Sales tax collected in May highest since prior to 1999

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JERRY ENGLER
The Marion County Commission met Friday, July 1, in a $669,620 payday session.

County Clerk Carol Maggard reported April sales tax collected in May for distribution in June at $42,143, a high for that month since prior to 1999.

The commissioners approved a letter to Unruh Excavation outlining county expectations that excavation and dirt moving will begin according to contract at least by July 5.

Commissioners Bob Hein and Dan Holub voted 2-0 in the absence of Commissioner Randy Dallke to appoint Linda Ogden of Communities in Schools to the Mid-Kansas Community Action group to succeed Mayor Delores Dalke of Hillsboro, who gave it up because of lack of time.

Maggard said the balance of encumbered funds held over from 2004 stands at $225,102.

In a discussion on what signs to put on Yarrow Road to protect it from excessive detour traffic during reconstruction of U.S. Highway 77, the commissioners decided signs to the effect, “Road Closed-Local Traffic Only,” would best serve the purpose.

Sheriff Lee Becker said he has been assuming that the purpose of the decision to limit traffic on Yarrow was not to interfere with local commerce.

Holub confirmed Becker’s assumption. “What we’re after is the guy looking for a shortcut,” Holub said.

The commissioners said they were concerned about the safety of heavy semi-truck traffic raising dust clouds on the road plus the damage the trucks might do on a road not designed for heavy weights cutting through from U.S. Highway 50 to U.S. Highway 150.

County Extension Agent Rickey Roberts, accompanied by members of the county extension board, asked the commissioners for a budget request increase from $101,712 to $111,866.

Roberts said the county was able to keep extension costs level lower over the past three years by having a four- to six-month vacancy for his position after Steve Tonn left it, plus the fact that Roberts was paid less for less longevity in the position.

Kevin Suderman said extension services increasingly act as a buffer for agricultural interests in the county against regulatory actions from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He said state decisions are better made with extension involved.

Suderman said that with most county residents enjoying favorable pay scales and levels of affluence, it also is easy to forget the opportunities in information and participation that extension offers to persons of lower income.

Hein assured the group that the commission is committed to funding extension.

Stan Zienkewicz, director of Northview Developmental Services based in Newton, asked that Marion County’s budget contribution to the agency stay the same as last year at $59,500.

He said Northview is serving 49 individuals of Marion County origin in an effort to keep them as functioning members working in the community.

The commissioners approved appointing Howard Collett of Marion and Susan Kliewer of Hillsboro to succeed Brad Bartel and Dale Anderson on the Northview board.

Gary Grentz came before the commission to protest lack of weed control by the county noxious weed office because of his neighbor, Harry Bennett, getting lands that border his own declared as “no-spray zones.”

Noxious Weed Director Bill Smithhart promised Grentz during Friday’s session that the county will take action to kill weeds declared noxious by the state no matter where they are located.

The commissioners split road and bridge area fuel bids to low bidders. They awarded areas 1 and 2 to Cardie Oil of Tampa and areas 3 and 4 to Cooperative Grain & Supply of Hillsboro.

The Cardie Oil bids were for 800 gallons of diesel in Area 1 at $1.7940 a gallon for $1,435.20, and 2,150 gallons of diesel in Area 2 at $1.7790 a gallon for $3,824.85.

The CG&S bids were for 1,800 gallons of diesel in Area 3 at $1.7700 a gallon for $3,186 and 1,800 gallons of diesel in Area 4 at $1.7750 a gallon for $3,195.

The competing CG&S bids that weren’t approved against the Cardie bids for the same quantities were $1.8010 in Area 1 for $1,440.80 and $1.8010 in Area 2 for $3,872.15.

The competing Cardie bids that weren’t approved against the CG&S bids for the same quantities were $1.8090 in Area 3 for $3,256.20, and $1.8140 in Area 4 for $3,265.20.

More from article archives
GHS to present ‘Godspell’
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN The Goessel High School will present “Godspell” at 7:30 p.m....
Read More