Riley County approves resolution to join North Central Kansas juvenile detention facility

The Riley County Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 30 approved a resolution authorizing the county to enter into a local cooperation agreement to participate in the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility.

County counselor Jacob Hansen presented the item and said the current agreement dates back to 1992 but required updating and a formal resolution under state law. He said the agreement now includes 15 counties and that the facility’s total cost is set at $850,000 and apportioned to members according to a weighted funding formula. Hansen said the board would be authorizing the chair to sign the agreement when the final instrument is presented to the commission.

The resolution cites state statute KSA 12‑2914 as the authority for counties to enter the compact, and Hansen told the board the draft changes were primarily cleanup and clarified existing terms rather than adding substantive new obligations.

Commissioners asked procedural questions about timing and the host county; Hansen said Geary County serves as the host for the facility and that final execution would take place at a future meeting. A motion to adopt the resolution was moved and seconded and approved with the board voice vote recorded as "aye." The transcript did not record a roll‑call tally or Riley County’s exact yearly contribution amount.

Why it matters: Participation in the regional facility keeps juvenile detention services shared among multiple counties and implicates an ongoing intergovernmental funding commitment. The resolution places Riley County in the formal agreement framework and authorizes the chair to complete signature when the final agreement is returned for execution.

Next steps: The county will return the signed agreement when the final document is available; staff said the regional board meets monthly and funding allocations will be distributed according to the established formula.