Riley County approves highway permit, park CIP spending and personnel promotion

Riley County commissioners on Feb. 3 approved a set of routine but binding items including a highway use permit, capital improvement project (CIP) activations for county parks, a tax-roll correction and a promotion in the Appraiser’s Office.

The commission voted to grant Prox Communications a highway use permit allowing the company to complete the work described in its application. The board also approved CIP activation funding totaling $39,700 for park projects: $14,000 for University Park, $11,000 for Ogden and $14,700 for Leonardville.

Commissioners also approved a county tax-roll correction as presented and moved forward with filling a staffing vacancy in the Appraiser’s Office by promoting a current commercial analyst. Anna Berson of the Riley County Appraisers office recommended Steve Shirley for the assistant county appraiser role, citing his commercial real-estate experience and supervisory duties. The commission approved Shirley’s promotion effective March 10, 2025.

The approvals were passed by voice vote with motions made, seconded and recorded as "all in favor." No roll-call vote totals were recorded in the public minutes for these items.

The actions transfer modest sums and staffing responsibilities but are part of the county's routine operations: the highway permit allows a private telecom contractor to complete activity on county right-of-way; the park CIP funds cover discrete park maintenance or improvement projects; the tax-roll correction adjusts assessed values as requested; and the promotion reorganizes supervisory responsibilities inside the Appraiser’s Office.

Commission staff completed the required paperwork and asked the chair to sign documents where needed to enact the approvals.