By: NICOLAS FIERRO
Salina Post
DICKINSON COUNTY - The Dickinson County Commission was being investigated by the Kansas Attorney General's Office, and concluded 19 violations of the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) were made.
According to the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle, the violations followed a self-report by Commissioner Lynn Peterson.
Investigators found repeated procedural failures in executive session motions, including insufficient descriptions of subject matter, missing statutory justifications, and failure to specify where and when the public meeting would resume.
Peterson filed the report in December 2024 after he believed a violation had occurred during an executive session, discussing the policy for the Compensation plan.
According to K.S.A. 75-4319, there are certain requirements a public body must follow when conducting an executive session.
The consent order documents 19 executive session violations across 2025 meetings involving personnel matters, attorney-client consultations, contracts, security measures and real estate discussions.
The Attorney General’s Office found that motions were missing the required statutory language or procedural elements.
As part of the resolution, commissioners agreed to complete one-hour KOMA training, certify compliance and commissioners Ron Roller and Kenny Roelofsen agreed to pay civil penalties of $50 each, according to the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle.
Salina Post has reached out to Roller and Roelofsen for comments.