The commissioners set a 7 p.m. April 20 public meeting on economic development in the courthouse court room. They hope the meeting may be used for review of development issues as well as updating plans for an economic director.

County Clerk Carol Maggard said Jonathan Small, a Topeka attorney, has advised that the state bill that may allow a sales tax for support in building a county jail is in senate committee. He advised contacting county legislative representatives to let them know.

The commissioners discussed coming up with a figure on what can be spent for a jail, and letting consultants come up with a plan based on that figure. This would replace planning from the standpoint of deciding on the size of the correctional facility wanted, and raising money from there.

Or as Commission Chair Dan Holub put it, "downsizing from a Cadillac to a Volkswagon plan."

The commissioners voted 3-0 to honor national volunteers week with a newspaper advertisement thanking volunteers without whom, Commissioner Bob Hein and Holub said, Marion County couldn't operate.

Maggard gave the county cash position ast of March 30 at $7,698,576 with $1,808,058 of that amount in county general fund, and $1569,343 in road and bridge. Interest earned for the year was at $49,669, and the treasurer's special auto fund stood at $78,271.

David Brazil, planning, zoning, environmental health and transfer station director, said correspondence from Consulting Engineer Jack Chappelle indicates the state may require, twice annual instead of once, monitoring of gas wells around the old county landfill. Brazil is looking at sharing monitoring equipment already owned by neighboring counties to cut costs.

Brazil assured commissioners he sees no problems likely to slow things in issuing an administrative building permit to Kingfisher Restaurant at the County Lake although he will need to be assured of proper setback and lack of noise problems for residential areas.

The commissioners urged Lake Park Manager Dale Snelling to cooperate with Kingfisher's in finding parking for customers who leave vehicles on county property after the 11 p.m. curfew. Snelling said the "old Kingfisher" used to close at 10 p.m., so a problem never developed. But with the addition of liquor by the drink, Snelling said the business is staying open to serve drinks as late as 2 a.m.

Dallke told County Appraiser Cindy Magill that Florence residents are concerned about valuations of homes higher than the homes can be sold for. He cited a recent auciton where the county valued a home at $51,000, and the autioneer couldn't get a bid for it even at $35,000.

Magill said she had about 100 valuation hearings scheduled, and that these often make it so she can lower an evaluation. For one thing, she said, a house that looks good from the outside may prove to have sloping floors or other problems that lower valuation when seen from the inside.

Hein said he also is getting valuation complaints in the Hillsboro area.

Magill and Emergency Management Director Michele Abbott-Becker discussed with commissioners their work in resolving how residences are addressed on U.S. Highway 56 and joint U.S. Highways 56 and 77. As a result of 56 being considered the dominant highway, Magill said there are two 2060 Highway 56 addresses, those of Bob Erlich and Glen Hett.

Hett's address could be 2060 Highway 77 instead, and probably should be, commissioners said, especially to avoid concerns that emergency vehicles might go to the wrong residence.

Road and Bridge Director Jim Herzett said Andy Kraus of Kraus Welding at Hillsboro, the company that often contracts to build steel bridges in the county, has asked that road and bridge remove old bridges for him, and he will discount for their work.

The commissioners approved it for the gain in construction savings.