WICHITA — The Sedgwick County Commission is moving forward with plans to close the Judge Riddel Boys Ranch.
County Manager Bill Buchanan presented the four-phase plan to shut down the facility for troubled boys. Currently, 31 boys are assigned to the program. Though, two of them are new and have not started. They will be reassigned to a new facility.
Last summer, state legislators gave a one-year grant to the county in the amount of $750,000 to pay for the program, which covers funding through their fiscal year, ending June 30. The program asked for $1.5 million.
Buchanan’s plan includes stopping admissions, shrinking the population and staff and liquidate inventories on site.
The County Commission has not made a formal decision on the matter.