Riley County Commission approves finance engagements, temporary health‑dept EHR extension and schedules budget hearing

Riley County commissioners on Nov. 10 approved a set of routine administrative actions, including new finance and legal engagements, a temporary extension of the health department's electronic health‑records contract and a series of personnel and grant authorizations.

The board voted to engage Raven James & Associates as municipal advisor and to approve an engagement letter with bond counsel Mary Carson of Spencer Fane LLP for work related to the Series 2025 geotemporary notes, which will support projects including Peterson Ranch and solid‑waste and bypass work. A commissioner moved and another seconded the municipal advisor engagement; the board voted in favor.

Assistant county counselor Michael Hawthorne told commissioners that Custom Data Processing (CDP), the health department's current EHR vendor, had continued providing services despite a lapsed contract and agreed to extend service through June with a 5% fee increase. Hawthorne said the health department expects to replace CDP with a new system (referred to as Patagonia in the presentation) before the extension expires. The board approved the amended agreement with CDP.

Other approved actions included county employee action forms covering new hires and status changes; adoption of bylaws for the Riley County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC); and authorization for Commissioner McKinley to electronically sign a KDHE environmental protection grant contract that allocates $50,000 to assist low‑ and moderate‑income property owners with wastewater repairs and replacements.

Britney Phillips, budget and finance officer, listed multiple proposed budget amendments that do not increase property taxes and recommended publishing a hearing to consider them. The board approved publishing the formal 2025 budget amendment hearing for Monday, Dec. 15 at 9 a.m.

The meeting record shows motions were moved, seconded and carried with affirmative votes on the floor for the items above. The commission recessed to convene as the Board of Health to consider the health department's grant application and then reconvened as the Board of County Commissioners before continuing regular business.