Marion County Com?mis?sioners listened at their Aug. 17 meeting to a presentation by Jack Chappelle, from Engineer?ing, Solutions and Design, regarding water monitoring wells at the closed landfill.
Chappelle?s presentation compared the current sampling method with Hydro Sleeves, a new option proposed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
According to information from Columbia Analytical Services, Hydro Sleeves are ideal for groundwater sampling, are simple to deploy, eliminate the collection and disposal of purged water and significantly reduce the cost of sampling.
Over five years, Chappelle said the cost of Hydro Sleeve installation would be less than that of the current system. Chappelle estimated a Hydro Sleeve installation would cost $31,325, compared to the current system?s cost of $42, 570 over five years.
?The advantage to this sleeve is that, one, it?s looking for the chemicals you?re supposed to be testing for, and secondly, it doesn?t require any purging of the well,? Chappelle said.
Downfalls to the modification, Chappelle said, are that the cost is only an estimate, and there?s no guarantee KDHE won?t add more requirements.
Commissioner Bob Hein and Commission Chair Dan Holub asked when a decision was needed. Chappelle said a decision should be ?squared away? by early September.
Commissioner Randy Dallke was absent from Monday?s meeting.
In other business, the council:
n voted 2-0 to transfer $305, 903.33 from the general fund to the capital improvement fund.
n heard the county?s cash on hand through July 31 was $11,984,947.02.
n voted 2-0 to approve a motion requested by Marty Kroupa to update a wastewater permit letter for 257th and 260th streets by having it signed by the commission chair rather than the road and bridge director.
n approved a request from Cindy Magill, county appraiser, to collect free estimates from two companies regarding offensive odor in the downstairs offices. Included in the free estimate would be air-quality and mold and mildew tests.
n approved Magill?s request for four employees from the appraiser?s office to attend Orion training in El Dorado from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. The employees will drive back-and-forth each day in order to avoid hotel costs.
n instructed Magill to contact other Kansas counties regarding company qualifications for mapping Marion County.
n heard from Sheriff Robert Craft that a grant for the COPS Hiring Recovery Program was denied.
n decided to allow county residents to sand county roads in front of driveways at expense to the homeowner. The county will not be responsible for hauling or spreading the sand.
Additionally, Holub warned of possible loss of sand in the future caused by the county working the road. The county will not be responsible for replacing the sand.
n met in three executive sessions to discuss personnel. No action was taken in public session.
The next commission meeting will be at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at the Marion County Courthouse.
