County seeks application for electric plant
Westar Energy looking for location
Staff reporter
Westar Energy is looking for a location for a coal-fired electrical generating plant.
Marion County Commissioner Dan Holub said Monday he had been contacted by Marion City Administrator David Mayfield regarding the project.
Applications are being sought by Westar Energy and Mayfield wanted the county to be aware of the project and possibly apply.
The location must have access to a large water source, a railroad, highways, and existing electrical transmission lines.
It is anticipated the plant would hire 200 employees.
Westar Energy will review the applications at the first of the year.
The commission encouraged Holub to obtain more information.
In other business:
— A letter and recommended zoning changes were approved by the commission.
The information will be sent to the county's planning commission and will be on the planning commission's agenda Aug. 25.
— A public hearing to discuss the county's strategic plan will be 7:30 p.m. Monday in the courtroom at the courthouse.
— A conditional use permit was approved by the commission for a wireless communication tower to be located northwest of Peabody.
— Linda Ogden, recently appointed to serve on the Mid-Cap board, resigned due to time constraints. Another county resident will be appointed by the commission at a later date.
— The appraiser's office requested the commission return funds to a CAMA (Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal) line item for a new system that may be required in 2008.
County clerk Carol Maggard said the county's auditors suggested $10,000 from sales tax revenue be earmarked for the fund. The commission decided to not return any funds to the line item and leave the budget as proposed.
— The Hillsboro Free Press Extra was awarded the publishing of delinquent tax notices. Hoch Publishing Co., publisher of the Marion County Record, Hillsboro Star-Journal, and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin, had requested bids be sought by statute.
County treasurer Jeannine Bateman solicited bids from the two entities. The Free Press Extra presented a bid of $2,739, and Hoch Publishing Co. presented a bid of $3,341.
Holub said he was in favor of going with the low bid as long as quality is not sacrificed.
— Holub suggested vacant lots within city limits that are sold through an upcoming tax sale be purchased by the county and given to cities for development.
He also suggested minimum bids for the properties include the owed taxes and costs incurred for the sale.
Bateman said minimum bids of $110 had been required in past sales. She said there probably will be 10-15 properties to be auctioned through the sheriff's sale.
— Commissioner Randy Dallke requested and received a five-minute executive session to discuss personnel. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— Cooperative Grain & Supply of Hillsboro was the low bidder for transport fuel bids. The bid was $17,812 for 5,000 gallons of #2 diesel, and 3,000 gallons of unleaded fuel.
Cardie Oil Company of Tampa presented a bid of $17,967 for the same quantities. It was noted the low transport fuel bid July 25 was $14,651.
— Dallke requested and received a 10-minute executive session to discuss personnel with road and bridge superintendent Jim Herzet. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— A 10-minute executive session was called to discuss personnel issues related to sharing an appraiser with Mitchell County. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
Another 15-minute executive session was requested to discuss personnel that also was related to the appraiser position. No decision was made when the meeting reconvened.
— Bill Smithhart, county noxious weed director, requested and received a 10-minute executive session with the commission to discuss personnel. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— A letter of formal protest was acknowledged by the commission from Eileen Sieger regarding a comment she had made at a previous meeting being part of the minutes.
The next commission meeting will be 9 a.m. Monday in the courthouse.
