County, Marion discuss street repairs

Marion City Council members along with Marion City Administrator Doug Kjellin, suggested at Monday?s county commission meeting a 60 percent county, 40 percent city split for rebuilding streets by the new county jail and courthouse.

But County Commissioner Randy Dallke, whose opinion was supported by commis?sioners Roger Fleming and Dan Holub, said he wanted to see actual divisions and splits rather than talking in terms of percentages.

Kjellin acknowledged the shared costs would easily exceed $200,000, but didn?t want to have actual estimates published that could affect construction bids.

The city group, joined especially by Fleming, generally spoke in favor of concrete surfacing for streets from Williams to Fourth and around the courthouse by the library, even though asphalt was suggested for economizing because, they said, it could be done by a local contractor to keep money at home, and it would last longer.

Fleming and Holub both pointed out that the city could keep $18,000 contributed by the county for streets around the jail because it?s already done as part of the original estimates for the jail. They said it wouldn?t be considered as part of street reconstruction.

Kjellin said the city immediately takes care of securing engineering for the project.

He repeated that the city would take care of all Fourth Street surfacing from Main to Williams.

Kjellin also said the city zoning commission has taken steps to expedite approval for the county to erect a medical emergency broadcasting tower at the site.

The commissioners approved Park and Lake Superintendent Steve Hudson moving ahead to install 3,800 feet of fencing with some tree removal between the south side of Marion County Lake and pasture land owned by the Sommerville family.

The income for the county lake bluegrass festival increased by $200 this year over last year?s total of more than $900, Hudson said.

He said he hadn?t heard from the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks whether zebra muscles were detected in samples from Marion County Lake, ?but that probably is good news? because a positive reading more often brings a quick response.

The commissioners approved Hudson charging an extra $3 campsite fee for lake customers at sites with electrical hookup when they have extra tents to offset heavier power usage for tent air conditioners.

Following a five-minute executive session for personnel, the commissioners granted a request that Hudson be given until the end of October to use 112 hours of accumulated leave time.

The commissioners decided that Planning and Zoning Director Tonya Richards can approve ?landlocked? acreage requests from farm families for home sites given to relatives?provided driveway easement across other land is legally described and given for legal clarity if the property is ever sold.

Consultant David Yearout said he otherwise recommended the commissioners not approve such requests because of the complications when non-family members might buy land.

Personnel for the Marion County Soil Conservation District submitted the district?s 2013 county budget request with no change from 2012.

The commissioners approved a transfer of state WIC funds for Morris County as agreed to in an administering contract with Marion County.

County Health Director Diedre Serene said Marion County receives a percentage for administering the funds.

The commissioners agreed they would like extensions to make the flag poles taller at the new Marion County Jail.

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