Small Town News

County weighs RPO benefits, drawbacks

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The prospect of entering into a regional planning organization causes both excitement and objections, but comes with significant potential benefits for participants.

Representatives of a regional planning organization starting the Flint Hills Regional Council talked with commissioners about Wabaunsee County's potential participation in the RPO, which thus far has been a collaborative effort of Geary, Pottawatomie and Riley counties.

Kristina Hyland, the regional growth coordinator, told commissioners the potential cost for Wabaunsee County to participate is estimated to be about $1,200 in membership fees for 2010 and is projected to be on a $0.50 per capita basis for 2011, which would total $1,929 in 2011, based on 2008 population estimates.

She said the county has the option to join separately from the cities, and the fee would be for the population of the unincorporated area.

Each city also would have the opportunity to join.

Hyland said the format developed has been that each county would have a vote, the largest city in each county also would have a vote, and the rest of the cities could cooperate to pick a representative, who would have a vote. In Wabaunsee County, the county could elect a representative, Alma could have a representative and the other six communities could pick a representative. Hyland said this keeps the total size of the RPO manageable.

Hyland said the Flint Hills Regional Council began to take shape more than 15 years ago, with tri-county congresses taking place between Geary, Riley and Pottawatomie Counties.

In recent years, the three counties and their three biggest cities, Manhattan, Junction City and Wamego, have opted to expand and offer Wabaunsee, Morris, Dickinson and Clay counties, and their communities, the opportunity to participate as well.

Counties choosing to participate would work toward a mutual vision and goals, including regional service, local service, creating the organization and funding.

Hyland said members of the regional council are the local governments, but will have no taxing authority.

She also said the vote of each director will carry the same weight, whether it belongs to the City of Manhattan or Wabaunsee County.

"This council is not to replace anything you're already doing or conversations you're already having," she added.

Commissioner Jim Suber said it is his concern that participation or lack thereof with an RPO seems to affect community's ability to get grant dollars. He said he doesn't like to see that participating communities might be valued more than non-participants.

Hyland said that is a real concern and that often those choosing to participate do fare better in securing funding, but she said regional grants are the current trend.

Those present also discussed positive points about the RPO and what it could do for the participating communities.

Bob Cole, Pottawatomie County's Economic Development Director, said the seven-county area is tied together by an urbanizing core surrounded by a rural area, and good rural representation could bring useful information to the organization and benefit the rural areas.

Commissioners also spoke with Extension Agent Karaline Mayer, who is working to start a task force to address courthouse projects.

She said her idea started with the presence of a mouse in her office and turned into looking at long-term courthouse rehabilitation planning.

Mayer said she had talked with people about forming a committee to work on toward lining out goals, but she wanted commissioners' blessing prior to proceeding.

Commission Chairman Ervan Stuewe said there is a lot of work needed around the courthouse, including tuck-pointing the outside, working on plaster inside, replacing windows and more.

"We need to get some sort of a plan," he said. "We've talked about setting up a committee and maybe we could make a 10-year plan or a 20-year plan."

County Clerk Jennifer Savage said the commissioners have statutory authority to levy a mill for courthouse upkeep, and Stuewe said commissioners should consider the upkeep levy during budget season.

Mayer said she began looking into long-term planning because a window in her office was broken and her board was willing to replace it, but wanted to know the long-term plans to avoid having to redo the work in a few years. She said the board wanted to look at the goals for the courthouse and do the project right.

Commissioners gave Mayer the go-ahead to form a committee and suggested some people to invite to participate. They also thanked her for her work to get the project started.

"I think Extension is supposed to reach out sometimes in very odd ways, and this is one of them," Mayer said.

Mayer also reported on activities in the Extension office, saying Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Bernadette Trieb was at training and is learning about her job and meeting with her mentor,

Trieb also is beginning a Clo-verbuds program, for pre-4-H students.

Mayer said Club Day took place Saturday and was in Wabaunsee County this year. She added that the turnout was great.

She also said she and Economic Development Director Abby Dechant have presented on the work being done as a cooperative effort by the two departments.

Mayer said she also worked with Harveyville Seed to put on a series of crop meetings, and she said the final one was attended by more than 40 producers. She said it was a good outreach project and went well.

On March 23, Mayer said she will be involved in a PRIDE meeting in Eskridge with the goal of putting a community plan in place.

"I think this will be a very positive meeting for Eskridge and the lake," she said.

Also that week is a meeting with Flint Hills RC&D and the Cattlemen's Banquet in Alma at the fairgrounds.

In other business, commissioners:

Listened as County Attorney Norbert Marek reported on a hearing last week on the case regarding a man who jumped out of a fourth floor courthouse window. The man sustained injuries, but commissioners have argued the county is not liable for the medical bills because he was not in county custody at the time.

Marek said the hearing lasted from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and he could see the results going forward in three different ways. He said if either Wabaunsee County or KU Medical Center is granted its request the other side is likely to appeal the decision. He added that the judge also might choose to narrow the issues under consideration and do a jury trial, for which there already is a potential date set in mid-April

"Judge Elder said he would have a written decision within 10 days," Marek said, adding that he would expect to hear something Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Approved resolution 2010-05, establishing a community improvement district for the 24/7 Travel Store off of Interstate 70 near Maple Hill.

Approved a motion to reappoint Bob Logan and Bruce Taylor to the Fire District No. 5 board.

Approved the purchase of six tires from S&S Auto Body for the Adult Transportation bus.



Copyright 2010 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise, Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2010 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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