A bill presented this week to Gov. Jeff Colyer could give state park status to the Flint Hills Nature Trail.
Senate Bill 331 is awaiting Colyer’s signature. The trail currently crosses through five different counties, which includes Lyon, Morris and Osage and goes through Allen, Admire, Bushong, Council Grove and Osage City. Bushong Mayor Gary Smith says having that become a state park would be a welcome sight for his town.
Bushong is also working to establish a new North Lyon County veteran’s memorial to provide tourists in the area with a little history of the region.
The bill would also establish the Flint Hills Advisory Council, which would assess the development, staffing, maintenance and promotion of the trail. The 14-member council would include two members of the Legislature residing in adjoining districts to the Flint Hills Nature Trail, six county commissioners or their designees and six residents of an incorporated city within each of the surrounding counties.
In addition, Admire Mayor Mike Spade and Council Grove Mayor Debi Schwerdfteger have expressed support for the trail to become a state park.
