Views opinion column
by Murrel Bland
Doug Bach said he is excited about going to work each day at the Unified Government.
Bach spoke Friday, Aug. 21, at the monthly Congressional Forum luncheon to about 50 members of the Kansas City, Kan., Area Chamber of Commerce at the Reardon Convention Center. He said despite problems and challenges of managing a county of more than 161,000 people, he truly enjoys his job.
The Unified Commission chose Bach as county administrator about 15 months ago following the retirement of Dennis Hays. Bach came to City Hall in 1991 as a budget analyst. Later he was promoted to director of purchasing and then, in 2003, became deputy county administrator.
Bach has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and public administration from Ft. Hays University. He also studied community planning at Kansas State University, Manhattan.
The Unified Commission recently approved the budget for 2016. Bach said that because the assessed valuation of property has increased, it will be possible to do some things to improve the county that weren’t possible in past years. And he said this will be done without increasing the mill rate. What that means for most taxpayers is no increase compared to 2015 tax bills.
The On Goal group, the organization that is developing the soccer complex, has helped with the budget, Bach said. Part of On Goal’s revised development agreement included a $9.5 million check to cover land acquisition expenses provided by the Unified Government. Bach said that this money from On Goal will be used to augment fund balances. This is reserve money, similar to a savings account. The higher these reserves, the lower the cost of borrowing when the Unified Government seeks bonds to pay for such things as street improvements and new equipment.
Bach said next year’s budget includes needed improvements in public safety and parks and recreation. Employees will receive raises; the Unified Government has more than 2,000 employees.
The population of Wyandotte County has shown about a 4,000-person increase since 2010, according to Bach. That reverses a 40-year trend and is a move in the right direction.
There is also progress in another area when you look at census information for the county–outmigration has slowed. Based on census information for the period from July 2013 to July 2014, only 373 more people left Wyandotte County than moved in. Population has grown because there have been about two births for every death.
Hays delayed the appointment of certain key staff persons because he knew he was going to retire. Among the key appointments that Bach has made were Terry Ziegler, police chief; Mike Tobin, director of public works; and two assistant county administrators–Joe Connor and Melissa Mundt.
Bach also said the Unified Government is encouraging new residential development. He cited the new Village West market-rate apartments that have been quite successful. The Unified Commission approved the waving of sewer hook-up and building permit fees in an effort to help spur single-family housing.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.
