Riley County announced this week that private property has been secured for a non-discharging sewer lagoon in Keats.
The purchase allows the county to begin an environmental assessment for the project. Commissioner Greg McKinley says it’s a long-time coming, following years of discussion and planning.
Deputy County Counselor Shelley Woodard negotiated an agreement with Keats resident Stanley Schurle’s trust to buy roughly 13 to 15 acres west of Keats Park at $20,000 per acre. A finalized price won’t be determined until the county has determined just how much land it will need.
Commissioners voted 2-1 in December to pursue eminent domain if the owners weren’t willing to give up the property voluntarily, though McKinley says it was primarily used as a negotiating tactic, to ensure the project moved forward.
The county is seeking federal funding to help support the estimated $4 million project.
