Lyon County commissioners received a recommendation from the joint city-county study group on the study of law enforcement consolidation during today’s county commission meeting.
Commissioners received a set of written recommendations during today’s study session that included the questions the group is to answer as well as the submission of seven names recommended to serve on the Law Enforcement Consolidation Task Force.
The questions the group is to answer are: Will the creation of a consolidated law enforcement best serve the public interest?; Should area law enforcement be consolidated and if so, how is the most effective means of doing so?; Will the creation of a consolidated law enforcement department provide adequate and reasonable police protection to the citizens of Emporia and greater Lyon County?; and What are the budget and tax implications of creating and operating a consolidated law enforcement department?
The names recommended to serve on the study group are: Julie Johnson, Emporia city commissioner; Marshall Miller, Lyon County commissioner, 2nd District; Marc Goodman, Lyon County attorney; Dale Davis, member of the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau; Philip Winter, former Lyon County counselor; Nathaniel Terrell, chairman of criminology/social psychology at Emporia State University; and Paul Cassidy, mayor of Hartford.
The joint city-county study group also recommended that the first meeting of the Law Enforcement Consolidation Task Force take place on or before Feb. 21; and that the city and county allocate $2,500 each for a total of $5,000 to fund the task force in anticipation of expenses, mileage and copying costs.
The task force also is to fully consider the questions submitted, drawing upon any and all resources available and conducting interviews and dialog with law enforcement personnel, lawmakers, financial analysts and the general public to provide the task force with information to reach and support conclusions.
The last item on the written recommendations was that the task force should conclude its study no later than Aug. 21 and a written report of its findings and recommendations be submitted to both governing bodies at that time.
Lyon County commissioners will consider the recommendations during Thursday’s action session.
Also during today's study session, commissioners heard from Bill Persinger, executive director of the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas and Robert Sullivan, director of Community Corrections. The two entities have been looking at getting a full-time drug and alcohol counselor for community corrections. The counselor would be employed by Mental Health and the job would be tailored specifically to the needs of juvenile offenders, Persinger said.
“It would be like expanding a branch office today,” Persinger said.
The offenders would still have the option of getting evaluations where they want to, but this would give them the additional option of getting it done by Mental Health.
“It’s something that would help my agency and officers enormously,” Sullivan told commissioners.
Commission Chairman Marshall Miller said a resolution would be drafted and voted on during Thursday’s commission meeting for approval.
Persinger also presented Mental Health’s annual report to commissioners today. In the seven county area Mental Health serves, there were 1,536 admissions in 2006 compared to 1,237 in 2005. The area includes Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Lyon, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee Counties.
Persinger’s report also stated that the Mental Health Center operates on an annual budget of about $8,000,000 and employs 183 full and part-time staff. The center operates two group homes for adults in Emporia as well as crisis apartments for adults and children. Services also are offered in hospital emergency rooms, county jails, nursing homes and other locations as needed.
Also today, commissioners heard from Lougene Marsh, executive director of the Flint Hills Community Health Center. Marsh talked about the quarterly report for the center. She said a joint task force between members of Lyon County’s Community Health Center and Osage County Health Department is still meeting to discuss the possibility of the two organizations working together.
“There are a number of reasons why we believe that would be a benefit,” Marsh said. “Their public service isn’t as strong as it needs to be for a population of 17,000 people.”
Marsh said not to expect a decision from that task force for at least the next six to eight weeks.
Other items addressed during today’s commission meeting:
• Commissioners discussed a resolution establishing stop signs at the BNSF Railroad crossing on Road Z at Reading until gates are installed.
• Commissioners discussed the roadway evaluation for the proposed access to the Westar Peaking Plant as prepared by BG Consultants. The evaluation results showed that Road U is more fit than Road S and is kept up better than Road S. Road U also has an elevated interchange with the Interstate making it a good access point. The next step commissioners will take is meeting with Westar Energy to coordinate the planning and the timing around the issue.
• Commissioners discussed a resolution urging the federal and state governments to retain driver’s license renewals at the local level.