Extension office will get temporary quarters in Annex
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 02:10 p.m., November 21, 2007
Updated 02:11 p.m., November 21, 2007
During Wednesday morning’s Lyon County Commission meeting, commissioners discussed a back-up plan for the Lyon County Extension Office’s move.
Because of an agreement with TFI Family Services, the Extension Office must be out of their location on Commercial Street by Nov. 30. The original plan was to move the office directly into the former Deer Trail building, located near the Lyon County Fairgrounds. Dan Slater, Lyon County controller, said Wednesday that the former Deer Trail building won’t be ready until around Jan. 1.
Slater said the new plan is to temporarily move the Extension Office in the Lyon County Annex, 402 Commercial. Slater said a large landing area in the building that used to be accounts payable should be large enough to move over five desks and necessary equipment for the Extension Office’s short-term operation. The area will have to be wired and Slater said Stutler Technologies doesn’t see a problem with getting that done in time.
“It’s not perfect, but it will get them by,” Slater told commissions this morning.
Slater said there are some county dollars that will be spent for the move, but likely not more than $10,000.
“It sounds like a pretty good plan to me,” Commission Chairman Marshall Miller said this morning. “The consensus says Dan’s plan is a go.”
The plan is for the Extension Office to finish packing the first part of the week. On Wednesday, Thomas Transfer will help get the necessary equipment over to the Annex. The rest of the items will be stored in a trailer until the Extension’s permanent building is completed.
In other discussion, commissioners passed a motion to support Emporia’s participation in the Buxton study if it comes to pass. The county agreed to chip in $10,000 for the study. The Buxton company has proposed a retail-development study and community marketing plan for Emporia.
“I think it’s one more step to show we are cooperating,” Commissioner Scott Briggs said.
Lougene Marsh, executive director of Flint Hills Community Health Center, requested that commissioners approve a contractual change that removes the Senior Care Program from the contract. The Senior Care Program is for in-home services to seniors from housework to personal care. Marsh said the program’s enrollment has dropped sharply over the past few years and it is no long financially viable. Enrollment has dropped because of declining federal funding for the program through the Area Agency on Aging.
Marsh said there are an adequate number of home-health providers in Emporia to cover what the health center is doing.
“The board of director’s recommendation was to discontinue the program,” Marsh said.
Commissioners will address the request in next week’s meetings.
In other business:
• Rick Frevert of Lyon County Emergency Management said the south communications tower was re-staked. Next Tuesday or Wednesday, the anchors will be dug and the tower will go up once it arrives, Frevert said.
• Commissioners approved the contract for Emergency Relief Federal Aid Road Construction through the Federal Highway Administration to address erosion on the bank of the Neosho River bank west of Neosho Rapids on Road 145. The estimated cost of the bank-stabilization project is $572,110.