By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

The county will have to cast a wider net to find a new appraiser.

The position was offered to deputy appraiser Brian Frese, who has worked in the office nine years, after appraiser Ray Cook resigned for health reasons.

Despite being offered a raise from $41,664 annually to $54,000 annually, Frese on Monday declined to accept, citing salary reasons.

He has been filling in as interim appraiser this month at a salary equivalent to $57,996 annually. In the letter Frese gave commissioners, he said he will remain as interim appraiser at a salary equivalent to the offer commissioners made.

Frese said after the meeting that he was motivated more by personal reasons than by salary. At this time, he plans to stay on as assistant appraiser, Frese said.

“I have no plan to depart currently,” he said.

He did say he had received letters from other counties in the region searching for appraisers.

After an executive session, commissioners voted to advertise the job in newspapers and contact appraiser organizations.

In other matters, commissioners:

• Heard a budget request of from North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging for $18,000 more than last year, mainly in case qualifying employees request health insurance.
• Approved issuing a building permit for property at 140th Rd. and Timber Rd.
• Heard a report that Motorola will provide two-year, zero-interest financing for the county’s upgrade to trunked 800 mHz radios. Sheriff Rob Craft said part of the $234,000 cost for 28 vehicle radios and 93 portable radios for the sheriff’s office and emergency medical services, plus work on the dispatch center, would be covered by a federal grant. It remains unclear whether county fire districts can purchase radios through the county’s agreement with Motorola.