Finney County commissioners voted Jan. 13 to participate in the Rural Opportunity Zone student loan repayment program and authorized $15,000 in county funding for 2025.

"This is a program that is designed to help attract talent into rural communities. It must be someone who has completed a degree and they move into a county that is participating and then they must have active student loans when they apply," said Jenny Hamill, assistant county administrator and finance director, as she described the program’s eligibility and Finney County’s prior payouts.

Hamill told commissioners the county paid $3,000 each year to two participants (split payments) in earlier program years, and paid out $8,091.43 to six participants in 2024 with awards ranging from $710 to $1,500. The county also received a $10,000 marketing grant in September 2024 to produce recruitment videos with the Garden City Chamber of Commerce.

On a voice vote, the board adopted Resolution 1-25 authorizing county participation in the program for 2025; the $15,000 was included in the county’s 2025 budget.