Search continues for personnel

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JERRY ENGLER
The Marion County Commission in its payday meeting last Wednesday, and again at its regular session Monday, dealt with finding personnel to do the work David Brazil did in the many positions he held before he resigned last month.

On Wednesday, the commissioners asked County Clerk Carol Maggard to contact Brazil at his new job in Winfield to ask him to go over new zoning permits on a consulting basis.

By Monday he had replied he would, and had asked that he be kept informed of decisions by the Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission to avoid his making decisions in conflict with that group.

Brazil was planning and zoning director here.

On Monday, the commissioners reviewed and approved a $9,500 agreement with consulting engineer Jack Chappelle to monitor the recently closed Marion County Landfill southwest of Marion.

Brazil had been the county official charged with monitoring the landfill.

The commissioners already had named Rollin Schmidt, noxious weed director, to take over Brazil’s former position as director of the transfer station, and they have contracted an out-of-county consultant for his former position as sanitarian.

Following a teleconference Monday with Jim Kaup, Topeka attorney who acts as consultant for the county, the commissioners asked him to continue with writing a resolution they expect to improve.

The resolution, Kaup explained, would probably reduce by half the county solid waste fee charged to multi-family units of 10 or more families run by public housing authorities.

Kaup said he didn’t think fees should be reduced for smaller units of families because it should be shown that collection costs are reduced by a number of people sharing a Dumpster.

Kaup said he “pulled the 50 percent reduction out of the hat,” but he believed it to be consistent with the Commission’s wishes to help poor families in subsidized housing.

In making the motion for approval, Commissioner Bob Hein said, “I think 50 percent sounds good, Jim.”

Barbara Bunting of Northview Developmental Services introduced Mary Holloway as the new CEO of the non-profit organization that serves adults and children with developmental disabilities.

Holloway said Northview is in an expanding mode with new construction beginning in Newton and a new office in Hillsboro. She said Newton construction makes available for moving the Steinbach Building located there, which once was located in Marion County.

Road and Bridge Director Jim Herzet said Gary Klose, former jailer for the sheriff office, has been transferred to become an equipment operator in his department.

Sheriff Lee Becket was directed to proceed with architects on looking at size and design of a proposed community correction center. Commissioner Randy Dallke told him he wanted to “know what we are going to build before we worry about the land for it.”

Hein said after talking to constituents he would have to vote against any measure to give financial support to the Tri-County Fair at Herington. He said any money approved should go to the Marion County Fair at Hillsboro.

Hein said contentions that the Tri-County serves Marion County exhibitors as well as those from Dickinson and Morris are correct, but there are also exhibitors from those counties at the Marion County event.

Commission Chairman Dan Holub said he has had the same reaction from the public.

Steve Garrett, Hillsboro City administrator, met with the commissioners Wednesday to discuss creation of a county water quality board that would help all communities with clean home water projects and help deal with efforts to clean up Marion Reservoir.

Hein said he would like to see such a board with only six or seven members, but such a limitation might be difficult with everyone to be represented.

Maggard reported a $1,682,925.38 payday figure.

Sales taxes collected in March, received by the state in April, and distributed in May totaled $49,302.45 for the county.

She said that for the third year in a row the county has received a Blue Cross Blue Shield refund for good employee medical history-this time for $113,617.69.

The commissioners discussed hiring a staff person with central telephone and office for companies interested in locating here as an economic development effort with Marion Economic Development Director Jami Williams and City Administrator David Mayfield.

Williams said using a single contact person who would work with city economic directors could enable more businesses and residents to come here.

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