Douglas County commissioners are prepared to spend up to $5,000 a year to take care of a boat ramp that might be built along the banks of the Kansas River north of Lecompton.

The money would finance the mowing of grass as well as trash collection in Jefferson County.

“We’re not doing it for Jefferson County,” Commissioner Bob Johnson said. “We’re doing it for the people of Douglas County and the people of Lawrence. I don’t have any problem with that.”

During their meeting Monday morning, commissioners agreed, in concept, to support plans for building a small boat ramp on the west side of the Kansas River bridge across the river from Lecompton. The ramp would be used by people using canoes and other nonmotorized boats.

State Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, told commissioners that the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks remained committed to financing construction of such a ramp, though the department already was working on plans for a larger river access big enough for use of motor boats on donated land about a mile west of Perry.

Sloan said he expected both ramps would be built.

After seven years in the works for a Lecompton ramp, Sloan said, the county’s commitment should help move the plan closer to reality.

Lecompton might even consider annexing the site north of the river into town, he said, which would clear up issues of intergovernmental spending.

“This (ramp project) goes, in my mind, to preserving Lecompton as a viable community in our county,” Sloan told commissioners.