Topeka

Senate confirms Bond, two others as regents

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointments of three new members of the state Board of Regents, including former Senate President Dick Bond.

The three were appointed last year by then-Gov. Bill Graves to the nine-member board, which oversees state universities, community colleges and technical colleges.

By votes on 38-0, the Senate confirmed the appointments of James R. Grier III of Wichita, chairman and chief executive officer of Martin K. Eby Construction Co., and Donna Shank of Liberal, co-owner of an insurance agency.

The vote to confirm Bond was 36-0. Sens. Stan Clark, R-Oakley, and Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler, had criticized the appointment last year and passed when Thursday’s vote was taken.

Bond of Overland Park served in the Senate from 1987 through 2000, the last four years as president.

Topeka

Bill would help districts when state aid is late

A bill approved Thursday by the Senate would allow school districts to incur debts without having the money to pay them off immediately if the state was late in making aid payments.

Supporters said the measure, which went to the House on a 38-0 vote, was a response to the state’s budget problems.

The state parcels out $2.3 billion in aid to its 303 school districts over the year. The state delayed part of its monthly aid payments five times during the seven months from December 2001 to June 2002.

The late payments pinched some school districts because of the state’s 1933 Cash Basis Law, enacted during the Great Depression to keep local governments on a sound financial footing. Under that law, a city or school district may incur a debt only if it already has the money to pay it off.

The bill would create an exemption for districts when the state delays aid payments.

Wichita

Fewer 4-H exhibitors coming to state fair

Cutbacks at the state Extension Service will reduce the number of youth 4-H exhibits displayed at this year’s Kansas State Fair.

Typically, 4-H youths display about 11,000 exhibits at the fair. That number is expected to drop to about 9,100 this year, said Gray Gerhard, state director of the 4-H Youth Development program.