County commits $1 million to Pittsburg State outdoor track facility

New state tax legislation adds protest procedure, cuts notice funding

County prepares for delinquent property tax sale

High insurance costs dominate clerk's expenditure report

Asphalt plant delays stall county road patching operations

Highway 160 nuisance property cleanup underway

County commits $1 million to Pittsburg State outdoor track facility

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. - The Crawford County Commission approved a recommendation from Explore Crawford County Executive Director Sarah Runyon to allocate $1 million over the next 10 years to Pittsburg State University's new outdoor track facility. The funding, drawn from one-sixth of the transient guest tax, matches a similar $100,000 annual commitment from the city of Pittsburg. University officials said the Olympic-grade, eight-lane track is designed for large meets and is expected to drive economic activity by attracting major events, including a conference championship meet this spring.

New state tax legislation adds protest procedure, cuts notice funding

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. - Crawford County Counselor Jim Emerson briefed the commission on recently passed state legislation that modifies the revenue-neutral rate procedure by adding a new "protest rate." If local governments exceed this secondary tax rate, citizens can initiate a formal protest petition to trigger a public vote. The legislation also eliminates the state's annual reimbursement to the county — about $20,000 — for the cost of mailing revenue-neutral rate notices. The changes are expected to increase administrative workloads and require earlier budget preparations to meet statutory deadlines.

County prepares for delinquent property tax sale

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. - Crawford County is moving forward with a new delinquent property tax sale after the county counselor's office presented a petition covering two new years of tax defaults. County Treasurer Joe Grisolano and the treasurer's office have reviewed the documentation, and officials are preparing to file the necessary paperwork in court to proceed. The process will require serving notices and publishing public notifications, but officials said the sale could help clear back taxes and return some blighted properties to productive use.

High insurance costs dominate clerk's expenditure report

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. - During a review of the monthly clerk's report, the county commission noted the financial burden of the county's insurance premiums, which are now being itemized by individual departments. While total costs remain consistent with expected renewals, the detailed breakdown highlighted insurance as one of the county's largest ongoing expenditures. The increased transparency prompted discussion of the cost impact across multiple departments, including emergency medical services and the health department.

Asphalt plant delays stall county road patching operations

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. - Crawford County road crews are facing delays in spring asphalt patching due to an operational hold-up with local asphalt suppliers. The downtime during favorable weather prompted discussion of alternative options — including sourcing asphalt from Carthage, Missouri — to keep projects moving. The commission also discussed scaling back planned chip-and-seal projects to reallocate funds for asphalt repairs while maintaining a tighter overall road maintenance budget.

Highway 160 nuisance property cleanup underway

CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. - Efforts to clean up a long-standing nuisance property at the intersection of 260th Street and Highway 160 are underway, with crews beginning work early Tuesday. Officials reported that within the first two hours of the operation, eight truckloads of tires and two dumpsters of trash had already been removed. The cleanup is expected to take two full days to complete, addressing a longstanding blight and safety concern for the county.

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