Register named official newspaper for county

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January 23, 2013 - 12:00 AM

Allen County Commissioners named the Iola Register the county’s official newspaper on 3-0 vote Tuesday.
The Register had been the county’s official newspaper for decades until a year ago, when the Humboldt Union won the designation, which includes publishing the bulk of the county’s legal notices.
Susan Lynn, Register publisher, met with commissioners and noted the Register is published five days a week, has more than 2,000 subscribers as well as an active web publication that attracts 113 Internet-only subscribers.
Kim Ralstin of The Union said the newspaper has close to 800 subscribers and, as a weekly, is published each Wednesday. It does not have a presence on the Internet.
“I think we’ve done a good job and we’d like to continue publishing your legals,” said Cliff Ralstin, Union owner.
Last year the county paid the Union $7,740 for public notices and the Register $2,590 for notices that required publication in the Iola newspaper. The Register was paid $11,200 in 2011 and $12,400 in 2010.
Commissioners didn’t dwell on the two proposals, rather moved quickly in the Register’s favor.

SANDY Drake, county appraiser, told commissioners that a bump in tax abatements occurred because most people don’t think about seeking valuation changes until they have to pay property taxes in November.
“They get appraisal notices in the spring and can apply for consideration of a lower valuation then, but people don’t think about it because those notices don’t have taxes attached,” she said.
Then, in November they may pay taxes under protest, which leads to a rebate if the protest is successful.
New commissioners Tom Williams and Jim Talkington were unfamiliar with the rebates and wondered about them, particularly since they totaled more than $10,000 for about a dozen. Rebate checks are issued, rather than taxes reduced, because the protest feature is triggered by paying taxes.

COMMISSIONERS told Eric Sanders, Iolan and Allen County paramedic, that he should be given time off to attend state meetings of the Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association, of which he is president.
Sanders said he had been taking vacation time to attend meetings.
“I don’t mind paying my expenses, but I would like to have the time off,” he said.
Commissioners agreed.
“I think it’s great when any of our employees represent Allen County” on any statewide groups, Williams said. “Let Mike (Burnett, interim EMS director) handle it.”
Sanders said he had been reluctant to discuss the matter with commissioners until the change in leadership. Jason Nelson resigned as ambulance director earlier this month.
“Michael (Burnett) didn’t have a problem with me discussing the situation with you,” Sanders said.
He also noted that he and Burnett taught emergency medical training classes at Allen Community College, “which can be a draw for people in the county to work for us.”
Commissioners gave their blessing to the two county employees’ tutorial positions.

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