Junction City leaders will have a list of legislative priorities with them when they travel to the Association of the United States Army convention in Washington D. C. Oct. 13-15.

During the trip they will meet with military leaders, but also with members of Congress and their staffs.

At the top of the list of discussion topics will be the blue green algae problem that has left Milford Lake under warnings or advisories for much of the summer, hurting recreation, businesses, and local sales tax revenue.  One issue that has been determined is that regulations differ at Corps of Engineer reservoirs in different Corps districts.

Interim City Manager Cheryl Beatty said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, who issues warnings and advisories,  has chosen to recommend closures instead of education. “The Corps districts will take KDHE’s recommendation and close the beach, where another Corp district is actually using the Oklahoma method where they do by education only. ” In that method signs are posted warning the public about the algae, saying you enter the water at your own risk. Beatty noted the education portion of the message there is that if you see the algae do not go in the water.

Other topics for discussion will include housing development on Fort Riley, the numbers on mental health and social issues affecting law enforcement, information on the continuing effort to build partnerships with Fort Riley, and a report on Junction City’s return to normalcy ( in the financial arena ).

Local delegations from Junction City and Manhattan attend the AUSA convention every year.