Saline County commissioners discuss township vacancies and options to combine or dissolve small townships

Saline County commissioners spent part of the Feb. 11 meeting discussing persistent vacancies in township offices and asked staff to prepare options for the commission to consider.

County staff said several township posts were vacant after the November 2024 election because some elected individuals did not meet residency requirements or chose not to take office. Vacancies noted by staff included Smoky Hill Township treasurer, Smolin Township clerk, Solomon Township clerk, and all three offices (trustee, treasurer and clerk) in Washington Township.

Staff explained that state statute requires the county commission to appoint members to fill township vacancies and that Washington Township has not adopted a budget since 2016, has fewer than 200 residents and has had vacancies for more than two years. Staff said the county last combined townships in 1965, and that county officials transferred duties from several inactive townships to the county in 2018 in at least one prior case.

Commissioners discussed several options: locating and appointing new township officers, combining township boundaries, transferring township duties to the county commission, creating a cemetery district to assume cemetery maintenance, or placing a measure before voters to dissolve a township. Multiple commissioners said they were reluctant to force unwilling residents into office and suggested the county pursue a study-style agenda item with staff work to identify practical next steps.

There was no formal motion; commissioners asked staff to prepare more information and work with county staff (Phil and Montoya were named by a commissioner) to return to a future meeting with options and recommendations.