Chip and seal road projects will begin
Nighthawk and Indigo roads slated for improvements
Staff reporter
Marion County Road and Bridge Department will chip and seal Nighthawk Road.
Marion County Commission reviewed a cost estimate Monday of $6,171 per mile for the road improvement. Buildex and polymer will be used for the project. The funds will come from capital improvement.
A one-inch thick overlay for Indigo Road will go out for bids, reported Gerald Kelsey, road and bridge superintendent. He asked the commission and received approval for an engineer to be hired for the project. Kelsey will get cost estimates for the engineer.
Approximately 27 miles of roadway can be chipped and sealed at a cost of $188,000, which is a budgeted expense. An additional 11 miles at a cost of $80,000 is planned with encumbered funds.
Roads discussed for improvements were Lost Springs, Elk, Aulne, West Durham, and Pilsen.
Kelsey reported county road crews were currently blade patching.
The possible purchase and/or use of crack sealing equipment to stop or slow down the deterioration of roads was discussed.
Commission chairman Leroy Wetta asked if the county could share the equipment with a neighboring entity.
"Could we work out an agreement with McPherson to share the equipment?" asked Wetta. He said it would be a way to avoid a major expenditure.
Kelsey said he would check with McPherson and Kansas Department of Transportation.
The approximate cost for the purchase of the equipment is $20,000, Kelsey said.
Commissioner Howard Collett asked if sharing equipment was the best solution.
"Having it when you need it is important," Collett said. "We haven't gained anything if we can't use it when we need it."
No other decisions were made regarding equipment.
David Brazil, county planning, zoning, environmental health, and transfer station manager, distributed monthly budget information and the transfer station collection report.
The three departments under Brazil's management are within compliance, spending at or below 33 percent of the total budget.
During April, 677 tons of solid waste was collected by the transfer station bringing 2,208 total tons to date.
Brazil told the commission a conditional use permit for a retail tree farm has not been finalized due to a legal description needed for a survey.
Marion County Planning Commission will review subdivision regulations before the regular May meeting with a public hearing scheduled for July.
In other business:
— Dianna Carter-Frantz, county appraiser, submitted bids for repainting the appraiser's and mapping offices. Gerald Wiens had the low bid of $920 which includes paint, labor, and moving furniture. Carter-Frantz said this has been budgeted the past three years and there is money in her budget to do it. The commission approved the expenditure.
Carter-Frantz requested permission to attend an international appraisers conference in Boston. The conference costs $475 and would require her to be out of her office for three days.
"I'm having trouble connecting a international conference with duties in your office," said Collett.
Carter-Frantz said it is a good conference and people from the States attend it.
"How many other department heads have similar memberships and will want to go to conferences?" asked Wetta.
Commissioner Bob Hein was absent from Monday's meeting. The decision was tabled until next week.
Carter-Frantz reported a server in the appraiser's office is in need of repair. She said a maintenance contract for $519 will be renewed.
A 10-minute executive session to discuss personnel was requested by Carter-Frantz. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— County treasurer Jeannine Bateman was appointed by the commission to be the county's delegate at the National Association of Counties annual convention. Bateman was planning to attend the convention in Arizona prior to the appointment.
— Mike Wederski of the Eighth Judicial Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, reported to the commission the need to replace Demitry Evancho on the executive and advisory boards. Evancho will attend the June meeting. Wederski offered to find a replacement for Evancho.
Wederski said next month he will be presenting information regarding the JJA 2005 budget.
Changes have been made to rectify violations occurring in the detention center. Three violations are allowed but six have occurred regarding a minor in possession at the detention center.
"Juveniles can only be held for 24 hours," Wederski said. There had been some cases where a parent could not come within that time period and the juvenile was held longer, leading to the violation.
A grant for juvenile surveillance has been submitted.
— Steve Cross, a represenative from ING, met with employees Monday to discuss deferred compensation plans.
Wetta asked what the response was from employees. Cross said, so far, he had seen two road and bridge employees.
"They need to be encouraged to become informed," Cross said. He suggested supervisors and department heads become better informed.
Collett agreed other options need to be explored by employees due to cuts in social security.
— Maggard will be responsible for having a plaque mounted near a recently planted and dedicated red bud tree. .
— Department head evaluations will be scheduled by the commission.
— County auditors are conducting the annual audit this week in the commission room.
The commission will meet at 9 a.m. Monday in the commission room.
