The Emporia/Lyon County Comprehensive Plan is now receiving attention at the national level.
During the Lyon County Commission’s weekly action session, Thursday, County Zoning and Floodplain Manager Sam Seeley informed commissioners the county has received an award of excellence from the American Planning Association, County Planning Division and the National Association for County Planners for the comprehensive plan in the small jurisdiction category. This is the second award the plan has received in the past year.
Last October the county received the 2019 APA Pioneer Rural award for the plan. Seeley says the plan has been a great representation of the unity between city and county governments.
Seeley hopes this unity will serve as an example for other communities across the state and the nation.
According to Seeley, the plan has led to significant cost savings of around $500,000 for both the city and county as the development of singular plans would have cost $250,000 each. The award would have been presented during the National American Planners Association Conference in Houston, TX, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference was unable to take place.
The award has been mailed to the county and commissioners plan to hold a formal presentation ceremony once it arrives.
In other business, commissioners approved the purchase of laminated glass from AAA Glass in the amount of $40,851. Last week, commissioners approved the purchase of plate glass to be installed in county offices to assist in social distancing for staff and citizens.
However, according to County Controller Dan Williams, the plate glass would not meet the county’s needs resulting in the order change. Due to the change, the installation which was expected to begin within the coming week may now be pushed back until mid-May.
Separately, commissioners also approved four separate grant requests for fiscal year 2021 from Community Corrections Director Steve Willis. The Lyon County Commission will reconvene for their weekly action session next Thursday inside the Lyon County Courthouse. The meeting will be streamed on the county’s Facebook page.
