Reno County rolls out the welcome mat for milestone statewide conference

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas county commissioners made their way to the heart of the state this week as Hutchinson played host to the 50th Annual Kansas County Commissioners Association Conference, a milestone gathering held at the Hilton Garden Inn with Reno County proudly at the helm.

The Thursday session got off to a fitting start when the Hutchinson Fire Department Color Guard posted the colors and Lauren Storm of Greater Hutch delivered the national anthem — a reminder of the civic tradition that underpins local government work across the state.

From there, Debra Teufel, president and CEO of the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, set the tone for the days ahead. Her invocation called on attendees to lead with integrity, lean into collaboration and keep the people they serve at the center of every decision.

Reno County Commission Chair Ron Hirst then stepped to the podium to welcome fellow commissioners from every corner of Kansas, acknowledging that the challenges facing counties — whether rural or urban — rarely stay neatly within any single border.

Terry David, Rice County commissioner and president of the Kansas Association of Counties, echoed that spirit, making a straightforward case for what conferences like this one are built for: talking to each other, learning from each other and leaving better equipped to serve constituents back home.

While commissioners got down to business inside, spouses enjoyed a downtown excursion to Apron Strings, courtesy of Visit Hutch and a ride arranged through Reno County Area Transit.

Half a century in, the KCCA Conference endures as one of the more practical traditions in Kansas civic life — a room full of local leaders with real problems, real budgets and a shared stake in getting things right.