Issues ahead in the upcoming 2018 Kansas legislative session and the needs for county governments were on the table for discussion at the Geary County Office Building on Monday. Area state legislators met with the members of the county commission and other elected officials and department heads.

State Senator Jeff Longbine noted the key objectives of the county are similar those of the legislators. “And that is that the State needs to provide the funding and the services that our residents need, our state and local governments need, whether that’s highway funds. One area that is particular disturbing right now is how the State’s taken care of mental health, and how that’s falling back on the counties because of lack of funding at the state level.”

State Representative Lonnie Clark said one of the big concerns heard from the county involved auditing of elections that has been considered at the state level, “and the amount of money that it would cost the counties to get the equipment to do the auditing.”

State Senator Tom Hawk and State Representative Dave Baker also participated in the meeting.