Riley County selects two finalists for consulting on comprehensive plan

After receiving five submittals for consulting on an upcoming Comprehensive Plan, Riley County commissioners have narrowed that list to two potential firms and are targeting early next month to have a selection in place.

The county opted to interview Olsson and Stantec, based on the selection committee’s evaluation scores and discussion. Commission Chair John Ford says both made good presentations to the county initially.

“I think to get to where we want to end up with all of this and what’s important, I think they (Olsson and Stantec) had the best vision for it,” he said.

Commissioner Greg McKinley says he liked that both companies shared a more rural focus in their planning vision.

“They’ve done a lot of counties in Kansas and Nebraska. The others have done a lot of big cities, which don’t apply,” he said.

Commissioner Kathryn Focke says Olsson was her top choice.

“I like the fact that they’re local and have really good references and most likely understand some of our rural-ish issues, more than some of the others,” she said.

Focke says Stantec is her clear number two choice.

“They’ve done a lot of work with the Flint Hills Regional Council and Fort Riley, so I thought that was a plus,” she said. “It seems like they’re really heavy in Fort Riley work more so than either K-State and the rural communities. That’s what I’m mainly concerned with — the rural communities and our development there.”

Riley County will look to enter a contract at its June 3 meeting with one of the two firms with a plan to be adopted no later than June 30, 2025.