Cofounder of Red Dog Children's Museum and Big Brothers Big Sisters update county on youth programs, seek support

Trevor Hans, cofounder of Red Dog Children's Museum, told the Finney County Board of County Commissioners that the museum’s mobile programming has served thousands of families across Southwest Kansas and is building toward a permanent facility in Garden City. Hans said Red Dog is not a daycare but aims to provide full‑day summer camp options and hands‑on STEM and agricultural exhibits that support working families and create early workforce pipelines. He asked the board to evaluate Red Dog under KSA 19‑101(a), which he cited as giving counties broad authority to support initiatives serving a public purpose, and invited the county to consider a partnership or other support.

The board then heard from Tammy Lisonbee of Big Brothers Big Sisters, who provided a capacity update and thanked the board for previous office space. Lisonbee said the local program served 319 youth in 2025, currently has 91 active mentoring matches and 35 girls in an after‑school leadership program, and expects more than 100 youth in its summer program at Victor Nellis Elementary School. She said the organization has added board members and secured nearly $50,000 in additional funds but remains fiscally constrained. Lisonbee requested a 6– to 12‑month extension of county office space so the agency can continue capacity building and funding development.

Why it matters: Both organizations framed their requests as investments in children, workforce retention and community livability. Commissioners thanked the speakers and noted the ways in which youth programming and family‑friendly amenities align with the county’s comprehensive plan and economic development goals.

What’s next: The board did not take formal action during public comment on either request; staff follow‑up or agenda placement for funding/partnership consideration was not specified during the meeting.