Douglas County will spend $12,500 to help ECO2 study open space and industrial development issues, commissioners decided Monday.

The land-use organization will use the funds for a part-time administrative assistant, a mapping contract with the Kansas Biological Survey and public education efforts.

The Lawrence City Commission will consider authorizing $12,500 for ECO2 today. That will provide the group with $25,000 in funding.

County commissioners approved the funding on a 2-1 vote with Commissioner Jere McElhaney dissenting.

“I think ECO2 is doing a fantastic job, but I’m wondering if there aren’t other avenues where the funding isn’t already there,” McElhaney said. “My fear is we’re overlapping money and the work.”

ECO2 Chairwoman RoxAnne Miller said the group worked to ensure it was not duplicating the work of other agencies, such as the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Office.

“We are filling a niche that hasn’t been filled,” she said. The group also will designate $5,000 for public education and outreach, Miller said, responding to McElhaney’s concern that residents don’t understand the purpose of ECO2.

McElhaney noted the ECO2 budget request had more than doubled from last year, when the group received $6,000 from the county.

“I think that represents a fairly small investment given what we get from this,” said Commission Chairman Charles Jones. “We’re getting a huge bang for the buck.”

Commissioners also unanimously authorized spending about $36,000 to upgrade the county’s phone system and replace its voice mail software and equipment.

“Our system works fine,” said Pam Madl, assistant county administrator. “It’s old, but it works. However, we were notified that the manufacturer will no longer provide support.”

Commissioners awarded the contract for phone services to Lenexa-based SKC Communication Products Inc.