Saline County commissioners move to disorganize Washington Township and attach it to Smolan Township

The Saline County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on April 7 to adopt a resolution initiating the disorganization and attachment of Washington Township to Smolan Township.

County Administrator Philip Smith Haynes told commissioners that Washington Township “has no services that they provide, no board, and they don't have a tax levy,” and that staff had identified Washington as a candidate for disorganization after a yearlong review. Under the process Haynes described, the board must pass an initial resolution, publish notice, hold a public hearing and allow a protest petition period; if no valid protest is filed the commission would adopt a second resolution to effect the attachment.

Haynes said the county worked with Smolan Township officers, who agreed to accept the additional territory. Commissioners discussed outreach and asked staff to include a map and local notices in the next materials. A motion to adopt resolution 26-2448 was made, seconded and approved on a voice vote recorded as passing 5-0.

The action would remove Washington Township as a separate township unit of government and expand Smolan Township's territory. Haynes said the county considered alternatives including leaving the township nominally on the books while shifting duties to the county, but recommended disorganization because Washington lacks officers or a levy.

Next steps set out at the meeting are publication of hearing notices and a public hearing; the second resolution to finalize disorganization will follow the statutory notice and petition period if no protest is filed. The commission did not record any protest at the April 7 meeting.

The commission's action affects local township governance and will change which township handles services and responsibilities for the territory formerly within Washington Township.