During Thursday’s Riley County Commissioner meeting, Riley County Planning and Development Director, Monty Wedel, expressed concern regarding the new MPO map. The map includes Fort Riley, and although this will help in terms of coordination, this does not help the budget. By adding Fort Riley’s population in to Riley County, this in turn makes the budget increase as well. When looking at MPO map number two, Riley County would be paying $19,775 over the five year period. But the addition of Fort Riley would result in Riley County paying $53,000 over the five year period.
Riley County Commissioners also heard from Noxious Weed Director, Dennis Peterson, who shared the bid opening for herbicide. Commissioners looked over statistics from Sims Fertilizer and Chemical of Osbourne, KS, CPS-Berne Devlin of Augusta, KS, Van Diest Supply Company of Abilene, KS, John Deere Landscape of Cleveland, Ohio, and Helena Chemical Company of Shawnee, KS. Commissioners approved the herbicide bid opening.
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, Frank Beer, came forward to share 2012 legislative policies and positions and the meeting concluded with Public Works Director/County Engineer, Leon Hobson.
Hobson and commissioners discussed the retirement of Assistant Public Works Director/Parks Director, Rod Meredith, and how to go about hiring someone to fill his shoes. Commissioners asked Hobson to return at a later date after researching how other counties handle their departments and after talking to the Parks Board.
