By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
The proposed Taylor Road Interchange on the southwest edge of Junction City moved into the spotlight with the Geary County Commission on Monday. The Chair of the governing body, Trish Giordano, said KDOT wants a detailed plan for infrastructure and business in that area.
The issue received discussion at a joint city - county - school district meeting. Earlier in the day at a county commission meeting, Giordano touched on the interchange. She noted that a lot of people feel the proposed slaughterhouse is associated with it." They need to have those fears put to rest." She added that some people are opposed to the interchange regardless of what it is.
Commissioner Alex Tyson pointed to three factors including the slaughterhouse implications, people don't want growth and people look at other areas in the city that have been neglected for years." Got to be something laid out to the community. That way they understand and move forward. Tyson added that he thought that has not happened. Giordano then said we are not where we want to be. We have not done that.
Tyson noted officials want small businesses to stay and all of those things. "But we've got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot when those opportunities occur." Tyson said you have to trust the process. "Now we are in a better place where we need to understand and come together and work together on things like this."
Commissioner Keith Ascher noted that everyone needs to be on the same page to move the community forward.
There was strong opposition to an earlier proposal for a slaughterhouse near the Taylor Road interchange but that project has been silent for some time.