”
Davis said the first thing that needs to be renovated is the old Quonset huts, and then a visitor’s showplace would need to be constructed.
One of the final questions focused on the tax base. An audience member inquired about what commissioners anticipated it would do in the future.
“I don’t know what it’s going to do,” Miller said. “I think the county is going to be pretty flat. It’s going to be very difficult to provide services and hope the taxes will level out.”
Miller said inflation coupled with recession will force the government to hold down expenses. Lyon County Appraiser Gary Post spoke on this question as well. Post said the overall housing valuation is up four percent, the smallest increase he’s posted in 10 years. The valuations are based on home sales, Post said. Commercial property valuations are up an overall 11 percent. Farmland is on an eight-year moving average, Post said, and it takes two years for commodity prices to get into that mix.
“Where it’s going, I have no clue,” he said. “As soon as the appeal process is over we’re going to start looking at 2009. Everybody has a wait-and-see attitude.”
bellabrooke (anonymous) says...
Davis said some beautification has been done on the grounds.
Please tell me he's kidding.
April 1, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tosie (anonymous) says...
Unless you've been a part of the Lyon County Fair Board, you have no idea how much work is put into that place or the fair itself and it's being done all year long, not just for that couple weeks the fair is here in the summer. So, no he's not kidding.
April 1, 2008 at 11:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )