County caps noxious weed chemical sales, changes rural road maintenance
Officials aim to prevent hoarding of subsidized herbicides and halt spraying on unpaved road shoulders to reduce gravel erosion.
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Riley County is overhauling its rural roadside and noxious weed maintenance policies to curb taxpayer waste and prevent the hoarding of subsidized agricultural chemicals.
The Noxious Weed Department will cap cost-share chemical sales to amounts sufficient to treat a maximum of 200 acres. Director Michael Boller said the policy change was necessary after individual property owners purchased up to 1,000 gallons during global shortages in previous years, forcing the county to restock at inflated prices for other customers. Residents needing to treat more than 200 acres will now require an on-site county inspection.
The county is also halting the use of ground sterilant sprays on the shoulders of unpaved roads to combat gravel erosion. Boller said allowing native grasses to grow along road shoulders will help hold gravel in place, reducing costs associated with public works crews retrieving washed-out rock from roadside ditches.
Additionally, the county is officially renaming a rural road near Keats to Anderson Lane to address emergency response delays. According to the county planning department, 911 dispatchers and ambulance crews have repeatedly struggled to locate the four properties along the road during medical emergencies. Affected residents will receive 30 days' notice before a formal public hearing finalizes the new addresses.
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