County presents early-childhood proclamation; sheriff updates board on fire response and inmate programs

The Reno County Commission presented a proclamation designating April 17–20 as the Week of the Young Child and invited local early-childhood leaders to outline activities including a 50th-anniversary open house at the Early Education Center.

Kaye Ann Graham, director of the Early Education Center, and Tanya Roberts, representing the Kansas Children’s Service League, described plans for family activities downtown and an open house celebrating the center’s 50 years of service to young children in Reno County.

Sheriff Randy Henderson updated the commission on wildfire-response staffing and coordination: he reported mutual-aid contributions from 176 officers across 26 agencies and said local sheriff’s office personnel logged 354.5 straight hours with 118 overtime hours during the response. Henderson also said the county will join the Stepping Up initiative to reduce the number of inmates with serious mental illness in correctional facilities and will work with Douglas County and local providers on programming.

Staff reported the county received a Charles E. Gary Memorial Fund award of $2,000 (an initial request was $3,014.03) to support computer testing and GED programming in the county correctional facility; staff and captains are working out program details and participation for female inmates.

Commissioners thanked first responders and staff for their work during the recent wildfire events and discussed next steps on tax-abatement guidance for properties damaged by the disaster, which they deferred until an absent commissioner could participate in that agenda item.