Chase County sets 2025 salaries for elected officials and department heads, designates banks and official newspaper

During the Jan. 13 organizational meeting, the Chase County Commission approved a slate of official designations, appointments and salary adjustments for elected officials and department heads.

The board designated Cottonwood Valley Bank, Citizen State Bank of Cottonwood Falls and the Kansas Municipal Investment Pool as county depositories, and reappointed the Chase County Leader News as the county’s official newspaper. The board also designated Driggs Design Group, Inc. as the county land surveyor.

The commission approved salary figures for several department heads and elected officials. The motion to set department head salaries passed; the approved annual salaries recorded in the meeting were: Tom Kirk, Road and Bridge Supervisor — $62,400; Steve Fillmore, Fire Chief — $20,800; Scott Wilsey, Emergency Preparedness Director and Sanitation Supervisor — $20,800; Jacob Welsh, Detention Facility Administrator — $33,737.60. Commissioners then approved the listed salaries for elected officials, including the county clerk, treasurer and sheriff: Chase County sheriff — $72,000; county clerk — $54,288; county treasurer — $40,647.20; register of deeds — $47,840; commissioners — $17,056 each; county attorney — $60,000.

The board set the mileage reimbursement at 70¢ per mile and the meal allowance for mandatory overnight stays at $30 per day.

A single motion also approved a list of appointments and board representatives, including Scott Harris as EMS director, Jacob Welsh as detention facility administrator, Deb Hagelin as senior center director, and Commissioner Matt Miller as the board’s representative to the Chase County Chamber of Commerce.

Ending: The motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the transcript records the actions as carried without roll‑call tallies.