Joan Strickler, observer
Commissioner Dave Lewis chaired the meeting with newly
elected Commissioners Ron Wells and Robert Boyd also present.
The Commissioners considered a long list of action items on
the agenda including out of state travel, purchase authorizations, and board
appointments.
County Attorney Barry Wilkerson provided an overall update
of activities in his office. At the
beginning of the previous year the attorneys were dealing with five pending
murder cases. This year only one such
case is pending. He expressed concern
about problems Mercy Hospital is having in filling the vacant position of
someone to perform exams in sexual assault cases. Some 13 such victims had to be taken to
Topeka for exams as well as one to Salina and one to Wichita. This results in considerable costs in travel and
witness fees as well as requirements on police officers who must travel with
the victim. Commissioners suggested
checking with nearby counties and with the Riley County Health Department to
see if another resource can be found.
The Commissioners discussed the various Commission board
assignment responsibilities they must share.
County Clerk Rich Vargo explained the County’s Professional
Appearance Policy. It was agreed to
continue the policy as in the past.
Information Technology/GIS Director Robert Nall described
the overall function of his office. His
personnel provide assistance to all County agencies as well as a considerable
number of other entities in the County.
County Counselor Clancy Holeman reported he has registered
as a lobbyist with the State. While many
of the issues dealt with in the Legislature of concern to Riley County will be
dealt with through the Kansas Association of Counties, there are some issues
that affect Riley specifically. Overall
there is serious concern among local government entities that actions being
proposed at the State level could result in serious loss of tax income at the
local levels.
Riley County Museum Director Cheryl Collins introduced her staff
who described the functions of their various assignments. The Museum currently preserves approximately
50,000 artifacts relating to the history of the County. She invited the Commissioners to have lunch
at the historic Wolf House. The date of
February 4 was agreed upon.
Susie Kuhfahl, director of the Health Department, described
the various functions and responsibilities of the Department.
Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr gave a general update on
City operations. He said the expansion
of the water plant and the continuing health of the aquifer Manhattan depends
upon assure that Manhattan’s water supply is doing well. There appears to be continued growth in the
demand for single family and multi-family housing. With the transfer of land from the State to
the Federal Government for the building of NBAF, more construction activity
should be getting underway shortly.
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