ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JERRY ENGLER
The first loads of garbage from new rural users of the recently acquired county solid waste transfer station have been coming in, and things are operating smoothly David Brazil told the Marion County Commission Monday.
Brazil, who is now transfer station manager as well as planning and zoning director and county sanitarian, went over a variety of acquisitions and improvements for fine-tuning the transfer station with commissioners.
The county road and bridge crew was at work by early morning building up a 60-foot wide circular driveway around the transfer station adequate for semi-truck turn-around with 200 tons of dirt and gravel surfacing to be followed with rolled-in millings, according to Brazil and Gerald Kelsey, road and bridge director.
Commissioners Bob Hein and Leroy Wetta voted in the absence of Commissioner Howard Collett to accept tires at the station for fees of $1 for auto tires, $5 for truck tires, and $10 for tractor tires.
They approved bids that will reach nearly $500 for a welder from Straub International in Marion and more than $500 for lease on a cutting torch from Marion Auto with supplies added that will be used at the transfer station.
Brazil will transfer a computer from his other departments for use at the transfer station, and commissioners approved replacing it for $1,304 from Great Plains over other companies because of the local company’s reliability and support.
Although a representative from Waste Management, operators of the landfill at Topeka where Marion County garbage is taken, is coming to discuss contract and operations with commissioners, the commissioners also charged Brazil with seeking alternative disposal opportunities to keep county options open.
Commissioners approved trade-in of a Health Department vehicle for a used Chevrolet Suburban from Irv Schroeder County Motors at a trade-in difference of $11,950.
Kelsey said construction of a bridge south of Marion on the Cottonwood River is beginning immediately instead of waiting until March 1 to take advantage of good construction weather to give a possible May 1 completion.
County Clerk Carol Maggard said the Historical Society Heritage Trust Fund has give approval to specifications for grant-financed courthouse improvements with only one change for deeper concrete walkway repair.
She said a Feb. 10 bid opening for the project may put the courthouse project six weeks ahead of schedule. Wetta said he was “glad” because it “could put us ahead of everyone” in getting bidders.
At the December 31 payday Commission meeting, commissioners approved a transfer station initial working budget for 2003 from Brazil for $463,220 including $12,000 for equipment reserve.
Commissioners told Brazil the budget gives “a good working guideline” with “nothing out of line,” but admonished him to keep making sure that it stays separate from other budgets.
Maggard presented a payday total figure of $816,381.71, and reported $36,901.34.
The commissioners approved encumbrances of two dozen items from the 2002 budget to the 2003 budget after discussion for several departments.
Commissioners said they would direct County Attorney Susan Robson to look into the legality of how a recently acquired vehicle for emergency management should be tagged.
Michele Abbott-Becker, communications and emergency management director, said that she had been told by vehicle department and county treasurer personnel that it could be tagged as a regular passenger vehicle instead of as a county vehicle to minimize its identification when it is called to assist law enforcement officers with clean-up duties on methamphetamine drug lab raids.
Commissioners approved up to $2,400 in expenditures by Sheriff Lee Becker to upgrade a cell in the southwest corner of the jail that hasn’t been used for 10 to 12 years to help relieve prisoner crowding and the expense of farming prisoners out to other counties.
Becker will purchase three locking cabinets for approximately $370 each for storage of laundry and uniforms to take those items out of the cell, put safety guards around an existing light and radiator, and have the cell’s plumbing checked.
Commissioners approved transfer of $100,000 from road and bridge fund to road and bridge special equipment that might involve possible trade-in of three motorgraders to upgrade to a 12H unit with 2100 hours.
The commissioners approved a bid of $6,578.78 from Cardie Oil Co. to provide 6,550 gallons of diesel in four areas.
