In a recent County Commission Meeting, County Administration presented the allocation of alcohol funds for the year 2024. According to K.S.A. 79-41a04, the County receives funds from the gross receipts tax on alcohol, distributed between the General Fund and two special revenue funds: the Special Alcohol Fund and the Special Parks & Recreation Fund.
The Special Alcohol Fund is designated for services related to alcoholism and drug abuse prevention, education, detoxification, and intervention, while the Special Parks & Recreation Fund supports the purchase, establishment, maintenance, or expansion of park and recreational services, programs, and facilities.
Applications for the 2024-2025 funding cycle were accepted from August 30, 2023, with a deadline initially set for November 20. However, the deadline for the Special Parks & Recreation Fund was extended to December 15 to encourage additional applications. Out of the received applications, four were for the Special Parks & Recreation Fund, and three were for the Special Alcohol Fund.
The requested amounts are as follows:
Special Parks & Recreation Fund:
- 4-H Council: $10,000
- The Arc: $3,500
- Assaria Youth: $3,500
- City of Gypsum: $2,500
Special Alcohol Fund:
- Community Corrections: $50,000
- DARE/GREAT: $7,000
- CKF Addiction Treatment: $2,500
Commissioners Hay and Weese, along with the County Administrator, met on December 19, 2023, to review the applications. After discussing the number of applications and funding availability, the recommendation is to award funding to all applicants for the year 2024 (with a limit of $6,500 for Community Corrections, consistent with their funding for 2022 and 2023) and to invite additional applications for the year 2025.
Staff recommended awarding specified amounts and seeking additional applications for 2025. Both funds have adopted budgets of $20,000 each for 2024. The proposed awards would utilize $19,500 from the Special Parks & Recreation Fund and $16,000 from the Special Alcohol Fund. Any unused funds would carry over, potentially increasing funding availability for the year 2025.
The motion received approval from the Commissioners.