Geary County

Building $2 Billion Success Story on Military Partnership

Transforming from struggling rural region to strategic economic powerhouse through financial reform, infrastructure investment, and smart partnerships with Fort Riley.

In the heart of Kansas, where interstate highways converge and military might meet Midwest pragmatism, Geary County has quietly transformed itself into one of the state’s most strategically positioned communities. Home to Fort Riley, the legendary “Big Red One” First Infantry Division, and anchored by Milford Lake, Kansas’s largest man-made reservoir, this region of 34,000 residents punches well above its weight in economic impact and infrastructure sophistication.

Fort Riley generates more than $2 billion in direct economic impact annually, serving over 62,000 soldiers, family members, civilian employees, retirees, and veterans. Milford Lake’s 15,700 acres of water and 163 miles of shoreline have earned it recognition as the “Fishing Capitol of Kansas,” drawing tourists from across the Midwest.

“We’re located in northeast Kansas and are home to the largest manmade lake, Milford Lake,” explains District 1 Commissioner Trish Giordano. “We’re right next door to Fort Riley. We have railroad access, highway access, and air access with a regional airport.” The county’s transportation infrastructure includes Manhattan Regional Airport, which provides commercial airline service, positioning the area within easy reach of major markets across a 600-mile radius.

Two years ago, Stormont Vail Health System, affiliated with the Mayo Clinic, assumed operations of the county’s struggling hospital. “Them taking over the hospital has been a huge asset for our community to ensure that we have quality healthcare here,” Giordano notes.

Financial Transformation and Governance Reform

Geary County’s most dramatic changes have occurred behind the scenes, where a complete overhaul of financial management has stabilized operations and eliminated waste. “The hospital and finance director were mainly the reasons why I ran for public office,” Commissioner Giordano recalls. “I felt like there was a huge need to try to restructure things.”

The county hired Finance Director Tami Robison, whose first challenge was saving the hospital without raising taxes. “Within two weeks I started scouring the financials, the budget, the audits, trying to figure out where we might have some adjustments,” Robison explains.

The county had been levying taxes across twenty separate funds unnecessarily. Robison restructured the entire budget, consolidating operations to levy only for the general fund and debt service fund. “We were able to realize there were a lot of reserves sitting there,” she notes. “Because of that, we could use those reserves and our sales tax that was being used to pay the bond and stop levying for that, which allowed us to put this other bond in place and not increase any taxes for the taxpayers.”

The county lacked basic financial controls, operating with an outdated procurement code and no purchase card program. Robison implemented comprehensive financial policies, established reserve requirements, and modernized the computer software system.

Employee compensation received similar attention through a complete wage study and implementation of one hundred percent compression for most departments. The sheriff’s office benefited from a transition to the KP&F retirement system, providing more robust benefits for emergency service personnel. “We adopted a new pay plan with a grade and step in place,” Robison explains. “This allows us to retain, recruit better and more competitively.”

Infrastructure Investment and Development

Beyond financial reorganization, Geary County has methodically upgraded its physical infrastructure through targeted investments. Public Works Administrator Jeremie Myers oversees annual investments of $400,000 to gravel road networks and $500,000 to asphalt road improvements. The county actively pursues state and federal funding for bridge replacements, recently completing major projects including the Conroe bridge replacement and West Lions Creek box replacement.

“We’ve had some significant projects as far as bridge replacements, Conroe bridge replacement, West Lions Lyons Creek box replacement, old Milford Road box replacement,” he explains. “We’re getting rid of those dated poor condition bridges and box culverts to improve the roadway network.”

In Laurel Canyon, the county operates water district number two and sewer district number four. The region previously relied on an aging treatment plant. The county recently converted operations to a more efficient lagoon system. “We are working with rural development currently on revitalizing the water and sewer to add some additions to some lots that haven’t been developed in that area,” Myers notes.

One infrastructure investment carries particular historical significance. Rathert Field, where baseball legend Jackie Robinson played during his service at Fort Riley, received comprehensive renovations through a partnership between the county and Junction City. “It’s made of native Kansas limestone where the stadium seats are and just really cool,” Giordano observes. “They’ve added a beer garden area and on opening night they had almost 300 people there, so it’s pretty popular.” The facility now hosts college-level baseball during summer months, combining historical preservation with active recreational use.

Housing Solutions and Downtown Revitalization

Junction City’s transformation from struggling municipality to recognized development success illustrates how strategic planning can reverse decades of decline. Three years ago, the city joined the Kansas Main Street program. “They’ve recently added 13 new businesses and over 90 jobs, and secured over $1 million in grants,” Giordano reports. “Downtown, they’ve had $8.5 million in investments, including a new brewery that we’ve also been involved in to give them the neighborhood revitalization program for tax abatements.”

Housing development received a major boost through an innovative land bank program addressing past planning mistakes. Approximately Twenty years ago, the Defense Department announced plans to bring the historic 1st Infantry Division home, back to Ft. Riley, KS. In the euphoric excitement of the return of the “Big Red One”, Junction City was built by adding multiple housing developments simultaneously.  The housing demand that Junction City prepared for did not come to fruition and Junction City was stuck holding the bag.

The city now offers these prepared lots for $5,000 each, with a $4,000 rebate for builders who complete construction within 18 months. “There’s no specials on those lots, and they’re right by the new $120 million high school,” Giordano notes. The program has generated significant activity, with over 50 houses built in Geary County last year.

The Grant Avenue area, adjacent to Fort Riley, presents opportunities for lower-income housing development. Meanwhile, investments in Laurel Canyon’s water and sewer infrastructure have sparked private construction. “At least four or five houses have been built in the last couple of years there,” Giordano observes.

The county has applied for a defense community infrastructure grant targeting the gateway to Fort Riley, where approximately 400,000 vehicles pass monthly. If approved, the $19 million project would fund comprehensive infrastructure improvements to this critical corridor, supporting both military operations and civilian economic development. 

Workforce Development and Economic Growth

Geary County’s economic expansion strategy centers on matching local workforce development with employer needs. Cloud County Community College operates a full campus in the county. “They already have 12 classrooms and three science labs, and the programs include nursing, business, EMT, welding and education,” Giordano explains.

Welding training addresses a critical regional shortage. “Just in a 60-mile radius, there were hundreds of welding positions open, and that was one of the reasons why that’s probably the newest trade that they started doing locally because of the need,” Giordano notes. Eagle Railcar has contributed $50,000 to the welding program and grown from 12 employees to over 100 since taking operations two years ago.

Michelin represents the county’s largest manufacturing success, expanding from 150 jobs to 300 positions. “We have very good access to a workforce with all of the soldiers getting out of the military, which is a huge asset for us,” Giordano observes.

Small business development receives attention through partnerships with the Area Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce. “We have what they call business classes where you sign up for classes and they talk about taxes and insurance and employees and just different things that you need to know,” Giordano explains. “A lot of businesses fail because they don’t understand the business aspect of it.”

The Veteran EPiC competition exemplifies innovative approaches to entrepreneurship. Veterans and their families participate in business training culminating in a Shark Tank-style competition. “That was really successful. They had 12 or 15 applicants,” Giordano reports.

Tourism, Recreation, and Quality of Life

Milford Lake anchors Geary County’s tourism strategy as Kansas’s largest reservoir. The lake has earned national recognition, including hosting prestigious fishing tournaments and producing the current Kansas record smallmouth bass at 6.88 pounds.

Acorns Resort serves as the lake’s premier destination. “Acorns is the only full-service resort,” explains Raquel Cinco, Director of the Geary County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “They offer lodgings with cabins, yurts, a lodge room, they’ve got 60 RV spaces. They also have a restaurant on site called the Cove and an event center space that can hold events for up to 250 guests.”

Additional lake amenities include Thunderbird Marina, Flagstop, and the state park with cabins and RV facilities. Historical tourism represents another significant draw. The county serves as a major stop for Run for the Wall, an annual motorcycle ride. “We host one of the stops for Run for the Wall and that’s a ride that starts in California, goes all the way to Washington, and we are one of their major stops,” Cinco notes. “That helps host a ton of riders that are all veterans or families of veterans.”

Public safety initiatives support residents and visitors through comprehensive law enforcement services. Both the sheriff’s department and Junction City police are pursuing national accreditation through CALEA, with the sheriff’s department positioned to become the first accredited sheriff’s office in Kansas.

The Safe Streets for All program funds comprehensive road safety assessments. “We get with this grant basically the funds to get an engineering firm to review our local road safety action plan,” explains Administrative Services Manager Kalyn Ross. “They’ll dig deeper and enhance our safety action plan in hopes that in the future we can apply through another grant and get more funding for actual construction work.”

Vision for the Future: Integration and Collaboration

Geary County’s leadership envisions continued growth built on strategic partnerships and targeted investments. The approach emphasizes collaboration between county government, municipalities, and Fort Riley to maximize the region’s advantages as one of only 50 designated Great American Defense Communities nationwide.

“Collaborating with our largest city, Junction City, is huge. They have new leadership and that is going well,” Giordano explains. “When Junction City does well, the whole entire county does well.”

Childcare is a critical workforce development issue. The county has established the Geary County Childcare Coalition to address what Giordano describes as both “a workforce issue” and “an economic development issue.” Military schedules compound the challenge. “Even the military have to be at work at six o’clock in the morning for physical training, and a lot of the childcare providers aren’t open then,” she notes.

The school district has broken ground on an early childhood center that will offer free preschool for all three and four-year-olds in the community. “It’ll be open in August of 2026,” Giordano reports.

Fort Riley’s mission remains central to economic development strategy. “We concentrate on trying to recruit jobs or industry that supports what the base needs, those kinds of things that would encourage those companies to be right here to support the mission of Fort Riley,” Giordano explains.

Geary County’s transformation illustrates how strategic leadership, financial discipline, and collaborative partnerships can revitalize a region. The county has built a foundation for sustained growth that honors its military heritage while embracing new opportunities. As Kansas continues to attract manufacturing investment and rural communities seek development models, Geary County’s balanced approach offers insights into leveraging existing assets while building capacity for the future.

AT A GLANCE

Name: Geary County, Kansas

What: Rural county anchored by Fort Riley military installation, Milford Lake tourism, and strategic manufacturing growth

Where: Northeast Kansas

Website: https://www.gearycounty.org/