The Marion County Commis?sion voted unanimously Monday to pass a resolution that should begin a half-cent sales tax in the county July 1 for building the new jail.
Commissioner Randy Dallke said the July date was chosen because the state gave that as the first date it could begin collecting the tax.
In an election canvass by the commissioners, the final vote on the jail proposal in the April election was 1,704-969 in favor of the project.
Commissioners Roger Fleming and Dan Holub joined in appointing Dallke with direct supervisory responsibility, along with County Clerk Carol Maggard, in the clearing of lots along Fourth Street in Marion for jail construction.
Dallke expected removal of unneeded gas lines and trees to begin relatively soon with county road and bridge equipment and crew doing much of the work. They will also remove the structures there, he said.
County lake issues
The commissioners gave Park and Lake supervisor Steve Hudson authority to remove two docks at Marion County Lake May 1 if the owners don?t respond to notices to correct them according to county standards.
Hudson said two other owners of non-compliant docks have responded to recent notices with plans to bring them up to standard.
He said the dock owners who have not responded have been notified twice in the past, and one also was spoken to.
Holub said if dock owners are out-of-state or have difficulty getting here to take care of the docks, they should be given consideration as long as they contact Hudson.
Hudson said he will be leading a volunteer workday Saturday at the lake for picking up trash and planting flowers, followed by lunch provided by the county.
The commissioners voted 3-0 to disapprove of new construction at 10 Rock Road at Marion County Lake for a multi-family dwelling space.
Tonya Richards, director of planning, zoning and environmental health, brought the question to the commissions from the county zoning committee.
Dallke asked the commissioners to consider the zoning request with the realization that building lot space at the lake has filled rapidly. Allowances for multi-family condominiums and housing developments may have to be done in the future, he said.
Holub noted that housing at the lake already ?is very jammed in there? with possible difficult access for fire trucks in times of emergency.
Critical shortage for EMS
Dallke told Emergency Medical Services Director Steve Smith that people in Peabody were highly concerned last weekend when no ambulance volunteers were available in the town. Smith said the volunteers were away for training. He added that it brings up a grave situation for Marion County residents?not enough people are volunteering for training and testing as ambulance crew.
Being a member of a county ambulance crew means taking and passing a nine-month course, he said, with a portion of the unpaid volunteers unable to complete it.
Plus, Smith said, the volunteers must complete annual hours to remain certified. More volunteers are ?desperately needed,? he repeated.
Dallke said he is concerned that if more volunteers don?t step forward, the system may have to be changed.
Smith reported 82 ambulance runs for March including 11 from Peabody, five from Florence, 27 from Marion, 35 from Hillsboro, and four from Tampa. There were three first-response runs from Goessel and one from Lincolnville.
Other business
Dan D?Albini, as new director of emergency management, was counseled by commissioners regarding continuing education and certification while interim director, Linda Klenda, was asked to stay in that position.
Rollin Schmidt, in his capacity as transfer station director, reported 471.68 tons of municipal solid waste, 174.23 tons of commercial and demolition waste, 0.51 ton of special waste and 0.28 ton of tires collected at the transfer station in March.
