Residents press commission on free-roaming chickens and county budget priorities

Public comment at the April 20 Geary County Commission meeting centered on two recurring themes: nuisance animals and budget priorities.

Free-roaming chickens: Anne of Burkwood told commissioners she has photographic evidence of neighbors’ chickens roaming on to her property repeatedly. She said the problem stretches back months, that a neighbor allegedly damaged her alarm system when responding to an intrusion, and that she had not filed directly with the sheriff but had spoken to a major. Anne criticized the sheriff's department’s handling of the case, saying paperwork was lost and no charges appear to have been filed. She asked the commission to consider stringent ordinance language that would require secure enclosures, limits on numbers and clear enforcement provisions.

Budget and outside-agency funding: Gary Olds, who identified himself as a Junction City native and rental property owner, asked about last year’s county compensation decisions (noting a 1% COLA and a 3% step increase for some employees) and encouraged commissioners to keep personnel costs from dominating the budget. He said that nonprofit services should primarily be funded through charitable giving and suggested the county could consider incentive matches (for example, partial matching grants) to encourage outside fundraising rather than routine operating grants.

Commissioners and staff responded: officials said they already request outside agencies to report other funding sources and that they will consider parameters for any future local ordinances on animals; commissioners indicated the issue will come before the county for drafting of enforcement and fencing standards. On budget matters, staff clarified that COLA and step increases are separate elements of compensation and that department heads make step decisions based on performance.