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Reno County commissioners continue study of adding two seats; no ballot decision
Summary
Commissioners reviewed prior committee work and county comparisons as they considered moving the county from three to five commissioners. Staff outlined legal steps and timing for placing a measure on the ballot; commissioners asked for more legal analysis, mapping and public outreach before taking a vote.
Reno County commissioners continued a multi‑meeting review on whether to expand the elected commission from three to five members, receiving background documents and map options at the June 8 meeting.
County staff presented comparative data on similarly sized Kansas counties and summarized a committee report from 2014–2015 that found both advantages (broader representation, distributed workload) and disadvantages (increased cost for salaries/benefits; scheduling). Deputy election officer S11 explained the process for putting a change on the ballot: the commission would first adopt a resolution with ballot language and must submit required materials to the county clerk's office before the August 2 deadline to appear on the November ballot.
Commissioners raised legal and practical questions about district mapping, precinct splits and how seats and incumbencies would be handled. Several commissioners said they wanted more statutory guidance and public input before deciding whether to initiate the ballot process; staff agreed to return with legal clarification on open‑meeting and statutory issues and with updated maps based on the 2020 census numbers expected in September.
No motion was made to place the change on the ballot at the meeting; commissioners agreed to continue the discussion at upcoming meetings and to solicit public comment and legal analysis before any resolution is drafted.
