The Woodson County Board of Commissioners is a three-person elected body that has overall responsibility for the operation of the county, to include setting policyand performing executive and legislative functions.
The County Commission sets policy for the county and are vested by Kansas State Statutes with the following legislative and administrative powers and duties:
- Supervision of county property
- Organization of townships
- Control of the financial affairs of the county
- Approval of the annual budget
- Levying of county taxes
- Designation of depositories for the County Treasurer
- Construction and maintenance of roads and bridges
- Approval of land use and zoning policies
- Issuance of bonds
- Awarding of contracts
- Incorporation of cities
- Creation of special districts
- Setting of salaries of all county officials
- Providing a jail, courthouse, office space, and supplies for all county officers and the district court
- Appointment of members of various boards and commissions
The county is partitioned into three separate districts. One member is elected from each district. County Commissioners must be qualified electors of the county and must reside in the district from which they are elected throughout their term of office. Commissioners serve four year terms, two commissioners are elected in the Presidential Election year and the other commissioner is elected two years later. The term for commissioners begins the second Monday in January following the election. The Commission votes on the position of Chairman during January each year.
The Commission meets every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in the Commission Room located in the basement of the Courthouse, 105 W Rutledge Yates Center, KS. The weekly agenda includes various reports and other matters concerning county government. All meetings are open to the public, as provided by the Kansas Open Meetings Act. If you have an issue to discuss with the commission, please schedule an appointment with the County Clerk. Appointments need to be scheduled by Thursday to be on the next week’s agenda.
The minutes of the meetings are usually published in the Yates Center News the week following the meeting.