County officials will continue to discuss their participation in an employee recruitment program that has sought $10,000 in county tax dollars.
The Barton County Commission voted to table action on the funding request from the Great Bend Area Community Employee Recruiter Program this week after discussion included references to concerns that the program is in competition with both the state employment agency, Kansasworks, and local private employment placement service.
“You are, for all intents and purposes, an employment agency,” Commissioner John Edmonds observed, adding that the program involves a level of private business with tax dollars for support. “You’re neither fish nor fowl,” he commented.
Commissioner Jennifer Schartz noted that one of the reasons the commissioners are spending so much time discussing the program is because it has changed since it was first presented to them.
Because of the changing economy, the program is working more with individuals, helping them find jobs, rather than working with businesses, helping them find employees, it was observed.
“What the county supporting going into it is one thing,” Schartz noted, adding that what the program does now is something different.
Renee Richmeier, the program recruiter, noted that if the program doesn’t continue, however, the county won’t be ready to go back to its initial purpose when the economy turns around. She told the commissioners that ACER is doing work that other local agencies don’t do, and that it needs to be in place to be able to continue that work, and to be ready to provide employee searches when the local and national economy brings new large-scale employment needs that will have to be addressed then, and not after this sort of program is started up again.
Commissioner Kenny Schremmer noted that his concern is with tax dollars being used to compete with local private business, in this case, placement agencies.
Tabling the issue was approved by the commission, with Schremmer voting opposed.
In another tax concern, the commissioners approved a resolution to be sent to state legislators that encourages them to repeal legislation that gave tax breaks to a Canadian firm currently installing a pipeline through parts of Kansas.
The pipeline won’t come through Barton County, however it will impact six Kansas counties and cause the loss of an estimated $8.5 million in property taxes, due to exemptions the Kansas Legislature approved.
County officials will continue to discuss their participation in an employee recruitment program that has sought $10,000 in county tax dollars.
The Barton County Commission voted to table action on the funding request from the Great Bend Area Community Employee Recruiter Program this week after discussion included references to concerns that the program is in competition with both the state employment agency, Kansasworks, and local private employment placement service.
“You are, for all intents and purposes, an employment agency,” Commissioner John Edmonds observed, adding that the program involves a level of private business with tax dollars for support. “You’re neither fish nor fowl,” he commented.
Commissioner Jennifer Schartz noted that one of the reasons the commissioners are spending so much time discussing the program is because it has changed since it was first presented to them.
Because of the changing economy, the program is working more with individuals, helping them find jobs, rather than working with businesses, helping them find employees, it was observed.
“What the county supporting going into it is one thing,” Schartz noted, adding that what the program does now is something different.
Renee Richmeier, the program recruiter, noted that if the program doesn’t continue, however, the county won’t be ready to go back to its initial purpose when the economy turns around. She told the commissioners that ACER is doing work that other local agencies don’t do, and that it needs to be in place to be able to continue that work, and to be ready to provide employee searches when the local and national economy brings new large-scale employment needs that will have to be addressed then, and not after this sort of program is started up again.
Commissioner Kenny Schremmer noted that his concern is with tax dollars being used to compete with local private business, in this case, placement agencies.
Tabling the issue was approved by the commission, with Schremmer voting opposed.
In another tax concern, the commissioners approved a resolution to be sent to state legislators that encourages them to repeal legislation that gave tax breaks to a Canadian firm currently installing a pipeline through parts of Kansas.
The pipeline won’t come through Barton County, however it will impact six Kansas counties and cause the loss of an estimated $8.5 million in property taxes, due to exemptions the Kansas Legislature approved.