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Conservation district asks Atchison County for $25,000 in 2026 funding; staff cite possible 1:2 match under new state rules
Summary
Tiffany Hoffman of the Atchison County Conservation District presented the district's 2026 budget request for $25,000 and outlined past program spending, vacancies that returned funds to the state, and a potential increased state match under recently discussed legislation.
Tiffany Hoffman, manager of the Atchison County Conservation District, asked the county for $25,000 in 2026 funding to support cost-share programs (terraces, basins, septic assistance and cover crops) and listed the district’s 2024 annual expenditures and allocations.
Key points Hoffman presented: - The district’s water-resources allocation last year was approximately $52,357 and it approved 11 applications for terrace and water-resource projects. A separate nonpoint-source allocation (mainly used for septic systems and now eligible for terraces) totaled about $62,936 with nine approved applications. - The district returned $53,000 to the Division of Conservation when a state-funded DOC technician position remained vacant for two years. NRCS staffing and federal layoffs have affected local positions. - The district seeks $25,000 from the county and notes the district is a nonprofit that must expend funds on projects; the manager said the district pared costs (including finding a lower-cost auditor) to reduce its request. - Hoffman said presenters at the Kansas County Commissioners Association conference described Senate Bill 36 changes that would increase the state match to a 1:2 ratio when the county contributes $25,000, potentially providing $50,000 in state funding; she said staff and neighboring districts are cautious but hopeful pending final implementation.
Why it matters: County funding helps the district leverage state and federal program dollars to support farm conservation practices and septic-system assistance. Local funding can be a multiplier if state matching improves.
Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the request and had brief questions on coordination with NEKES and overlapping funding; no final appropriation was made at the meeting.
