A bill was introduced on February 9 in the Kansas Legislature that could impact Bourbon County, especially those living in the northwest part of the county.
Senate Bill 497 reads that it is an act concerning economic development; establishing the Pike Reservoir Project District Act; providing for the construction of a dam and a lake in Bourbon County, residential and commercial property development, and water resource development; authorizing the establishment of a governing board for the project and the establishment of real property tax and sales tax increment financing districts to finance the project costs; creating the Pike Reservoir District sales tax fund and the Pike Reservoir District sales tax refund fund; authorizing the creation of a special district fund to pay project costs; authorize the issuance of special obligation bonds and pay-as-you-go financing to pay project costs.
To view the entire bill:
On February 12, the bill was referred to the Kansas Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Senator Robert Olson, who worked with the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on the project, spoke with fortscott.biz about the project.
“It was just introduced and is a long process,” Olson said. “This is the very first step. To build that reservoir takes five to 10 years.”
State and county leaders met to discuss the matter several years ago, Olson said.
“Lynn Oharah, who was a Bourbon County Commissioner at the time was pitching that,” Olson said. Senator Tim Shallenberger introduced the bill and others were a part of the discussion, he said.
“I like the concept, especially in smaller counties,” Olson said. “We need the water for agriculture and public consumption. Your (Bourbon County) water situation was pretty bad (because of drought).”
“This will improve your water supply,” Olson said.
The project proposes an approximately eight-mile lake in northwest Bourbon County, with a 68-foot-long dam.
The location is described as beginning at the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 65; east along Highway 65 to 95th Street; north along 95th Street to the Linn county line; west along the Linn county line to Highway 3; south along Highway 3 to the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 65.
Olson envisions it will be like Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, he said.
“People living in big weekend homes, and if houses are built it can bring lower property taxes (for Bourbon County property owners),” he said.
One part of the long process of the project is public comment, he said.
The reservoir is named after Lieutenant Zebulon Pike who went through the area in the early 1800s.
How will this affect the land owners and cemetery in its path?
Thanks for running this story. I’m curious… when were the families who have generational farmland and family members buried in cemeteries in this area going to have a chance to voice an opinion in this process?
they don’t care!!!..reread the article again…lake of the Ozark,,BIG HOMES, People living in big weekend homes, and if houses are built it can bring lower property taxes (for Bourbon County property owners),” he said. {NOT},,,water for farm land…no…its gonna be big resort place,,bring in people,fee to enter…and this one point is..no farm land..no farm families, why u ask..OK..they doing punch card meat{ no need for ”real animals..and imitation vegetable…} stick around you will see
If I understand the legislative process correctly, it is pretty standard to create a proposed idea (as a bill) that can then be debated, modified, etc. So until there was actually a proposal for where to put a reservoir and how to fund it, there wasn’t anything concrete that could be discussed about it. I think too many people see “bill” and think that means it has passed rather than understanding that it is just a first draft of a proposal that, if it follows the path of most bill, won’t ever be passed. Of the ~500 bills introduced by the senate, only ~80 have gotten to the point that they get sent to the House for a vote, and of those only ~40 have made it into a law.
So as far as when people should comment, it is probably right after they sit down and read the concrete proposal so they can know the details in order to comment on it.
Thank you. I needed to hear this. I am beside myself. We have land there. I pray that this does not happen. Shouldn’t they have to get some kind of majority or some type of vote. Take my home to put up a home for someone else? How can they just look at an Ariel view and block it off to flood out for recreational area? Couldn’t they look at land that is for sale and start there. So many residents have been in Xenia for generations.
Please use your full correct name and correct email to post on this website, for transparency and accountability.
> So many residents have been in Xenia for generations.
If I understand correctly, there are 4 owner occupied homes that are in the proposed lake area. Are you thinking there are more than that?
Senator Robert Olson’s Contact information
https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/members/sen_olson_robert_1/
Capitol Office
Room: 225-E
Seat: 26
Phone: 785-296-7358
Email: [email protected]
Home Information
15944 S. Clairborne St.
Olathe, KS 66062
Phone: 913-302-3135
We have land by Xenia and have never been notified. Found out on KSN news. I have talked to other land owners in the area and they had no idea.
Kansas SB-497 Bill Status:
https://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb497/