Petition would add two seats to Bourbon County commission

Journal staff report

A bi-partisan Bourbon County citizens group named The Three-to-Five

Committee is gathering signatures on a petition that would put the question of whether to expand the three-member Bourbon County Commission to five members.

According to Michael Hoyt, a spokesperson for the group, more than 550 of the required 621 signatures have been collected to put this issue on the Nov. 5 ballot: “Shall the current number of Bourbon County Commissioner Districts set forth in KSA 19-203(a)(b)(c)(d)&(e), be

increased to five (5) Commissioner Districts?”

"As provided in the Kansas statutes, the districts will be five districts 'as compact

and equal in population' as possible," Hoyt said in a press release. "The change will have no impact on the county budget.

"The additional commissioners will allow better collaboration and focused

representation on their respective districts. As the commission is currently constructed,

the group noted, 'even two commissioners having conversations on any topic that may

come before the commission is a violation of the Kansas Open Meeting Act (KOMA).'”

Hoyt offered no explanation on why the additional two commissioners would not change the county's budget.

He said the five-member commission would allow an opportunity for collaboration and discussions with two commissioners would improve the decision-making process and should provide improved transparency and accountability.

Hoyt said that a copy had been provided to the county counselor for review. The petition decides nothing other than to place the question on a ballot, and voters will have a voice to vote for or against the ballot question in the November election.