Cowley County property values see modest increase as real estate market normalizes

Payment in lieu of taxes approved for Silverdale Quality Stone

Vector Tooling Technologies enters tax transition agreement

State agreement secured for Brown's Bridge replacement

Commercial traffic banned, speed limits reduced on 155th Road and 256th Road

Cowley County Public Works to purchase new dump trailers for increased safety

Cowley County employee health plan achieves nearly $300,000 surplus

Cowley County updates fireworks regulations for unincorporated areas

Cowley County property values see modest increase as real estate market normalizes

WINFIELD, Kan. - Cowley County property values have increased by an overall average of 4.19 percent, bringing Cowley County's total appraised value to $2.9 billion, the Cowley County Appraiser's Office reported Tuesday. Residential properties saw the most significant impact, with 81 percent of homes increasing in value by a median of 5.9 percent. Agricultural land use values saw a slight 1 percent decrease overall, while commercial properties experienced a median increase of 1.46 percent. Appraiser officials noted that while residential sale prices continue to rise, the overall volume of real estate sales has decreased, returning to standard pre-pandemic levels.

Payment in lieu of taxes approved for Silverdale Quality Stone

WINFIELD, Kan. - Silverdale Quality Stone will begin transitioning back to the standard tax roll following the Cowley County Commission's approval of a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement. The agreement addresses the expiration of the company's previous economic development exemption. Under the PILOT structure, the company's tax responsibility will scale gradually from 0 percent to 100 percent over a set period, a model Cowley County has utilized over the past five years to retain businesses while ensuring they eventually contribute their full share of local property taxes.

Vector Tooling Technologies enters tax transition agreement

WINFIELD, Kan. - The Cowley County Commission approved a payment in lieu of taxes agreement for Vector Tooling Technologies. The manufacturer recently saw a 10-year economic development exemption expire on a large portion of its property. The new agreement provides a phased, time-limited incentive that gradually scales the company's tax payments back to 100 percent, balancing corporate retention with Cowley County's need for municipal tax revenue.

State agreement secured for Brown's Bridge replacement

WINFIELD, Kan. - The replacement of Brown's Bridge moved one step closer to reality Tuesday as the Cowley County Commission approved an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation. The project is part of the state's off-system bridge program, which helps local governments fund major infrastructure repairs. Cowley County officials confirmed the bridge replacement is currently in the design phase, and the newly signed agreement ensures continued state partnership and funding as the project moves forward.

Commercial traffic banned, speed limits reduced on 155th Road and 256th Road

WINFIELD, Kan. - Following an engineering evaluation and speed study, the Cowley County Commission passed a resolution prohibiting commercial through traffic and reducing the speed limit to 35 mph on 155th Road and 256th Road. The changes impact the affected corridor and include recommended reduced speeds along curves. Cowley County will provide the initial signage, but Silverdale Township will assume responsibility for the ongoing ownership and maintenance of the speed limit and warning signs.

Cowley County Public Works to purchase new dump trailers for increased safety

WINFIELD, Kan. - The Cowley County Commission authorized the purchase of two new belly dump trailers for the District 1 and District 3 road and bridge shops at a cost not to exceed $77,500. Cowley County Public Works officials noted that the trailers will significantly increase employee safety by reducing the risk of traditional dump truck beds striking overhead power lines in residential areas. The new equipment is also expected to increase operational efficiency, allowing road crews to haul twice as much material per trip while freeing up staff for right-of-way mowing.

Cowley County employee health plan achieves nearly $300,000 surplus

WINFIELD, Kan. - The Cowley County employee health benefit plan ended the last plan year with a $291,486 surplus, bucking national trends of rising health care costs. Representatives from USI Insurance Services reported that net plan costs have dropped over the past three years to $11,531 per employee annually. The Cowley County Commission praised Cowley County staff for the favorable utilization rates and opted to hold the surplus funds in reserve to offset potential future premium increases, as industry experts project health care inflation could reach up to 12 percent by 2026.

Cowley County updates fireworks regulations for unincorporated areas

WINFIELD, Kan. - The Cowley County Commission unanimously approved Resolution No. 2026-04, updating the regulations for the sale and discharge of fireworks in Cowley County's unincorporated areas. The new rules replace a previous resolution and explicitly permit residents to discharge non-commercial, consumer-grade fireworks on private property from June 27 through July 5 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., with hours extended to midnight on July 4. The resolution also outlines specific permitted uses for special events and local business displays.

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