Commissioners indicate interest in Burns’ revitalization plan

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BRENDA CONYERS
Brent Miles, mayor of Burns, and Steve Waite, president of the Community Bank of El Dorado, came before the Marion County Commission Monday to discuss the proposed Neighborhood Revitalization Plan.


The proposed revitalization plan offers tax incentives over 10 years for improvements made to private and business property.


Waite said Hillsboro has a similar plan in effect, only limited to a 10-year period. Those who sign up in the first year would have the full 10 years to benefit from the program. But if people didn’t join the program until the sixth year, they would only have four years to benefit.


“I predict Hillsboro will come back and revise their plan since the incentives aren’t as good as other places like Newton and Burns,” Waite said.


Besides being an advantage to home improvements, Waite said the city was looking at several projects, including a senior citizens center, a library and senior citizen housing.


“The demand is out there,” Waite said. “By building these new projects we can bring people in to eat at the cafe, and even branch out into some retail stores so people can get what they need.”


Miles pointed out by building new housing developments, families will move into the school district and generate additional school funds.


Waite said other communities within the county could also benefit from such a plan.


“I’ve worked with a lot of little towns all over the state,” Waite said. “Grants and state funds are out there, we need to go get them. We need to be innovative.”


Commissioner Leroy Wetta said he thought what Burns is trying to do could be a model to other communities in the county.


“My concern is that we want things to be done right since it may become a model in Marion County,” Wetta said. “I want it to be fair and equitable with everyone.”


Following a short discussion Wetta said he would like to see a few items “tweaked” and clarified before the commission votes to approve the proposal.


In other business:


— Commissioners reappointed Dale Anderson, Hillsboro, to the board of directors for Northview Developmental Services Inc..


— Jan Moffitt, county health nurse received permission from the commission to change the director’s position for Healthy Start from part-time to full time. Moffitt said the extra hours will be used in some cross training and office help for the Health and Sanitation departments.


— Commissioner Bob Hein appointed Ervin Ediger, Hillsboro, to the Planning and Zoning Committee, effective immediately.


July 2 meeting


During their regular Monday meeting July 2, Marion County commissioners authorized attorney Jim Kaup to begin negotiating with KC Development on an option to purchase the transfer station at Marion.


The commissioners had gone into executive session several times during previous meetings to consult with Kaup, who is the county’s attorney for solid waste issues.


According to Rex Savage, owner of KC Development, the county has a contract with his firm to provide trash services through the year 2006.


In other business, Vida Bartel and John Reznicek, representing the Marion County Fair Board, updates commissioners on the fair and presented the 2002 budget.


Bartel asked the commission to continue its yearly support of $10,000, which recently has been used to pay for the new pavilion as well as a new stage area and changing rooms.


Bartel reported that several smaller fairs around the state have had to discontinue because of funding problems. But because of the mil levy set in Marion County, the fairgrounds and arenas here continue to undergo improvements and have received many compliments.


Bartel described two problems facing the fair board. One was air conditioning units for the foods building. Bartel said Bob Jantz, who has been in charge of the food building, had told her the building became too hot to work in last summer.


The fair board had examined options for the building for this year and were seeking to put in at least one air conditioning unit this year, and add three more units during the next several years.


Bartel said the south end of the building is now screened and proper door insulation would need to be installed in order to better utilize the new cooling units.


The estimated cost of the project was $5,000.


Commissioner Hein said it was important not to lose the food vendor, and asked the fair board representatives if the commission authorized $2,500 whether their board could match the funds and complete the project in time for this year’s fair.


After a short discussion, the representatives felt the funds could be matched.


Hein made the motion to pay $2,500 toward the proposed improvements to the food building with funds taken from county sales tax with the stipulation the project be completed by this year’s fair time.


The motion passed 3-0.


A second concern Bartel brought to the commission’s attention was the need for a new roof over the commercial building.


Bartel said with a heavy rain, there were several places where up to an inch of water would stand on the concrete floor. Because of the newness of the building, the fair board will see if the roof is still under warranty.


In other business:


— Commissioners approved a resolution appointing Dianna Carter as a county appraiser for a four-year term starting July 1, 2002 through 2006.


— Maggard gave the April sales tax figure of $36,460.50, which is $14,753.89 ahead of the amount at this time last year.

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