Reno County Commission Summary
Week of July 30, 2026
Commission tables eminent domain action for road project
$5.4 million bond sale approved for Evergy plant road
Greater Hutch secures funding boost, county to tap incentives
StartUp Hutch funding scaled back to $90,000
Reno County Museum retains $200,000 funding with request for action plan
Commission trims $100,000 from Road and Bridge reserve transfer
$150,000 annex space remodel deferred in budget cuts
New online tool will break down county property tax spending
Commission tables eminent domain action for road project
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The Reno County Commission unanimously tabled a resolution Wednesday that would have initiated eminent domain proceedings for the McNew Road and Mills Avenue project. Commissioners voiced opposition to forcing land acquisitions without further negotiations, stating the county should be willing to pay a premium rather than forcibly taking private property. The board will revisit the issue on Aug. 12 to allow additional time for voluntary property settlements to be reached.
$5.4 million bond sale approved for Evergy plant road
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — Despite the delay in land acquisition, the commission approved the sale of $5.4 million in general obligation bonds to finance the McNew Road and Mills Avenue improvements, a project tied to a new Evergy plant. Bret Shogren of Stifel Public Finance reported the bonds sold at a favorable 3.67 percent true interest cost, avoiding the use of existing county funds. Repayment will primarily rely on a Kansas Department of Transportation grant and future payment-in-lieu-of-taxes funds from Evergy.
Greater Hutch secures funding boost, county to tap incentives
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — Greater Hutch requested and secured a $100,000 operational budget allocation for 2027, a $50,000 increase over the previous year. To offset half of that cost increase and help balance the county's budget, commissioners reached a consensus to reduce the county's separate economic development incentive fund by $25,000, bringing it down to $50,000. Greater Hutch representatives asserted that the agency played a critical role in securing the billion-dollar Evergy project, arguing that staffing and operational funding are essential to continue attracting such investments to Reno County.
StartUp Hutch funding scaled back to $90,000
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — StartUp Hutch requested $100,000 from the county for the upcoming fiscal year, but commissioners agreed to scale the allocation back to $90,000. Commissioners noted the $90,000 figure matches the organization's funding request to the City of Hutchinson and maintains alignment with an established five-year funding plan. The organization, which focuses on entrepreneurial support and small business development, has recently expanded its outreach to smaller communities throughout Reno County.
Reno County Museum retains $200,000 funding with request for action plan
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The Reno County Museum will receive its requested $200,000 allocation — a $40,000 increase — though commissioners expressed a desire to see a concrete action plan for the funds. While commissioners asked questions about the status of previously discussed fundraising and curation goals, they ultimately agreed to the funding to support the museum's minimal staffing.
Commission trims $100,000 from Road and Bridge reserve transfer
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — In an effort to trim the county's proposed 40.22-mill maximum budget, commissioners agreed to cut $100,000 from an initially planned $850,000 transfer to the Road and Bridge special equipment and highway funds, bringing the post-cut total down to $750,000. While recently retired Reno County Public Works Director Don Brittain had previously cautioned against reducing savings due to the skyrocketing costs of heavy machinery, commissioners determined the reserve funds were currently healthy enough to withstand the reduction without impacting immediate operations.
$150,000 annex space remodel deferred in budget cuts
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — Plans to remodel the Reno County Annex to create more space for the Reno County Treasurer's Office were deferred to next year to save $150,000 in the upcoming capital improvement budget. The county will still move forward with space reorganization using existing furniture to provide temporary relief for the Treasurer's Office, but major structural changes will wait. The commission maintained other immediate facility needs in the budget, including $50,000 to replace aging and malfunctioning front doors at the Reno County Courthouse.
New online tool will break down county property tax spending
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The Reno County Information Technology Department is finalizing a new online calculator that will allow Reno County taxpayers to see exactly how their specific property tax dollars are spent. The tool will break down an individual homeowner's tax bill to show the precise monetary amount funding specific services, such as the Sheriff's Office, Public Works or employee benefits. Reno County Administrator Randy Partington said the transparency tool is in its final testing phase and will be launched on the county website soon.
Click here for local obituaries
Click here for local jail logs
Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below:
