County commission continues to discuss road issues

Following nearly an hour-long discussion on county road conditions, rock pricing and costs for trucking the rock, including commentary from members of the public and a letter from Centre Unified School District 397, the Marion County Commission voted 5-0 at its Feb. 3 meeting to direct Brice Goebel, county engineer for the road and bridge department, to bid on hard rock, including the cost of trucking, to be distributed around the county.

This discussion was a continuation of on-going road concerns in the county, including information first presented at the Jan. 27 commission meeting by commissioner Dianne Novak regarding her apprehension about rock quality at Harshman Quarry, pricing from an alternative quarry and the possibility of decreased trucking costs.

“I’d like to make the motion for us to let Brice, our engineer, take some bids on some of the hard rock and pricing and trucking, and see what we can save,” said commissioner Randy Dallke.

Addressing Goebel, Dallke said: “I’d like [the rock] to be distributed in all parts of our county. However you want to do that is up to you, but you are the person in charge and that’s who I want to be put in charge.”

Commissioner Dave Crofoot seconded Dallke’s motion.

Storm Fury on the Plains

Randy Frank, emergency management director, provided information on the annual event, Storm Fury on the Plains. This event, a cooperative effort of Marion County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service Office in Wichita, will be held at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 5, at the Tabor College Shari Flaming Center for the Arts, 311 East B Street, Hillsboro.

This weather identification and safety presentation will provide severe weather training and education for the public. The presentation will be given by Chance Hayes, warning coordination meteorologist from the NWS office in Wichita.

In other business the commission:

  • voted 4-0, with Dallke absent at the time of vote, to approve an engagement letter with Swindoll, Hansen, Hawk and Loyd, LLC., for the 2020 budget.
  • voted 4-0, with Dallke absent at the time of vote, to remove times on the agenda with exception to public hearing items and other legally mandated items.
  • voted 4-0, with Dallke absent at the time of vote, to approve a lease agreement for additional office space in the building where the health department is located. This space will be used by the person hired to fill the newly created position that will be shared between the emergency management department and health department.
  • voted 5-0 to approve a notice to proceed date of March 2 on construction of the transfer station.
  • voted 5-0 to pass resolution 2020-06, transfer station lease purchase documents.
  • voted 5-0 to accept a low bid of $45,433.38 for culverts by Wellborn Sales, Inc., of Salina.
  • heard from Jeannine Bateman, county treasurer, that county cash on hand as of Dec. 31, 2019, was $29,105,230.34.
  • met in executive sessions: reviewed applications for weed/HHW/transfer station director, no public action taken; with county counselor Brad Jantz, attorney/client business, no public action taken; with Goebel for personnel issues, no public action taken.
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