Financial matters, bridge projects and remodeling bids all gained approval from Lyon County Commissioners Thursday morning.
Lyon County Jail Director Jay Whitney discussed a planned project to remodel the jail’s booking area at a cost of $48,000. The project did not require approval by commissioners as it will be funded through jail commissary fees and not taxpayer dollars.
A project timeline is currently pending.
Commissioners also gave instructions to Assistant Lyon County Engineer Jim Brull for the Road and Bridge Department to move forward with applying for grant funding through the Kansas Department of Transportation. Road and Bridge is seeking KDOT assistance with a bridge construction project over the Cottonwood River near the Rocky Ford bridge roughly six miles southeast of Emporia.
The new bridge’s construction is necessary due to the age of Rocky Ford. According to Road and Bridge, Rocky Ford cannot be updated or demolished because of its historical status, therefore the new bridge’s construction is the only course of action to accommodate traffic in the area.
The estimated cost of the project is $3 million with the county hoping the state will cover the “lion’s share.”
In separate business Thursday, Community Corrections Director Steve Willis also requested approval for the FY23 reimbursement budget narratives for both adult and juvenile services. Both requests were approved unanimously.
An annual contract with IMA Benefit Consulting in the amount of $36,000 also gained unanimous approval. Commissioners spent the remainder of their meeting in executive session. No action was taken.
The Lyon County Commission will reconvene for its weekly action meeting next Thursday at 9 am inside the Lyon County Courthouse Commission Chambers.
