County delays action on Lewisburg'area deannexation of Middle Creek until city submits paperwork

County staff told the Miami County Board of County Commissioners that the city of Lewisburg has not submitted documentation completing a deannexation of Middle Creek and asked the board to remove the matter from the agenda until the city provides the formal paperwork required under state statute.

Mark Whalen, who presented the item, said the county's new Central Square CAD mapping showed the property as still inside Lewisburg city limits even though city staff believed they had deannexed the land about 15 years earlier after Kansas Parks and Wildlife acquired the parcel. "After talking with the city, Lewisburg, they went through all their paperwork and they never completed the deannexation of Middle Creek all those years ago," Whalen said.

Whalen and GIS director Wendy Duncan told the board the parcel is owned by the State of Kansas (Kansas Parks and Wildlife), generates no ad valorem tax revenue and has been patrolled or serviced by the sheriff's office when game wardens are absent. Staff said there is no current fiscal impact to the sheriff's office or the rural fire district because county public safety units already run responses there and the state owns the land.

Because Kansas statute (as discussed during the meeting) requires a process that includes publication and a public hearing, Whalen recommended tabling or removing the county item until Lewisburg sends the governing documents for the deannexation. The board agreed to take the item off the agenda and reintroduce it when the city provides the required documentation.

Ending: The county will not take final action until Lewisburg provides the deannexation hearing record and ordinance; staff said no change in local public safety response is expected in the meantime.