Big-name concerts highlight entertainment schedule

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Controversies surrounding county employees and volunteers seemed more prevalent than normal in Marion County during 2009. But tight budgets all around no doubt added to the stress on public servants as well as citizens.

For a diversion, residents could let loose at a bounty of big-name summer concerts.

January

Rob Craft was sworn in as the new sheriff of Marion County, as was his newly appointed undersheriff, David Huntley.

Longtime Marion resident John F. Reznicek, who died one year ago, was honored at the Kansas Fairs and Festival convention in Topeka for his many years of service with the Marion County Fair Association and as a former KFF board member and president.

The county commission voted 2-1 to sign a five-year contract with Sunoco of Hutchinson to begin recycling in the county. Commissioner Bob Hein voted no because he said he couldn?t tell if the move would save or cost the county money.

February

Despite some rain in most areas on Sunday night, the county commission decided to impose a burning ban until Tuesday, Feb. 17, because of U.S. Weather Service predictions of warm, drying winds.

The 2009 Leadership Marion County sessions got under way Thursday, Feb. 5; the five participants spent the morning at Tabor College in Hillsboro.

The county commissioners, together with Sheriff Rob Craft, decided to appoint a county-wide citizens committee to develop recommendations for a facility to house a jail, sheriff?s office and communications center.

The Florence water tower was one of 17 nominations approved as a historic place by the Kansas Historical Society at its Feb. 24 meeting in Topeka.

March

County commissioners agreed with Marion city officials to seek federal stimulus money for resurfacing Cedar Street in Marion. Their plan would pledge 20 percent of the needed funds.

Twenty teams from Marion County have registered to participate in Walk Kansas, the annual statewide health and fitness program.

Marion City Council voted to join the Kansas Power Pool for its electrical needs when the city?s contract with Westar Energy expires in July 2010.

City leaders and staff from Marion and Hillsboro met in Hillsboro for an informational meeting about responding to the discovery of zebra mussels in Marion Reservoir. Jason Goeckler, biologist with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, said the good news was that the discovery was made early, giving the two cities some time to plan a strategy for combating the coming exponential growth of the invaders.

Marion City Council members and county commissioners agreed to pay $21,000 each for resurfacing Cedar Street in Marion from Kellison Avenue to U.S. Highway 56.

The Kansas Department of Transportation announced that Marion will receive $189,000 in federal stimulus funding to resurface Cedar Street from Kellison Avenue to U.S. Highway 56.

The cities of Hillsboro and Marion signed on as participants in a class-action lawsuit against the makers of atrazine, a commonly used agricultural herbicide in the United States. Marion?s city council vote was unanimous; Hillsboro?s vote was 3-2, with Mayor Delores Dalke casting the tie-breaking vote.

Smoky Hills LLC?of Salina was awarded the contract for almost $817,000 for the reconstruction of Cedar and Eisenhower streets in Marion.

Mother Nature dropped 8 to 10 inches of snow on Marion County the last weekend of March, prompting the cancellation of many school, church and community events.

The weekend snowstorm was blamed for the death of Sharon Chamberlain, 57, of Hillsboro, in a two-vehicle accident at 120th and Indigo.

April

The county commission appointed 12 people to a citizens? committee to give recommendations for a county jail facility. The members are: Gene Pearson and Dan Peugh from Peabody; Randy Hagen, Dan Kinning and Mike Kleiber from Hillsboro; Don Kraus, Burton Tidwell, Karen Wheeler and Ed Wheeler from Marion; Bryan Harper and Greg Winn from Florence and Barbara Britton from Goessel. Alternates are Danny Flynn from Hillsboro and Harry Bennett from Marion.

The city of Marion will piggyback onto a new telephone system recently installed by the Marion County Emergency Management office. The new automated system could alert all homes and businesses in the city of an emergency, such as a tornado, within two minutes.

Rep. Jerry Moran made stops at Peabody and Marion Reser?voir April 9 to hear about conservation practices in the area.

Jere White, acting as executive director of the Kansas Corn Growers Associa?tion, asked Susan Robson, county attorney, to investigate whether the city councils for Hillsboro and Marion violated the law in connection with a joint closed meeting to discuss whether to enter into a lawsuit against the manufacturers of atrazine.

Some 53 volunteers participated in the eighth annual Clean-Up Day at Marion Reservoir April 18. More than 4,290 pounds of trash was collected.

Marion County commissioners determined they have the information they need to make initial decisions regarding management of a construction and demolition landfill at the Martin-Marietta Quarry north of Marion.

Tornado-like winds April 26 caused damage to more than 30 outbuildings and three homes in the county.

County commissioners approved spending about $48,000 to remodel the communications center in the Marion County Jail.

It was announced that Bucky Covington, country singer and former ?American Idol? contestant, will be performing at the Marion County Fair in late July, thanks to the efforts of the Marion County Fire Chiefs Association, the fair board and private contributions.

May

County commissioners discussed alternate sources for funding the estimated $2 million needed to redo four miles of 330th Road from Kansas High?way 15 into Tampa.

?Art at the Elgin,? an art show featuring young and seasoned artists, also served as the open house of the newly restored historic Elgin Hotel in Marion, owned by the Jim Cloutier family.

June

Foghat and the Bellamy Brothers were the featured musical performers at this year?s Chingawassa Days in Marion the first weekend of the month. Planners said the turnout of participants was the largest in festival history.

Florence served as the ?gateway city? for this year?s Symphony in the Flint Hills, June 13-14. Numerous food vendors, arts-and-crafts booths and other featured activities were part of the Florence event.

Thunderstorms and hail rolled through Marion County June 15. Goessel was without electrical power for a time.

Marion was the host city for a Heart of America Free Flight Association model aircraft competition June 18-20. More than 30 planes and competitors from five states participated.

Two observers were in Marion County to begin planning under the $6 million federal stimulus package dedicated for the expansion of Cottonwood Point camping area at Marion Reservoir.

July

The citizens jail advisory group, formally named the Marion County Public Safety and Law Enforcement Center Committee, was focusing on two primary options for the county: either build a new complex to house 911 dispatch, emergency preparedness and a 26-bed jail, or build a four- to six-bed transfer station to hold prisoners until other arrangements are made.

Four city of Marion appointees to the Marion County Economic Development Council resigned, prompting discussion by the city council.

About 200 people gathered July 3 to revisit the historical acts and artifacts surrounding the Lost Spring Station along the old Santa Fe Trail in northeast Marion County. The primary event was the relocation of a granite historical monument from one side of 340th Street to a new concrete base on the other side.

Disagreements within the Marion County Economic Development Council prompted county commissioners to call a special meeting of the county?s 12 mayors.

A film crew for ARD German Television shot footage for a documentary on the Santa Fe Trail at Ray Davidson?s ranch near Florence.

Randy Herbel, 43, of Hills?boro, was found guilty of rape and aggravated indecent liberties with a child July 15 in Marion County district court.

A two-vehicle accident July 22 involving four young people from Marion County claimed two lives: James Weber, 19, of Ramona, and Jeremiah Stang, 18, of Marion. The other two youth involved in the accident were Jessica Dienes, 20, of Ramona, and Alex Hajek, 17, of Tampa.

A spectacular fireworks show and a series of country-music concerts made their debut at this year?s Marion County Fair at the end of July. The fireworks show raised $700 for Marion County Fire Departments. The concert series, featuring Kebo Cyrus, T. Graham Brown and Bucky Covington, played to far smaller crowds than expected. Jesse Hamm, Hillsboro, won the demolition derby.

August

Robert S. Smyser, 29, of Florence, was convicted Aug. 7 in district court of one count of aggravated criminal sodomy of a child.

An opinion from the Kansas Attorney General?s Office called into question the idea to finance a new law-enforcement center in Marion County through a ?special assessment.? The AG?s office said it was incorrect to call it a ?fee? instead of a ?tax.?

The Marion County Health Department is preparing to offer vaccinations for both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu, but the details of how to prepare for it are still evolving.

Gary Diepenbrock, a cattle feeder from Lincolnville, told county commissioners he wanted County Appraiser Cindy Magill fired for being ?unapproachable? and because of numerous other citizens complaints about her office.

Bobbi Strait, county planning and zoning director and county sanitarian, tendered her letter of resignation. The action followed two weeks of suspension without pay or an undisclosed reason.

County commissioners reacted favorably to an idea from Teresa Huffman, county economic development director, to create a county-wide chamber of commerce. Huffman suggested it could help generate volunteers for county events and projects.

September

Jan Tittle, VFW Auxiliary national president, was in Marion Sept. 14 as part of her official visit to Kansas.

Until the source of an odor in the county courthouse basement is identified and remedied, the appraiser?s office will be relocated to Great Plains Computers & Networking on Main Street, Marion.

County commissioners removed Harry Bennett from their Public Safety and Law Enforcement Center Committee, saying Bennett overstepped his authority when he investigated a potential property site for a new county jail.

An estimated 20,000 people and 150 vendor were in Marion Sept. 19 for the annual Art in the Park event.

County Appraiser Cindy Magill and eight of her department employees came before the county commissioners Sept. 28 asking for their support in the face of increased public criticism.

October

County commissioners instituted a departmental hiring freeze because of the effect of the bad economy on the county budget.

Six members of the Marion planning and zoning commissioned resigned Oct. 2, saying their ability to work with the city was ?severely compromised? by the attitudes and adversities with some city officials.

Randy Herbel was sentenced to two life terms after being found guilty of rape and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Sheriff Rob Craft said his comment about ?fight clubs? emerging among teens in Marion County was probably overblown in the media, including Wichita television stations.

County commissioners said Oct. 12 that they will stand solidly with other counties in supporting Dickinson County?s efforts to collect fees or taxes from Transcanada Keystone Pipeline before it is allowed to lay its pipeline across Kanss counties en route to Oklahoma.

The Kansas Attorney General?s Office determined that violations to the Kansas Open Meetings Act did occur during events leading up to the dismissal of Harry Bennett as a member of the citizens? advisory committee for a new jail.

The extension council of Marion and Dickinson counties have voted to push forward with creating a new extension district by next summer that would have its own mill levy authority.

November

A motion by County Com?missioner Randy Dallke to fire appraiser Cindy Magill died for a lack of a second, ending for the time being a movement by a group of citizens to have her removed from office.

Some 166 motorcyclists, six classic cars and even a bi-plane participated in the annual Marion County Toy Run Nov. 7.

Danny Flynn stepped down as chair of the citizens advisory group regarding a county jail, citing a change in his employment. Mike Kleiber succeeded him as chair.

Louis Holt, Marion, was made an Eagle Scout at a Court of Honor ceremony Nov. 14.

Members of the Marion County Economic Development Council agreed Nov. 18 to go back to the drawing board to determine the group?s purpose and function.

December

Fire destroyed a detached garage and damaged a house belonging to Chris Jost of Lehigh Dec. 16. No one was injured, but the loss of tools and equipment in the garage was described as ?significant? by Hillsboro Fire Chief Ben Steketee.

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