Marion County commissioners have declared the county a flood disaster area, cooperating with 15 other counties that are joining to seek federal aid.
The declaration was made during the commissions May 31 payday meeting.
Emergency Management Director Randy Frank said the action will make it possible for the county to seek aid from the Federal Emergency Management Administra?tion and Homeland Security.
According to Frank, the county had received an average 16 inches of rain across the area in May.
He said he was having extra sand bags delivered to Peabody for flood control from storage in Hillsboro, and seeing that bags were distributed strategically throughout the county.
Road and Bridge Director Randy Crawford, appearing before the commission with Road Supervisor Jesse Hamm and Assistant Road Supervisor Larry Cushen?bery, verified that county crews have been diverted from normal work to replace washed-out gravel and perform road repairs.
Creeks crossing roads in the county have washed out areas of gravel, he said.
Crawford said at times his supervisors have had to make the decision not to risk personnel with flood water.
Other business
In other business, the commissioners:
? processed a $921,201.99 payday meeting with County Clerk Tina Spencer reporting that $421,471.34 of that total was for payroll.
? heard Spencer report regular sales tax received from the state for May at $55,019.44 and special jail sales tax at $48,009.17 for money collected by merchants in March.
? voted 2-0, with Commis?sioner Lori Lalouette absent, to approve the following schedule for discharging fireworks in the county over the July 4 holiday: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 2; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 28 through July 2; 8 a.m. to midnight July 3 and 4; and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 5.
? heard Health Depart?ment Administrator Diedre Serene commend Terry Stubblefield for voluntarily making a sign for the department?s new location in the St. Luke Hospital square. She also hired Stubblefield to make a magnetic sign for the department?s vehicle.
? heard Bud Druse, the county?s director regarding noxious weeds, household hazardous wastes, transfer station and recycling Direc?tor Bud Druse say he is cooperating with the city of Marion to lay new sewer lines at the transfer station to deal with a plugged line aggravated by the high-water situation.
Druse said he also is installing a pump on a float to discharge water from a pit at the station.
Druse also is stepping up the noxious weed program to apply herbicide to musk thistles emerging in new areas with the high moisture conditions.
? met for 10 minutes in executive session for personnel with Crawford, and for 10 minutes for personnel with Spencer.county commission
