Helen Dopps gives Land and Sky Byway annual update to Sherman County commissioners

Helen Dopps, a representative of the Land and Sky Byway committee, gave the Sherman County Board of Commissioners an annual update on the byway’s outreach and infrastructure work.

Dopps said the committee printed 10,000 tri-fold brochures and distributed them along I‑70 from Lyman to the Missouri state line, and that the group ran a fundraiser during Bike Across Kansas and promoted the route at the Kansas State Fair. She said the committee worked with the Kansas Department of Transportation, the Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Tourism and the Kansas Historical Society on promotions and regulatory approvals.

“We printed 10,000 copies of a trifold brochure … and distributed those with certified folder along I‑70,” Dopps told the board. She said the committee has also joined regional tourism organizations and participated in byways webinars and conferences; the group received an honorable-mention award from the National Scenic Byway Foundation for recent work.

Dopps described progress on physical wayfinding: the county and city of Goodland installed a directional sign by the kiosk near a retail area, and the committee is finishing a kiosk south of town that she expects will be completed within two to three weeks once the college pours concrete. A neighboring county kiosk was expected to be finished the same week pending parts arrival.

She said the committee is updating an online presence and coordinating with local staff to link county content to an updated comprehensive plan. Dopps asked the board to appoint a county representative to the byway committee for the next year; she listed current committee members as herself, Mona Carver, Donna Price, Chris Olson and Rod Cleer.

The commissioners thanked Dopps for the work and agreed to consider appointing a representative; Dopps confirmed the committee would meet next Tuesday at the Goodman Library.

What’s next: Dopps will provide requested materials and work with county staff to finalize kiosk signage and web links. The board did not take formal action on funding during the meeting.