Pottawatomie County commissioners – 101.5 K-Rock Manhattan's Real Rock

Pottawatomie County veterans memorial to add another plaque

KROCK Staff — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 14:25:18 +0000

Pottawatomie County officials are set to honor more veterans at a ceremony next week.

“We are ready to install another plaque on the veterans memorial that has 50 names of citizens that reside or have resided in the county,” said Becky Ryan, Pottawatomie County Public Information Officer.

The ceremony is scheduled for 11 am Monday at the memorial, at the northwest corner of Main and 2nd Street in Westmoreland.

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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Pott County commissioners won’t comment on hiring of Westboro member as attorney

KROCK Staff — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:51:45 +0000

The Times of Pott County late last week reported that Rachel Hockenbarger, daughter of Westboro Baptist Church’s late founder Fred Phelps, is still a member of the crusading anti-LGBTQ congregation and now an assistant Pottawatomie County attorney. Newly elected county attorney John Paul Washburn hired Hockenbarger — who will make $86,054 per year in the position, according to county records — in January to replace Brian Yearout, who resigned to take a judgeship.

County commissioners in a statement Thursday didn’t explicitly identify Hockenbarger but referred to reactions to an unnamed worker in the county attorney’s office.

“Questions have recently arisen regarding the hiring of an employee by the Pottawatomie County Attorney,” the commissioners’ statement said. “The County does not publicly comment regarding the employment of non-elected personnel. Employment decisions within the office of the Pottawatomie County Attorney are made by the County Attorney in his role as an elected official of the County. Any questions regarding staffing in the County Attorney’s Office should be directed to the County Attorney.”

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McKee shares concerns about bill on city planning authority

KROCK Staff — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 18:38:01 +0000

By Annie Wolf

Commissioner Dee McKee attended County Government Day in Topeka on Jan. 22 and sat in on discussion concerning the extraterritorial planning authority of cities into counties. A Senate bill would repeal the 3-mile extraterritorial planning authority that now exists for cities.

“There were lots of cities and counties there that had concerns about (extraterritorial expansion) happening with no vote,” McKee said. “Even long-range planning things, the planners coming across from the city and saying, ‘We own 3 miles and here is what you have to do or have to build,’ and there’s no vote. Some people, like in Emporia, couldn’t sell their farms or couldn’t do certain things. And they felt like there was no dialog and no recourse.”

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New Pott Co. commissioner is confident in new, expanded board

KROCK Staff — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 19:12:32 +0000

By Beth Day

A Pottawatomie County commissioner wants to alleviate any concerns citizens might have about the new board after expanding from three to five members and replacing all but one member of the previous commission.

Commission chair Terry Force on Monday acknowledged anxieties county employees might have with such a new makeup but said each commissioner brings “a diverse background” and has “a lot to offer.”

“Collectively, this will be an extremely good and effective board,” Force said. “I don’t know of anyone with an agenda. We just want Pottawatomie County to be the best place to live for tomorrow and years to come. We’re not here for heads to roll, just to make sure this county is run properly following the policies in place. If the policies don’t fit, we will look at them and adjust as necessary.”

The full article can be viewed at theMercury.com.

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