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Finney County creates Sewer District No. 4, adopts fees and rules
Summary
After a public hearing, the Finney County Commission adopted a resolution creating Sewer District No. 4, set user fees and approved rules and regulations; initial capital assessment for an earlier pump-station project will not be charged because ARPA funds paid that cost.
The Finney County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 2 held a public hearing and adopted resolutions creating Sewer District No. 4, setting user fees and approving rules and regulations for the new district.
County interim administrator Gary Meager told commissioners the creation followed a petition received June 25 that carried signatures from more than 51% of property owners in the proposed district and a notice published in the Garden City Telegram. The resolution creating the district described a completed pump station installed earlier in 2025 at an estimated cost of $408,859; Meager said that cost had been paid with ARPA funds, so there will be no capital assessment for that earlier project in 2026.
Commissioners then approved a separate resolution to set user fees and to authorize the county to adopt rules and regulations for Sewer District No. 4. Mackenzie Phillips, development administrative coordinator, explained the system charges carry two parts: a county user fee to cover system operation and a treatment charge passed through from the City (based on water usage). Commissioners emphasized that the county’s user fees are in addition to city treatment charges.
During the public hearing, two property owners asked how future connections and assessments would be handled. Meager and Phillips said property owners within the district will be allowed to connect but would be responsible for extension costs to reach their properties; per-square-foot assessments were described as the methodology for capital improvement charges, while actual wastewater treatment charges will be based on water usage as billed by the city. Commissioners and staff said future capital needs would be managed through a capital improvement plan and any future assessments would be limited to properties inside the district.
The board voted by roll call to adopt the creation resolution and the fee/rules resolution, and then approved the district’s rules and regulations as presented. The resolutions were recorded in the meeting minutes as Resolution 23-2025 (creation) and Resolution 24-2025 (fees and adoption of rules), and commissioners closed the public hearing after the votes.
Moving forward, officials said no assessments are expected for 2026; staff recommended developing a capital improvement plan to anticipate and limit future assessments to district needs.
