Commission allocates over $78,000 in opioid settlement funds for addiction treatment

Community Corrections receives $20,000 alcohol tax grant for new coordinator position

Commission to form task force on data centers and battery storage systems

Lagoon placements for consolidated sewer project under review

Reno County Public Works plans to stripe 100 miles of county roads

Register of Deeds approves $60,000 digital privacy redaction project

Sheriff's Office secures $346,000 for new body and in-car cameras

County overhauls public transit fares to implement flat-rate pricing

County urges public participation in county-community town hall

1. Commission allocates over $78,000 in opioid settlement funds for addiction treatment

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The Reno County Commission unanimously approved the distribution of $78,502 in opioid settlement funds to local organizations to combat substance abuse. Horizons Mental Health Center will receive $63,502 for a new education and prevention program targeting recently incarcerated individuals. Additionally, Reno County Community Corrections was granted $15,000 to help fund a new care coordination and program provider position. Community Corrections Director Randy Regehr noted the urgent need for the funding, stating that 72 percent of the agency's currently assigned individuals have a drug or alcohol-related offense and over a third test positive for illegal substances at their first appointment.

2. Community Corrections receives $20,000 alcohol tax grant for new coordinator position

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — Following the allocation of opioid settlement funds, commissioners unanimously approved a $20,000 grant from the county's special alcohol and drug fund for Reno County Community Corrections. The funds will be combined with the opioid grant and Kansas Department of Corrections money to fully establish a full-time care coordinator. The new position will assist high-risk offenders with substance abuse issues by helping them secure housing, employment and transportation, directly addressing the basic life barriers that often derail successful addiction treatment.

3. Commission to form task force on data centers and battery storage systems

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — In response to growing public concern regarding the unregulated expansion of emerging technologies, County Administrator Randy Partington announced the formation of a new economic development task force. The committee, which will include county commissioners, will review internal incentive policies and establish expectations for large-scale data centers and battery energy storage systems in unincorporated areas. The move aims to proactively address zoning, infrastructure and environmental concerns before formal applications are submitted to the Reno County Planning Commission.

4. Lagoon placements for consolidated sewer project under review

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — Constituent concerns were addressed regarding the placement of new lagoons for the upcoming consolidated Yoder and Haven sewer project. Reno County Public Works was urged to consider neighboring property values and aesthetic impacts when finalizing the engineering designs on the county-owned parcel. Staff confirmed that the state dictates strict setbacks from private properties and that the project is currently in the design phase, with construction bids expected to go out this summer.

5. Reno County Public Works plans to stripe 100 miles of county roads

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — During a brief annual Reno County Public Works report, staff announced an aggressive road-striping initiative for the upcoming year. Utilizing newly acquired painting equipment, the department plans to paint 100 miles of road markings across Reno County. The commission commended the department, noting that the new high-visibility markings have already drastically improved nighttime driving safety on county highways.

6. Register of Deeds approves $60,000 digital privacy redaction project

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — In an effort to safely expand online access to public records, the commission unanimously approved a $60,000 contract with Fidlar Technologies to redact personally identifiable information from county deeds. The project will review approximately 500,000 pages to obscure Social Security numbers and other sensitive data, allowing title companies and residents to safely view records online via a subscription service. The Register of Deeds office confirmed the project will be entirely funded through the department's technology fund, utilizing zero taxpayer dollars.

7. Sheriff's Office secures $346,000 for new body and in-car cameras

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff's Office will overhaul its camera and evidence management systems following the commission's unanimous approval of a $346,396 contract with Axon Enterprise. The purchase includes 23 in-car cameras and 43 body-worn cameras, along with a five-year unlimited cloud data storage plan for evidence retention. IT Director Tim McClatchey said the funds will be drawn from jail commissary funds, capital equipment budgets and capital equipment reserves, significantly modernizing the department's outdated, manual evidence-processing procedures.

8. County overhauls public transit fares to implement flat-rate pricing

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The Reno County Area Transit system is streamlining its fare structure to a simplified flat-rate model, following a unanimous vote by the commission. Designed to equalize costs and increase ridership, the new structure sets uniform fares at 50 cents for fixed routes, $1 for paratransit, $2 for demand response and drops countywide trips from as high as $8 down to $4. Aging and Public Transportation Director Kandace Bonnesen said the changes will make the rebranded public transportation system more economical and accessible for all residents without negatively impacting the county budget.

9. County urges public participation in county-community town hall

RENO COUNTY, Kan. — The commission encouraged residents and representatives from surrounding municipalities to attend an upcoming county-community town hall event on April 14 at the Hutchinson Fox Theatre. Hosted in collaboration with the Hutchinson Community Foundation, the event will feature discussions on community grants and small-scale economic development opportunities. The commission hopes the meeting will spur collaborative downtown revitalization and economic growth across Reno County's smaller communities.

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