Property valuation notices were mailed to the Barton County taxpayers on March 17 and County Appraiser Barbara Konrade reminds residents they have 30 days to appeal their valuation from that mailing date.
In addition, March 15 was the deadline for personal property renditions to be returned, she said. A rendition is a form that provides information about income-producing property, information the appraiser uses to appraise property for taxation.
For the next 30 days any renditions filed will have a 10 percent penalty added to the assessed value as required by state statute. Penalties are 15 percent from May 16-June 15, 20 percent from June 16-July 15, 25 percent from July 16 through March of the following year. Failure to file is 50 percent.
April 1 was the deadline for oil and gas renditions to be returned to avoid penalties. Both personal property and oil and gas valuation notices will be out no later than May 1 unless an extension is granted, Konrade said. Taxpayers will have until May 15 to appeal theses valuations.
Anyone with questions can contact the Appraiser’s Office at 620 793-1821 for questions.
Konrade’s report was part of County Administrator Richard Boeckman’s bi-weekly departmental update at the Monday morning Barton County Commission meeting. Other highlights included:

Road and Bridge Director Dale Phillips
Noxious Weed and Memorial Parks
Road and Bridge
• Staff continues the High Risk Rural Roads sign project.
• Preformed emergency sign repairs.
• Presented information at the Farm Expo Crime Stoppers booth related to sign vandalism.
• Met with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials to finalize reimbursement payments related to last summer’s flooding.
• With winter weather almost gone, recap of costs continue. Since last October, $183,923 has been spent on snow and ice control.
• 2,040 tons of salt and sand were used in the storms.
• Staff hauled 2,000 tons of sand from Ellinwood to Great Bend stock piles.
• With seasons changing, asphalt work was planned and aggregates prepared for production of asphalt.
Noxious Weed
• Spraying for Musk Thistle areas is in full swing.
 Memorial Parks
• Staff performed Flagpole repairs and worked on surveying and marking areas dedicated to the Veterans Memorial project.

Solid Waste Manager Mark Witt
• 908.05 tons of municipal solid waste
• 49.83 tons of construction/demolition waste
• 13.59 tons of special waste
• 92.94 tons of sodium chloride impacted floor sweepings
• 494 loads of waste received for disposal
• $46,485.13 revenue generated through disposal fees
Staff attended the 2014 WORKS! Conference where they attended a household hazardous waste annual refresher training which included a review of new regulations covering “safety data sheets” for products. The new program replaces existing material safety data sheet (MSDS) protocol, providing more information to aid in disposal or emergency procedures. Training also sessions related to recycling and bio-energy technologies.

911 Director Doug Hubbard
March 2014 statistics,
• 911 landlines, 323
• 911 wireless, 862
• Administrative lines, 8,839
• Total calls, 10,024
• Radio calls, 105,615
• Calls for service, 3,158

Public Health Director Lily Akings
Conferences/meetings:
• Meeting with School Counselors, countywide, on reducing teen pregnancy rate in Barton County
• Department Head meeting
Other:
• Total clinic contacts, 266
•Total Women, Infant and Children contacts, 299• Awaiting grant award from Sunflower Foundation for digital sign
• Sent in a grant request for $3,588.43 to Kansas Department of Health and Environment for evaluation of issues surrounding the Farmers Market.