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Saline County commissioners discuss filling township vacancies; staff to study consolidation or dissolution options
Summary
Commissioners discussed multiple township vacancies, statutory duties to appoint replacements, and options including combining townships, transferring duties to the county, or pursuing ballot measures to dissolve townships; staff were asked to return with options and voter/registrant lists.
The Saline County Board of Commissioners spent a substantial portion of its Feb. 11 meeting discussing vacancies on several township boards and possible long‑term options, including combining townships or transferring duties to the county.
County staff told commissioners that several township positions were vacant after the November 2024 elections because some elected officials did not meet residency requirements or did not run. The vacant offices identified in the meeting record are: Smoky Hill Township treasurer, Smolin Township clerk, Solomon Township clerk, and all three offices (trustee, treasurer and clerk) in Washington Township.
Staff said state statute gives the county commission the duty to appoint members to township boards when vacancies occur; commissioners repeatedly described the statute as “archaic” in light of low participation. Commissioners discussed practical obstacles to finding volunteers in sparsely populated townships, noted that the county already handles some functions that townships elsewhere perform (for example, Saline County maintains county roads rather than township road systems), and raised the specific issue of cemetery maintenance when townships are dissolved.
Several commissioners suggested options: combine small townships with neighboring ones (the county previously combined Summit and Fallen townships), transfer duties to the county commission, or pursue a ballot measure to dissolve townships entirely. Staff said Washington Township has not created a budget since 2016 and has fewer than 200 residents; the county clerk’s office also assists townships with budget and publication tasks.
No formal vote was taken. Commissioners asked staff to research options and return with more information; Commissioner discussion requested a follow‑up agenda item or study‑style discussion under a future meeting concept portion. Staff agreed to provide lists of registered voters in the affected township areas and to work with county staff (Phil and Montoya were named) to prepare options for commission review.
Commissioners noted that dissolving townships can raise follow‑up tasks (for example, establishing cemetery districts if needed) and that some previous county efforts to remove township levies did not succeed at the ballot box. The board did not set a firm deadline for appointments but flagged the need to have information in time for upcoming budget work.
