The Barton County Commission Monday morning learned that the property tax distributions that were due out by Sept. 20 from the County Treasurer’s Office have yet to me made. In addition, there are still tax abatements and refunds that have not been cleared up either.

The distribution problem creates headaches for other taxing entities in the county that count on the money to fund their budgets, said County Clerk Donna Zimmerman.

Commissioners and other department heads expressed frustration with the delay, noting that the shortcomings of the Treasure’s Office reflected negatively on other county officials.

• Approved updating regulations regarding recording fees for county-owned and operated memorial parks and cemetery for the Register of Deeds Office at the recommendation of Register of Deeds Pam Wornkey. She said the fees are set by the state and the Legislature passed a statute that increases these fees each year though Jan. 1, 2018.

Currently, the specific amount of these charges are listed in the county’s regulations. Under the revisions, the language will be more generic.

It will state that “fees relative to filing documents shall be set equal to what is established for the Register of Deeds Office.”

This will prevent the commission from having to come each year and change the rules as the fee changes.

In other business Monday, the Barton County Commission:

• Approved a cereal-malt beverage license. This was for Shannon Stephens who is opening Spuds Build-a-burger, 571 S. Main, Hoisington, in the old Shaney’s location which already has a licence.

Stephens plans to open his new business Thursday.

According to state law, no retailer shall sell any cereal-malt beverage without having secured a license for that business. When a business is located in the unincorporated portion of the county, that application must be approved by the commission. This license expires at the end of the year.