County approves flat budget request for community corrections

Riley County commissioners on Thursday approved a flat budget request of nearly $850,000 for the county community corrections department in fiscal year 2025.

Interim community corrections director Megan Lewis said the request for fiscal year 2025 is unchanged from that of fiscal year 2024, with $393,786 going to the adult services program, $95,070 for the adult behavioral health program and $357,692 for juvenile programs.

Lewis noted during the meeting that grant amounts for community corrections departments across the state of Kansas have not increased in 11 years.

The community corrections program offers ways for people in Riley and Clay counties who have been convicted of a felony to rehabilitate themselves with help from trained employees, to avoid repeat offenses and foster a sense of community among those convicted of felonies.

County amends Keats sewer district document

In other business, commissioners approved an amendment to the Keats sewer district document for continued work on the project.

The amendment provides $10,000 to BG Consultants for further evaluation of the lagoon and more engineering needs for the unincorporated community just west of Manhattan.

The Keats sewer district project was formed in 2019, and county commissioners approved an owner-engineer agreement with BG Consultants in January 2020. To date, total engineering fees are $23,817, which includes preliminary engineering reports, probable cost estimates, site visits, design services and meetings with landowners and county commissioners.

The county commission approved pulling the new $10,000 from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.

Riley County officials also recently received a technical assistance grant from the Kansas Water Office for $359,100. Once the grant agreement is in place, county officials can start using the grant to pay for design and engineering work on the sewer system in Keats.

County commissioners on Thursday also approved an updated Riley County employee policy manual. County human resources director Elizabeth Ward said the last update to the manual was made in 2012. The new employee handbook is shorter and easier to read, Ward said.

The next Riley County Commission meeting is Monday at 8:30 a.m. in the Riley County Courthouse.