Herzet, re-hired in February 2010, held job from 2004 through 2007 as well

By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

Marion County Road and Bridge Superintendent Jim Herzet resigned his position Thursday during a county commission meeting. His resignation was effective 3:30 p.m. Friday.

The announcement came after a series of closed sessions. The sessions began when Commissioner Randy Dallke requested a 20-minute closed session with Herzet to discuss work performance of personnel.

After five minutes, Herzet was dismissed from the closed session. Commissioners continued to meet in closed session, alternating with and without Herzet, for another 80 minutes.

The commission accepted Herzet’s resignation and agreed to pay him for all unused sick and vacation leave.

The commission hired Herzet in February 2010, which allowed his predecessor, John Summerville, to return to a job as road foreman.

It wasn’t Herzet’s first time in the position. He became acting road and bridge superintendent in July 2004. About a year later, the title was made permanent. He resigned the position in June 2007.

In other business:

• Sales tax receipts for April sales was $48,972, down less than 1 percent from the same time in 2010. Sales tax receipts for the year remain about 2 percent ahead of 2010.
• An attorney representing six counties, including Marion County, opposing a tax exemption for TransCanada’s Keystone Oil Pipeline had expended all of the money the county’s authorized for that purpose. The commission approved authorizing another $2,000. Cowley and Dickinson counties had already authorized more funds.
• Union Pacific Railroad will install a crossbar and flashing lights where the railroad crosses 360th Road near Ramona.
• Cooperative Grain and Supply of Hillsboro will supply 14,550 gallons of fuel to Road and Bridge Department for $46,478. Cardie Oil Company of Tampa bid $47,732.
• Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman said she doesn’t have enough storage space. She said she needed both space and accessibility. The commission instructed Huffman to speak with Sheriff Rob Craft about using some of the space the county is renting in a building owned by the city of Marion.
• Huffman met with the commission in closed session for five minutes to discuss personnel policy. No action was taken on return to open session.
• Michael Powers, chief judge of the 8th Judicial District, told the commission that county employees had done a good job accommodating the trial of Terry Bowen, Lora Gay, and Kenneth Frederick II.
• The Bluegrass at the Lake concert had a profit of $311 after sponsorships, Park and Lake Superintendent Steve Hudson said. The real benefits of the event, he said, are exposure for the lake and the evening of free entertainment for area residents.
• Prairieland Partners of Marion will sell a pull-behind mower to the Park and Lake Department for $13,422. Other bidders were Lang Diesel, $13,598; Straub International, $14,500; and G & R Implement, $13,950. No two bids were for the exact same mower, but they were all comparable, Hudson said.
• Hudson met with the commission in closed session for five minutes to discuss personnel work performance. No action was taken on return to open session.

The next scheduled commission meeting will be Monday.