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Minutes for HB2145 - Committee on Local Government, Transparency and Ethics
Short Title
Substitute for HB 2145 by Committee on Local Government - Establishing the Butler county fair board to consist of 15 members, providing for the appointment of members to such board and allowing up to five members of such board to be appointed from the county at large.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 5, 2025
Chairperson opened the hearing on HB2145. Charles Reimer, staff revisor, provided a briefing on the bill. (Attachment 1) Mr. Reimer addressed questions from the Committee.
Due to technical difficulties with the proponent connecting virtually to the meeting, Jay Hall, Deputy Director and General Counsel, Kansas Association of Counties spoke on the bill. Mr. Hall explained the Butler County Fair Board currently consists of 29 members, one from each township. Mr. Hall indicated they are having trouble getting people from every township to volunteer for the fair board, so they are seeking to cut that number down to 15. Mr. Hall explained the bill would allow for more appointments from each commissioner. Mr. Hall noted Cloud County has three commissioners and Butler County has five commissioners. Mr. Hall addressed questions from the Committee. No written testimony was provided.
William Johnson testified in support of HB2145 explaining that by current statute Butler County has a 29 member board. Mr. Johnson noted that because they've had trouble getting people at different townships to be on the fair board, they've expanded it through at-large members to a 35 member board. Mr. Johnson indicated the board has gotten too big, and this would be a good opportunity to modify that for counties with five commissioners to have a 15 member board appointed by the commissioners. Mr. Johnson explained the bill would also allow other counties to enter into this through charter resolution, providing better opportunities for all counties in Kansas with the exception of Johnson and Wyandotte who have an excess of five commissioners. (Attachment 2)
Chairperson Bowers closed the hearing on HB2145.
