By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
In 2014, Barton County collected more than $1.3 million from the state through the Gas and Oil Valuation Depletion Trust Fund. The Kansas Legislative Policy Group (KLPG) helped counties recover those funds. The Barton County Commission opted not to rejoin the KLPG for 2024 in its first meeting of the year. Tuesday morning, County Administrator Matt Patzner brought membership back before the board.
"The KLPG serves as a policy and decision-making body establishing legislative priorities at its annual meeting, and providing speakers to address KLPG members about the important topics of the day," he said. "After denying membership earlier this year, the commission will reconsider that action."
The board originally voted against the $5,471 membership fee because the county joined the Kansas Natural Resources Coalition (KNRC) and felt both resources would be repetitive. Commission Chair Barb Esfeld attended the KLPG's annual winter meeting in Topeka on Jan. 23 and thought more about the groups.
"We hesitated because the KNRC, we were thinking maybe they do some of the same things and didn't want to spend the money if we didn't have to," she said. "The Legislative Policy Group really focuses on overall Kansas legislation, small counties, particularly out here, west."
The board voted 5-0 to join the KLPG for 2024. To demonstrate the value KLPG can bring to the table, Commissioner Shawn Hutchinson did some quick math: the funds recovered in 2014 would pay the annual membership fee to the group for more than 180 years. The KLPG serves 33 counties in western and central Kansas.