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.
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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.
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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.