The Riley County Commission discussed placing the Courthouse on the Kansas Register of Historic Places. The Carnegie building is on the National Register.

If the Courthouse was on the Kansas Register is would be request financial help from the Kansas Historical Society. The Heritage Trust Fund is administered by the Society. The Fund is to help maintain buildings placed on the Kansas and National Register. The Fund can pay for 80% of the cost of maintenance of those buildings.

The Fund recently awarded grants for 13 projects totaling $900,016. The County does not have plans for work on the Courthouse. It received a major maintenance effort in 1998.

The draft 2002 budget calls for $150,000 maintenance project on the Carnegie building in the county building fund. A Heritage Trust Fund grant could potentially pay for $120,000 of the $150,000 costs.

Monday the Commission said they wanted to look into the matter more.