By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Another commission meeting, another transfer station proposal.

Commissioners on Monday heard from Rocky Hett of Marion, who owns a former rock quarry a mile and a quarter north of US-56 on Timber Rd. Hett proposed the county build its own landfill for county use.

The county has been considering locations to build a new transfer station for a year, since commissioners launched a failed initiative to build a transfer station and other offices at the former Straub building in Marion. During that time, several different locations have been bandied about.

“We’d still be hauling all our trash to Butler County,” Hett said. “If we had our own landfill, we can save all that money of hauling it.”

Commissioner Randy Dallke said the county already owns 40 acres next to an earlier landfill location that is now closed.

Dallke said he didn’t mind the idea of having a small landfill for county use, but didn’t want the landfill to accept trash from outside counties.

Dallke said Hett’s idea is not without cost.

“You’ll still have to put the liners in and maintain the liners,” Dallke said.

Marion city administrator Roger Holter said the location Hett proposes is inside city limits.

“Our reaction is that it was an interesting proposal made,” Holter said later. “It will require much review and additional consideration, and probably a de-annexation of the land should a landfill proposal be vetted.”

Road and bridge supervisor Jesse Hamm showed commissioners photos of 18 trucks and salt spreaders coming up for online auction and asked for permission to bid on them when the auctions begin. Hamm said he plans to go see them before bidding on any, and that similar trucks have sold for under $20,000 at past auctions.

Commissioners voted to allow him to bid as much as $30,000 each for three trucks.

In other business, commissioners:

• Visited with lawyer Brad Jantz about his services as county counsel. Commissioners voted two weeks ago to hire Jantz as county counsel but retain former county counsel Susan Robson to handle upcoming tax sales.
• Authorized transfer station coordinator Bud Druse to order a 50’ steel trailer for transfer station use.
• Consented to share a nurse position with Harvey County with the nurse spending two days per week in Marion County.
• Heard a proposal for a new courthouse security system in closed session for security discussion. When the commission returned to open session, they took no formal action but agreed to contact other counties where the same security system is in use to find out how the system is working elsewhere.