Tempers were on edge in some cases during a 2015 Geary County budget discussion Thursday afternoon at the County Office Building.
The County is facing the possibility of a substantial increase in the property tax levy or major cuts in expenditures for 2015. During the discussion there was a disagreement between Commission Chairman Larry Hicks and Commissioner Florence Whitebread.
Hicks said they had a disagreement on how to approach the budget issue. “I had suggested that perhaps we ought to look at giving up Commission salaries. She had made an issue about the number of trips that we take in the course of a year. From my perspective those trips are worthwhile and needed.” Hicks added whenever either he or Commissioner Ben Bennett attend them they return with meaningful information to try and help address issues in the community.”She thinks that we need to knock it out. I said well if we do that, then we need to eliminate going anywhere for that matter.”
Kansas Association of Counties, National Association of Counties, or Association of United States Army meetings are examples of trips that members of the governing body sometimes make.
Commissioner Florence Whitebread said she had called in and asked Hicks to look at the County’s travel expenses. Because I think we need to choose whether we are going to go to NACO or AUSA. We can’t do all of these things and cut the budget. And that hadn’t happened, and when I questioned him today then he kind of went off. ” Whitebread added they had a “long discussion.”
On the subject of eliminating commissioner salaries in 2015 Whitebread does not agree. I don’t feel like we should eliminate commissioners salaries. I feel like I put in too many hours to just feel like I do it for free. I’m working all the time, and I’m rarely at home because I’m working all the time as a commissioner. And I just feel like I deserve something for that work.”
According to Hicks the annual salary for a Geary County Commissioner is approximately $33,000 with the chairman paid an additional $100 per month.