Pottawatomie County commissioners have agreed to cover a nearly $26,000 gap in funding to the St. Marys Fire Department, caused by a change up at the state level for assessed utilities. The result, which county officials say the state plans to correct in fiscal year 2023, led to a $6 million drop in valuations for properties around the Jeffrey Energy Center, in what is now the former Fire District No. 1. The county has an annual agreement with the city fire department to provide service to the rural area surrounding St. Marys. County Clerk Dawn Henry says the county received utilities in June, which is when they noticed a problem. She says the new company handling valuations for the state took over and changed how they report those values to the state.
Source: 1350 KMAN