It seemed like a matter of common sense, but the Barton County Commission Monday morning approved a resolution establishing a regular meeting schedule for the governing body. 

The commission has met at 9 a.m. just about every Monday for as long as commissioners could recall. But, a new state law that went into effect July 1 requires commissions across Kansas to make this official via a resolution.

“Basically, this puts into a resolution what we’ve been doing for years,” Operations Director Phil Hathcock said. 

In general, the resolution calls for the commission to meet in regular session at 9 a.m. each Monday, except for holidays, in its chambers at the Barton County Courthouse, 1400 Main, Room 106, Great Bend, Kansas, On holidays, it will meet on Tuesdays.

These changes came from Kansas House Bill 2102 which amended the law relating to scheduling of county commission meetings and requires commissions to meet on such days and times each month as established by resolution adopted by the board. The bill also makes the meeting requirements the same regardless of the county’s population.

In addition, it allows for a special session to be called by a call of the majority of board members. The bill clarifies that the business transacted during the special session will be governed by the agenda set for that meeting.

Additionally, the bill replaces the term “chairman” with “chairperson.”  

In an unrelated change, the bill also eliminates the requirement that the governor appoint representatives to the governing boards of regional library systems, and instead requires appoints by the county commissioners of each county that is a part of the regional system. This impacts entities such as the Great Bend-based Central Kansas Library system that covers 16 counties.

This matter was brought up at the most recent CKLS Board meeting.