The Leavenworth Times
The assessed value for property in Leavenworth County has increased this year by 8.37%, according to the county appraiser.
Increases in assessed valuation can lead to higher taxes for property owners, but the county appraiser does not set property tax rates. Changes in the assessed value of individual properties may vary from the overall increase for the county.
County Appraiser Bob Weber reviewed the valuation increase Wednesday when he presented a quarterly report to Leavenworth County commissioners.
According to Weber’s report, the total assessed value of real estate in Leavenworth County increased from $721.69 million in 2020 to $782.12 million in 2021.
The Leavenworth Times
Leavenworth County commissioners plan to form a committee to address issues related to the Leavenworth County Development Corporation.
Commission Chairman Mike Smith suggested the formation of the committee Wednesday as commissioners met with representatives of LCDC.
LCDC receives funding from the cities of Leavenworth, Lansing and Tonganoxie as well as the county government. The organization also receives money from the Leavenworth County Port Authority, which is provided funding from the county government. LCDC also receives support from private sector partners.
Basehor previously provided funding to LCDC, but the city recently withdrew from the organization.
Smith said Wednesday he wants LCDC to be successful. But he also wants county officials to feel they are getting a return on their investment.
County launches new website
Frequent visitors to the website for the Leavenworth County government website likely noticed a change Tuesday.
Since 1999, the county operated a website that had been created in-house. But on Tuesday, the county switched to a website designed by an outside company.
“It’s live,” said Larry Malbrough, director of Information Systems for the county.
The new website keeps the same web address, www.leavenworthcounty.gov, but offers features that were not available on the old website.
Malbrough said the new website includes a citizen request center, which can be used to send a message to a department within the county government.
County approves building codes
The Leavenworth Times
Leavenworth County commissioners have approved building codes for unincorporated areas of the county. But commissioners have excluded two townships from the codes.
Commissioner Jeff Culbertson asked Wednesday for Easton and Kickapoo townships to be excluded from the building codes.
The two townships are in the district he represents. Culbertson said his district is the only one in the county that has seen population decreases in recent years. He suggested excluding the two townships to help promote economic development in his district.
Culbertson said he spoke with the fire chiefs of the two townships and they do not have a problem with the townships being excluded from the building codes.