ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
State agencies rarely host conferences in Southwest Kansas, but thanks to the work from a local leader and two other area leaders, one such conference will be taking place in September in the area.
Seward County Treasurer Mary Rose, who also currently serves as president of the Southwest Kansas County Treasurers Association (SWKCTA), recently announced a milestone for the region.
“After two years of heavy advocacy and successfully placing two Southwest Kansas county treasurers into association leadership, we have achieved a historic victory,” she said. “The Kansas County Treasurers Association (KCTA) will host its September meeting in Southwest Kansas in Dodge City.”
Rose became the Seward County treasurer in early 2023, and since then, she has worked her way up to being president of the SWKCTA. In that role, she has advocated to get KCTA to bring its conference to Southwest Kansas.
“We’re always driving to Topeka, Manhattan, Hays, Great Bend,” she said. “We always have to travel, and if we’re going to travel, we usually have to stay in a motel room. We’ve advocated really hard.”
Though she is excited for the conference to be in Dodge City, Rose had been hopeful to bring the event to Liberal, where she said she could make for a fun time for those who attend.
While Rose serves as head of the SWKCTA, two area treasurers, Kerry Schmidt of Gray County and Jayme Rich of Stevens County, serve as secretary and treasurer of KCTA. Rose said having two area treasurers in leadership roles with the state is a blessing.
“We are able to have that seat at the table,” Rose said.
To celebrate the milestone of having the state conference in Southwest Kansas, the SWKCTA will host a showcase representing the district’s 17 counties.
“We want to show them a really good time, so we’re doing a showcase of each county,” Rose said. “Every county treasurer is getting stuff from goods and favors, memorabilia, business swag, arts and crafts to showcase. We will present it to KCTA, and one of the 88 county treasurers will be granted or given or raffled, we don’t know how we’re going to do that part, to take your county back for them. We’re in charge of the guest speaker, the goodies, show them the hospitality of it.”
Rose said the showcase is a way to leave a lasting, powerful impression of the community’s grit, rich culture and local talent, and she see is seeking the help of people to do it.
“We are officially inviting local businesses, organizations and residents to contribute items for the Seward County showcase,” she said.
Rose said unique donations that represent the people of the area are being sought, including:
• Local goods and flavors – Packaged foods, agricultural products or specialty items unique to the area;
• Community memorabilia – Seward County Community College Saints gear, “Wizard of Oz” and Dorothy’s House items or Five State Fair keepsakes;
• Business – Swag: high quality promotional gear, apparel or gift items from businesses;
• Arts and crafts – Handcrafted goods or photography prints that highlight heritage and landscape.
Rose is asking for donations to be brought her office in the Seward County Administration Building at 515 N. Washington Ave. Suite 102 in Liberal from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday through Sept. 7.
“There are so many good things,” Rose said. “There’s so much stuff to showcase our community. It’s not just Liberal in Seward County. It’s also Kismet. Kismet has the Little World’s Fair. Those Lions Club people are awesome people over there, and there’s so much.”
Rose said she will not turn anything away for the showcase.
“If you are so generous to say look at our business, look at what we have to offer, that little bit goes a long way,” she said. “There’s so many good things that come from showcasing Seward County. Every county is different, and I look forward to seeing what each of the counties are bringing forward.”
Rose is estimating between 100 and 150 people will be on hand, including 88 treasurers from other KCTA districts, and she said some of what attendees will hear about is legislation. They will also hear information from the Kansas Department of Revenue, as well as information on driver’s licenses and commercial real estate. Guest speakers, certifications training will also be part of the four days of the conference from Sept. 8 through 11.
“There are a lot of things that happen in that four days,” Rose said.
Rose said the conference is important for treasurers in order to keep up with state mandates and statutes. She said other Southwest Kansas treasurers are excited to see the conference come to the area as well.
“It’s going to be a big deal,” she said. “I think they told me the last time they were in this area was maybe 30 years ago.”
As president of SWKCTA, Rose said she is looking to assist her fellow treasurers in the district, particularly the many new ones in their offices.
“With that new treasurer comes a lot of new things, and knowing those new treasurers have that person or persons available to help them is so beneficial,” she said. “It’s a breath of fresh air. I’ve been there. Every treasurer’s been there. They say you get your feet wet your first year, and by the third year, you’re immersed. I feel for them. I have compassion for them, and they’re just asking for help. If they need that help, it’s there.”
Rose said having Schmidt and Rich on the KCTA board is huge, and she said both are very knowledgeable.
“They’ve been on the Southwest Kansas Treasurers Association leadership,” Rose said. “We don’t just have a seat on the leadership table. We have a seat at the legislation and the voting. They don’t get paid to do this. This is an extra compensation they get. They do this for the benefit of their county, their district and their state.”
As for what treasurers in the state are focusing on at this time, Rose said treasurer’s offices throughout the state are being asked to do more and more for the state with little, if any, extra compensation from the state.
“The county has to foot the bill,” she said. “The Kansas Department of Revenue has put stuff on us where we have to take a lot of stuff. The treasurers for the last 10 years have been trying to pass where we can get more money from the Kansas Department of Revenue.”
Rose said Kansas 125th House District Representative Shannon Francis helped get a bill passed to allow counties to get more money in the state-funded treasurer’s fund.
“Treasurers across the board are having problems with keeping help because of pay,” Rose said. “We’re having issues because we’re doing a lot more stuff and not compensating for it. In my eyes, we do 26,000 transactions. The county should be able to pay for their part. KDOR should pay for their part, but that hasn’t been how it’s been happening. The county’s been having to pick up. In my office, I’ve been able to re-evaluate the budget and look at it and try to get where vehicle pays for itself and tax pays for itself.”
Rose said this relieves the burden of taxpayers and gives workers in her office the compensation they deserve.
With more statutes coming into effect July 1, Rose said her department meets with KDOR to make sure work is being done correctly according to those laws.
“Some people say being a treasurer is just punching numbers,” she said. “There’s a lot of other stuff that goes with that. There’s a lot of meeting a treasurer has to have to stay up with stuff education wise.”
With all this in mind, Rose said KDOR needs to do its part in compensating treasurer’s offices for the work required by those statutes.
Rose said she always gets something out of every conference she attends, and she leaves with much in the way of information.
“They have so much stuff going on, but I think the most information I get is from the roundtables,” she said. “You are hearing what other counties are having issues with or how they fix stuff.”
Overall, Rose said the end goal of attending a conference is to help her become a better treasurer both for the county and the taxpayers, as well as more knowledgeable and responsible about her job.
Though the upcoming KCTA conference is not in Liberal as she had hoped, Rose said she is ecstatic about having the event in Southwest Kansas.
“I’m so glad they’re doing that,” she said. “I hope this isn’t just one and done. I am pushing for them to come to Liberal. I want them to come to Seward County. I want to showcase what we have. I want them to see how great our people are. I’m hoping this Dodge City one is a great showcase, and they enjoy their time and Liberal and Seward County are put on that radar as well.”
As she is excited for the upcoming conference, as she is for all KCTA conferences, Rose said is particularly excited about having it close to me.
“We should be grateful and blessed we’re having it,” she said.
