The Geary County Commission approved a resolution Monday to set a public hearing for a proposed Community Improvement District at Acorns Resort.

Mike Harris, Owner of Acorns Resort requested the public hearing in order to create the CID to help pay for improvements to the resort’s septic system and lagoons.

Steve Struebing, Harris’s Legal Council explained that counties and cities have the authority in Kansas to establish a particular district within which there are any number of types of improvement projects to be completed by the private sector.

“The municipality will impose a special sales tax, not to exceed two percent, within that district only,” says Struebing. “The proceeds of that tax are used to pay the cost of the project.”

Harris and Struebing have requested a two percent sales tax, of which the funds would pay for improvements to the resorts septic systems and lagoons.

Harris is needing to improve the resorts septic systems and lagoons in order to move forward with a larger expansion project that includes additional meeting space, additional lodging, a restaurant, more camp sites and more special event type structures such as picnic structures.

The sales tax increase would only by charged to customers at Acorns Resort, and would not cost the county any money.

The public hearing has been scheduled for September 2nd at 2:30 p.m. in the Geary County Office Building.