Don?t expect many rock applications to county roads for the time being because an over-pressed county road and bridge department has to use the summertime warm weather window from here forward to make hard-surface applications.
That?s the main message County Road and Bridge Director Randy Crawford made May 18 at the Marion County Commission meeting. He did promise commissioners a side trip to put gravel down for a golf course on 130th.
Crawford said he would take a look at rock between 210th and 220th for Don Stenzel on Old Mill Road and nearby on Nighthawk Road.
Stenzel said large dimension rock applied to rebuild washed out road bases have ruined two newer truck tires for him that ordinarily would have lasted two years.
Offhand, Crawford said the best advice he can offer people is to slow down and wait for the big rock to settle in with high moisture conditions.
After 40 minutes in executive sessions for personnel with Crawford, the commissioners announced the appointment of Larry Cushenbery as road foreman at $16.76 an hour to be increased to $17.43 an hour in six months with favorable review.
The commissioners approved a road and bridge transport fuel bid of $17,576 for 6,000 gallons of diesel and 2,000 gallons of unleaded gasoline from Cooperative Grain and Supply of Hillsboro over a bid of $17,736.50 from Cardie Oil of Tampa.
With Commission Chairman Dan Holub abstaining for conflict of interest because he works in the event, the commissioners voted 2-0 to allow beer to be sold by the Marion Veterans of Foreign Wars during the Bluegrass Festival June 20 at Marion County Lake.
Representing the VFW, Bill Keith said 300 people are expected for the festival, so beer will be ordered on the basis of half of them buying three cans each.
Keith will ask Marion County Sheriff Rob Craft to put extra officers on duty for the event, both to insure against anything getting out of hand and to check coolers to make sure nobody is bringing beer into the event.
County Lake Director Steve Hudson said he would expect beer sales to build to a higher level over the next three years because that is the pattern that has been followed sales of soft drinks at the event.
Keith said the VFW is taking a chance on the event doing well because it has to keep any beer that isn?t sold under rules of the supplier.
Commissioner Randy Dallke said he wants to require county employees to return calls made to them on county cell phones during work hours.
Planning and Zoning Director Tonya Richards reviewed potential building requirements to be made for the owner of two lots at Marion County Lake, with the home setting on one lot and the garage for it on the other, which is to be developed into a home.
In response to commission questions, Richards said that it might be better for the them to meet with the county planning committee.
The commissioners met with Richards for five minutes in executive session for personnel.
The commissioners asked Emergency Manage?ment Director Randy Frank to coordinate with Harvey and Butler counties to compile flood data from this week to make application for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The commissioners confirmed support for Frank in seeking renewal of more than $14,000 in federal emergency grant money for payroll and other expenses.
The commissioners approved purchase of a duel-wheeled diesel Chevrolet ambulance for $131,420 from American Response over varied competitive bids to replace one by a 2-1 vote with Dallke against because he wanted further investigation of a smaller single-wheeled gasoline ambulance that was less expensive.
Ambulance superintendent Gene Winkler said the diesel should outperform the gasoline ambulance in idling to maintain systems during emergency pickups.
Winkler and Emergency Management Services Director Brandy McCarty said the gasoline ambulance would work better to transport patients for upgraded care in other communities.
The commissioners voted 3-0 to replace the engine in a second ambulance with an engine under warranty using a $15,000 donation from a Ford dealer.
Transfer Station Director Bud Druse reported 514.20 tons of municipal solid waste disposed of at the transfer station in April compared to 378.32 tons in March.
