Riley County Commissioners are considering hiring a lobbyist to be their “eyes and ears” in Topeka, as bills that concern the county move through the legislative process. Commissioners stated, during their Monday meeting, they see a growing need for this.
Lobbyist, Dick Carter Jr. attended the commission meeting to share details about his services. Carter explained he is a lobbyist for several different public entities.
Besides taking notes on the bills the commission would like to keep track of, Carter mentioned he would also inform the commission of new bills that could impact the county.
Carter said with the legislature’s recent habits of voting on clusters of bills at one time, and of passing things late into the evening, lobbyists are needed more frequently.
The commission indicated they wish to move forward with Carter’s services, although nothing has yet been officially approved.
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As the end of the year is quickly approaching, Manhattan Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director, Karen Hibbard presented her year-to-date statistics to the commission.
183 activities were booked in Manhattan hotels this year. She mentioned over 40 million dollars were spent within Manhattan as a result of those meetings and conferences.
