Pottawatomie County Treasurer Reports High Traffic Volume, Seeks Legislative Support for Fee Structure Changes

Pottawatomie County Treasurer Lisa Wright presented her department update to commissioners at their November 24 meeting, highlighting significant workload concerns and requesting support for potential legislative changes to county fee structures.

Wright, who also serves as County Treasurer's Association President, reported that her office logged 14,794 in-person visits through October 2025, a figure that excludes mail, phone, and online transactions. The Treasurer's office handles a substantial financial responsibility, processing over $46.3 million in property tax collections for all taxing jurisdictions, including special assessments.

During her update, Wright outlined her office's recent activities, including publishing delinquent 2024 real estate taxes, completing five fund distributions throughout the year, and mailing tax notices on November 5th. Her staff also participated in fraud training sessions and hosted new treasurer training in Manhattan.

The department processed 36,281 motor vehicle transactions through October, generating $7.15 million in total motor vehicle revenues for the year. Transaction types ranged from registration renewals (24,348) to title and registration services (5,603).

Wright emphasized the demanding nature of her office's operations and discussed fee structure concerns with commissioners. She noted that some fees, such as the driver's license user fee, are passed directly to the state with no local retention, creating administrative burdens without corresponding revenue.

"We are a very busy office," Wright told commissioners. "People really don't understand. We all work our butts off there."

Commissioners expressed support for Wright's concerns and suggested she coordinate with the County Counselor to develop formal proposals for potential resolutions that could be presented to state legislators.

The commission also considered changes to the county's fee schedule for 2026, which includes adjustments across multiple departments, including modifications to driver's license user fees in the Treasurer's office.