County approves sale-barn zoning
By Brandy Nance (Contact)
Originally published 02:07 p.m., February 1, 2008
Updated 02:07 p.m., February 1, 2008
An application for a sale barn near Admire cleared another hurdle Thursday morning after Lyon County commissioners unanimously passed the zoning request during Thursday’s action session.
The application came to county commissioners with an approval recommendation from the Lyon County Planning and Appeals Board meeting earlier this month.
The landowner, Charles Loomis, said he wanted to have a livestock sale barn. The barn would be between 11,000 and 14,000 square feet on approximately 10 acres of land owned by Loomis. The sales barn would be located at 1505 Road 310, Admire, which is on the southeast corner of Kansas Highway 99 and Road 310. The application was tabled a few times to give Loomis time to gather and present more information for board members.
Lyon County Commission Chairman Scott Briggs said Thursday afternoon that Loomis has only passed one of many hurdles for the sales barn.
“He will have to comply with KDOT with highway entrance,” Briggs said. And he will have to comply with KDHE and their study.”
There was a valid protest petition against the zoning request that only could be overridden by a unanimous vote, which commissioners did.
“Our feeling was, it was an agricultural land zoned agriculture and was (being zoned) for an agriculture business,” Briggs said.
In other business, commissioners gave Community Corrections Director Robert Sullivan the go-ahead to pursue forming a juvenile intake assessment center at the Lyon County Annex, 402 Commercial St. Sullivan said juveniles, whether they are in need of care or are in law enforcement custody, have unique needs. Right now the only places available for intake are the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office or the Emporia Police Department.
“None of which are suitable for youth who are in trouble, especially for children who are in need of (care),” Sullivan said.
Forming a juvenile intake assessment center will allow for a set-up with a crib, toys and coloring books.
Sullivan said he doesn’t see the need for additional security at the Annex. He said for youth who are in law enforcement custody and are non-compliant, law enforcement will stick around for the intake.
“I cannot promise that there aren’t risks involved,” Sullivan said. “But our law enforcement has been very helpful.”
Sullivan said he won’t know until later this spring if they can open an intake center. He has to wait to see if enhancement funding will come through the Juvenile Justice Authority.
Commissioners also approved a $15,000 expenditure for the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. Undersheriff Richard Old said the money will be used to replace the three dispatch computers and to purchase software. The current system was purchased in 1987 and the computers have never been updated, Old said. The computers are all hooked together and are used for the police radio system. One of the workstations crashed the other day, Old said, leaving dispatch with only two.
“You don’t want the computers to go down when there’s a fight someplace,” Old said.
Old said all the computers have to be replaced because the computers and software are too old.
“It’s something you gotta have,” he said. “It’s not a lot of money, but it’s part of the critical infrastructure.”
Comments
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Posted by zeepmonk (anonymous) on February 1, 2008 at 2:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
$15000 for 3 computers - sounds like government spending at its best.
Posted by dhcc66 (anonymous) on February 1, 2008 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hey zee, i've seen these things. they have a couple of screens and from what I've heard, they run run the radios, the 911 dispatch software, and a lot of other stuff that helps get the good guys to your place when you call. i guess if you don't think that's important enough to spend money on, then have fun fending off the bad guys or fighting the fire til they get their 20 yr old computers re-booted
Posted by news_consumption (anonymous) on February 2, 2008 at 5:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One would like pretend they would seek competative bids from local businesses, even if it was only to dupe me into thinking they were spending all of that property tax money we pay wisely! Sheesh!
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