Lyon County’s contract for animal quarantine services will come to an end in April, following action by county commissioners Thursday morning.
As part of their regular action meeting, commissioners voted to terminate the contract with Raise Your Paws Doggy Daycare, citing financial concerns and low usage over the three years since the contract was approved. The contract, approved back in 2023, saw the county, via the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, pay the local business $1,000 per month — $12,000 a year — to reserve a space for animal quarantines or boarding for strays found within the county.
Over the last three years, the county has paid the business $36,000, according to figures presented by County Legal Counsel Molly Priest, but has only used the space 12 times in that same time frame, nine times for quarantines and three times for strays. Upon reviewing the numbers, Commissioner Chris Bartel stated he did not feel this was a responsible use of taxpayer dollars, a sentiment with which Commission Chair Ken Duft agreed.
The contract does include a 60-day termination period and will require the county to pay the balance owed over the course of those two months, $2,000, before the agreement will officially be terminated. As for what will happen with strays and quarantines in the future, Priest says there are no plans to develop a new contract with a different agency, instead relying more on home quarantines and local veterinarians to provide services as needed.
Duft says that should more serious issues arise, namely dog bites or attacks, the county may look into other arrangements.
In other business Thursday, commissioners received information from County Engineer Wayne Scritchfield regarding the removal of certain traffic lights in Emporia. KVOE News asked Scritchfield why he was presenting this matter to county commissioners when the removal of traffic lights is a city matter.
He explains he was only focusing on the light at 5th and Commercial, directly next to the courthouse, as it would impact county operations to a degree. Scritchfield says the reason for the removal is mostly cost-related, noting it can take up to millions of dollars to maintain and operate certain lights across the community.
If and when the light is removed, Scritchfield says steps will be taken to ensure the intersection remains safe for all travelers.
The recommendation of removing the light, and others across Emporia, came from the joint city/county traffic safety board, of which Scritchfield serves as a representative.
Separate action Thursday included the approval of a nearly $27,000 invoice for workers’ compensation premiums to KWORCC, or Kansas Workers Risk Cooperative for Counties and a better than $7,100 invoice for the state’s election voter information system known as ELVIS.
Commissioners also held three executive sessions, one for attorney/client privilege and two for employee evaluations.
Commissioners will reconvene for their regular action meeting next Thursday at 9 am inside the Lyon County Courthouse Commission Chambers.
