County officials say new fire district unlikely to receive revenue this year

Funding concerns surrounding West Central Fire Protection District dominated conversation before Wednesday's County Commission meeting.

The area falling under the newly approved fire district includes western Saline County and the northwest portion of Pettis County. The district was approved by voters at the Aug. 3 election and incorporated by Judge Dennis Rolf Aug. 10.

Saline County Clerk Ken Bryant said the district would most likely not be receiving tax money this year.

"The Assessor's Office has to find and notify the owners of 2,600 parcels. And calculate the value of the property and personal property subject to tax," he said. "Then it gets handed to the auditor for approval. It is very unlikely that it will happen within the next 30 days."

The fire district authorized a 30-cent per $100 valuation tax. However, Bryant said, as of Wednesday, a tax hearing had not been held.

Saline County Presiding Commissioner Becky Plattner announced that the county had been awarded a grant through the 2010 Victims of Crime Act Grant Program.

The tentative award is for $25,571.90 and is pending the return of revised forms. The money will be used to fund the victim advocate.

The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation has approved $4,620 to cover costs of two interns from Missouri Valley College and field trips by fifth grade students at Beuker Middle School to a bird monitoring station at Grand Pass Conservation Area.

The next scheduled meeting of the Saline County Commission is at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 2, in the lower level of the County Courthouse.

Contact Pat Nolan at

pnolan@marshallnews.com