Riley county named fifth healthiest in Kansas

A low obesity rate and a low percentage of smokers contributed to Riley county being named the fifth-healthiest Kansas county in this year’s Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings. Jennifer Green, county health director, went over the results of the recent county health survey at Thursday’s county commission meeting.

Riley county improved nine position in this year’s assessment after coming in fourteenth ranked last year. Green said the obesity rate, percentage of non-smokers, and high rate of educated adults in Riley county all played into this year’s surge. Green did say, however, binge drinking continues to be detrimental to the county’s success.

“We are a college town,” said Green.

Green said a lack of affordable housing and lack of mental health care also went against the overall ranking. In health outcomes, the county came in at sixteenth. Premature death rate and birth weights are examples of factors taken into consideration for that ranking. It was an improvement over being ranked eighteenth in last year’s results.

Commissioners also heard a departmental update from community corrections director Shelly Williams, who said  a fourth-consecutive budget cut means her department will no longer be able to provide protective custody transports to Riley County Police — which have been provided since 1997. The $16,000 cut also means a position will be lost through attrition.

Williams said she would have to lay off one of her employees on July 1, until learning days ago one 14-year-veteran of her department was retiring. The position will be absorbed by existing staff, but Williams said the environment has become increasingly demoralizing for her staff. In recent years, corrections employees have seen no salary increase or cost of living adjustments.

“It’s wearing on them. We deal with the most difficult people in the community day in, day out,” Williams said. The corrections department has lost around $47,000 total since fiscal year 2013.

Riley county appraiser Greg McHenry told commissioners he will be mailing Change of Valuation Notics to 4,500 personal property owners later this spring. After this year’s valuation process, McHenry said he has 380 appeals. McHenry also said home listings and pending sales were up this quarter. There were 224 sales through March 31, as opposed to 174 sales during that period in 2016.

In other updates, commissioners heard from Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr regarding updates on the Wildcat Creek watershed. Noxious weed director Dennis Peterson gave a brief update on recent sprayings on county roads.