Junction City – Week of June 8 2025
Tax System Failure; Economic Growth Hindered By Buildings, Power; Junction City Primary; Anti-Poverty Program Debate; City Budget Workshops
County Grapples With Major Tax System Failure
Lack Of Buildings And Energy Hinders Economic Growth
Junction City Sets August 5 Primary After Ten Candidates File For Three Commission Seats
City Debates, Defers Large Funding Request For New Anti-Poverty Program
City Schedules Budget Workshops For 2026 Fiscal Year
1. County Grapples With Major Tax System Failure
GEARY COUNTY - Geary County is facing a significant tax system malfunction that has tripled some special assessments and prevented major mortgage servicers from processing payments, causing widespread concern among residents and realtors. The issue, stemming from a problem with the county's software vendor, CIC, has affected an estimated 30,000 parcels. The treasurer's office reported that special assessments were erroneously tripled in the system. The software vendor, CIC, told the treasurer's staff to manually fix the 30,000 affected parcel orders, a task the office said was impossible to complete. The problem has also prevented the two largest mortgage servicers, CoreLogic and LERETA, from pulling and applying tax payments, leading to residents receiving delinquent notices from their mortgage companies. As of the meeting, the county was a week behind on its daily balancing, and the vendor's programming department was still working on a fix without a clear timeline for resolution.
2. Lack Of Buildings And Energy Hinders Economic Growth
GEARY COUNTY - Economic development efforts in Geary County are being significantly hampered by a lack of available industrial buildings and persistent energy supply issues, according to a report from the Junction City-Geary County Economic Development Commission (EDC). The EDC reported that multiple business leads, including three that emerged from a recent foreign direct investment show, are seeking existing buildings of 25,000 to 100,000 square feet, which the county does not have. A lack of adequate and reliable energy is also a "severe concern" and a major obstacle to attracting new businesses and supporting the expansion of existing companies like Michelin and Eagle Rail in Geary County. The EDC reported that the issue is regional and that utility provider Evergy has previously stated it allocated four years' worth of transformers to the Panasonic battery plant project in De Soto, leaving other counties with limited resources. Frustrated with the situation, the EDC has enlisted the help of U.S. Representative Derek Schmidt, who has agreed to facilitate a meeting with senior leadership at Evergy to address the county's energy needs.
3. Junction City Sets August 5 Primary After Ten Candidates File For Three Commission Seats
JUNCTION CITY—Ten residents have filed to run for three at-large City Commission seats, automatically triggering a municipal primary under Kansas election law. Geary County Clerk Courtney Gilbert confirmed the crowded field and said the preliminary election will be conducted on Tuesday, Aug. 5, trimming the list to the top six vote-getters for the Nov. 4 general election. Kansas statute 25-2108a requires a primary whenever the number of contenders exceeds three times the number of positions available; with ten hopefuls vying for three seats, the legal threshold is met. City officials welcomed the strong interest, calling it an encouraging sign of civic engagement as Junction City voters prepare to decide the commission’s direction for the next four years.
4. City Debates, Defers Large Funding Request For New Anti-Poverty Program
JUNCTION CITY—The Junction City Commission deferred a decision on a $100,000 funding request from the First Thousand Members Club for its proposed "Harmony Table" community meal program. Presenter Martine Chery-Hilaire outlined a "holistic approach" to combat food insecurity by not only providing daily meals but also offering case management and life skills training to address the root causes of poverty. Commissioners expressed both support for the concept and significant reservations, citing the need for accountability, the newness of the organization, and the structure of its board, which includes members living outside the country. The debate included comparisons to the city's one-time $100,000 contribution to the well-established food pantry. While the commission was unwilling to commit funds at this time, members agreed to provide letters of support to aid the organization in securing other grants.
5. City Schedules Budget Workshops For 2026 Fiscal Year
JUNCTION CITY—The Junction City Commission has scheduled a series of public workshops to begin deliberations on the 2026 city budget. The first workshop is set for Wednesday, June 18, at 6:00 PM. A second meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 8, at 6:00 PM, and a third, if needed, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, at 6:00 PM. All workshops will be held in the City Commission Room, Municipal Building, 700 N. Jefferson St., Junction City, KS 66441. These workshops provide a forum for city department heads to present their budget proposals and for commissioners to conduct a detailed review. The first meeting will feature an overview of the budget and presentations from department heads on proposed increases. Subsequent meetings will delve deeper into potential cuts, appropriations, and presentations from outside entities seeking city funding. The schedule was determined after discussion among commissioners to find dates that worked for everyone, with a preference for meeting after the city receives its valuation from the county.
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Sources
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrNt8OYBVXg
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBkB3Qh58Sw
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCmNj1yZqUE
- https://junctioncityks.portal.civicclerk.com
- https://junctioncityks.portal.civicclerk.com https://junctioncityks.portal.civicclerk.com
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