By DALE HOGG
Barton County Media Consultant
Nearly 400 miles of paved roads crisscross Barton County's 900 square miles, connecting its 25,000 residents. That's a lot of territory, home to many folks who may not always feel heard and who may have diverse needs.
That's why Barton County commissioners are taking their show on the road this fall. From late August through October, they plan to break in the afternoon from their Tuesday morning meetings to tour and visit taxpayers and businesses in far-flung corners where they work and live.
Commissioners hit the road
"We just want to get out around the county, visit some people and hear what's on their minds," said Commission Chairman Tricia Schlessiger, District 4, on Tuesday. "I feel the commissioners need to branch out a little."
Schlessiger, who sees this initiative as a focus of her year leading the commission, is working with county staff and peers to formulate a catchy title for the tours. The other four commissioners — Duane Reif from District 1, Barb Esfeld from District 2, Shaun Hutchinson from District 3 and Donna Zimmerman from District 5 — are all on board with the idea."
This brings us back to the reasons we ran for office in the first place," Schlessiger said.
They have a lot of ground to cover, both in terms of square miles and the number of issues facing residents. Among the topics sure to make the list are property tax rates, road conditions, mowing ditches, and law enforcement/firefighting response times, which may vary from place to place.
Beyond the coffee klatsch
The goal is to go beyond the traditional style of coffee klatsch meet-and-greets that draw the same regular crowds, she said. They want to go to farms, businesses and homes where taxpayers are.
From agriculture to oil production to manufacturing to family farms, "we have a lot of people and businesses that contribute a lot to our county but don't attend chamber coffees because they are busy working," she said. "We need to get a little bit of variety."
They plan to be strategic about this, dividing the county into quadrants. Then, they will make two or three stops each week in those areas.
"We will be reaching out," Schlessiger said. "But, if you want the commissioners to visit, please reach out to us."
Contact the Administration Office at 1400 Main Street, Suite 108, Great Bend, or call 620-793-1800.
About Barton County
Located in Central Kansas, Barton County lives by its motto of investing in growth. Supporting a variety of initiatives, the Barton County Commission invites residents to be part of broader conversations and to work in a joint effort for a robust economy, improved quality of life and collaboration that positions Barton County for the future. Check it out at 1400 Main Street, Suite 108, Great Bend, KS 67530, 620-793-1800, www.bartoncounty.org.