Riley County commissioners chose not to put a continuing county half cent sales tax on this year’s general election ballot.
Commission Chairman Marvin Rodriguez was the lone commissioner to vote for the measure, saying it may not pass by future commissions, especially if there is turn over this year. He is worried if the City of Manhattan’s sales tax question passes, then the smaller cities in the county will be affected.
“This has already been approved by the attorney general. Let the people vote; if they vote yes, then that’s their decision. If they vote no, then that is also their decision,” says Rodriguez.
Commissioner Ron Wells says the citizens would not vote for two questions on the same ballot. Commissioner John Ford says he isn’t opposed to what this sales tax will do, but says now isn’t the right time. People in the county are currently struggling financially and asking them to increase sales taxes does not send the right message, according to Ford.
Ford says if not for the pandemic, he would be in full support. Rodriguez argued that the county can’t continue to live in fear of the virus and that they need to get the county back up and running. He believes that since the county has such low numbers of people with the virus, that shouldn’t have an affect on the vote.
“We’re using that as an excuse to say we can’t continue a tax that has been in place for 20 years and won’t take effect until two years anyways. We need to get the county back up and running and we can’t do that if we continue to live in fear of what’s going on,” says Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says the virus will pass just like Spanish Flu did. Neither Wells, nor Ford seconded Rodriguez’s motion.
Also during the meeting, commissioners approved a million dollar CIP transfer, a building receptionist position, and a five percent decrease in the commissioners’ salaries.
Commissioners were unsure about approving the transfer at this point, but County Clerk Rich Vargo says they have to budget it now to have the money for next year.
The original use of the transfer was for the new EMS facility, but after seeing estimated costs for the new RCPD firing range, the commission decided to the make the transfer but not earmark it. However, they will be giving the EMS project priority with that money.
“You don’t want to in two years says ‘Oh now we want $2 million’ and then the mill levy really goes up. So then you have a little bit each year, and then after three or four years you have the money to do with what you want,” says Vargo.
Along with the transfer, the budget will be reduced by $10,000 from the decrease of each commissioner’s salary.
Commissioners also got a look at the preliminary cost of the new Riley County Police Department firing range. The total cost so far for the range design build alone is $1.43 million. Assistant County Engineer Gary Rosewicz says TRS Range Services was the only company to respond to their requests on a contract.
The project entered phase three as the commissioners were presented the price contract. Rosewicz says the committee awarded TRS an average score of 85 out of 100 per proposal recommendations.
The current price does not include the building that will go in the range as well. The estimate on that is around $500,000. Public Works Director Leon Hobson says the building is moving forward to bid per the request of the commission.
Some of the other costs for the range include a water line easement and the possible easement re-orientation.
