Amelia Ballantine, a Byers resident, told the Pratt County Commission the town is suffering from persistent standing water, impassable streets and inconsistent mosquito abatement and asked the county to intervene.

Ballantine said culverts and ditches have been filled in, a road grader has not been repaired, streets have large potholes, and the town does not reliably spray for mosquitoes. “This town was not that way when I moved here 25 years ago. We need help,” she said.

The commission members told Ballantine that Byers is its own taxing entity and that the county cannot direct an incorporated city to act. A commissioner suggested Ballantine and other residents pursue grants and contacts the county could provide; staff offered to supply contact information for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and grant guidance. The commission advised that any grant application would need council approval in Byers before the county could sign or submit paperwork on the town’s behalf.

Commissioners and staff also explained options Ballantine raised: pursuing a complaint with KDHE for health-related mosquito or standing-water concerns, applying for road- or drainage-related grants, and coordinating a petition or formal request to the Byers city council. They noted the town’s “home rule” status and that the city controls its budget and service priorities.

Ballantine provided details about the scale of the problem in Byers, saying the town’s population is about 36 and describing multiple households and children affected by standing water and mosquito exposure. She said attempts to have the town repair culverts and hire road services have failed, and alleged that city officials prioritize other spending and give themselves pay raises while leaving infrastructure unmet.

County staff and commissioners said they would look up KDHE contacts, share available grant information, and follow up with Ballantine; staff recommended that the town formally authorize anyone applying for grants on its behalf. No formal action was taken by the commission.

The exchange concluded with staff offering to help Ballantine file a complaint with KDHE and to provide grant guidance; Ballantine said she will attend the Byers council meeting on July 7 and pursue the suggested next steps.