Commissioner says farewell
Travis Altenhofen attended his final Pottawatomie County Commission meeting as a commissioner Monday.
Altenhofen resigned from the commission in October of last year due to taking on more responsibilities in his job at Manko Window Systems.
Following the meeting, Altenhofen took time to thank the people of Pottawatomie County for the chance to serve.
He also said he believes more people should run pursue government positions.
His last official day as commissioner will be this Friday, with former Pottawatomie County Sheriff Greg Riat serving out the remainder of the term.
Riat was elected to succeed Altenhofen as commissioner by Republican Party precinct leaders in November last year.
RCPD discussion
Pottawatomie County Commissioner Travis Altenhofen led a discussion on service provided by the Riley County Police Department in Pottawatomie County during the county commission’s meeting Monday.
Altenhofen sought to lay a groundwork for future discussions between Riley County, Pottawatomie County and the City of Manhattan on taxation of residents for the funding of RCPD.
According to Altenhofen, while residents in the city of Manhattan are supposed to pay for 80 percent of the RCPD’s budget while Riley County residents are supposed to pay for 20 percent, the reality is significantly different.
He believes those in charge of the RCPD budget need to come up with a formula that is more fair and reflective of how much service is provided in areas of the RCPD’s jurisdiction.
He also says a plan should be put in place before any plans to annex the Green Valley area move forward.
For more details about the RCPD’s budget, visit rileycountypolice.org.
Potential road work in Westmoreland
The Pottawatomie County Commission discussed laying a new surface on a section of Campbell Street in Westmoreland.
The project would involve reclaiming the base of the road and then laying about three inches of asphalt on top, resulting in a surface several times thicker than the current road.
Pottawatomie County Public Works Director Peter Clark says heavy county vehicles often use Campbell Street, increasing the need for a stronger surface.
If taken on, the project would involve about 2700 ft. of the street between the intersection of Highway 99 and Walnut St..
While Westmoreland and Pottawatomie County’s current agreement amounts to a 50-50 split of road-maintenance costs, the city council has suggested that they pay for the reclamation of the road and the county pay for the laying of asphalt.
Clark breaks down the estimated total cost.
The commission agreed to continue with the current agreement with the city of Westmoreland while it looks into fitting the project into future budgets.
