County hears from cities about roads

City officials from Marion, Peabody, Goessel and Burns attended Monday’s Marion County Commission meeting to talk about the connecting links fund related to roads and bridges.

Roger Holter, Marion city administrator, posed a question to the commission about how the various governmental entities can team up and maintain 980 square miles of roadways and connecting links.

“So I guess I am here, just asking on behalf of the city, to maintain the broader perspective that really the connecting links program is just a piece of the overall road and bridge philosophy (the county) manages,” he said.

Some historical background, Holter said, was that in 1973, the allocation was $250 per mile for the cities to maintain any of the asphalt connecting links.

“It’s a lot different today,” he said. “To do a mile of scheduled maintenance, which is a mill and overlay on an eight-year cycle and sealing roads on a six-year cycle, is about $35,840 per mile.”

In addition, the access roads and lengths have changed since 1973, Holter said, adding that Commissioner Randy Dallke looked at that original ordinance, resolution.

“Things changed,” he said. “The city of Marion built a levee and what was called the old Pilsen Road, that was a connecting link, and Eisenhower wasn’t even thought of.”

The result of that particular change, there have been payments made for a road that deadends into a levee, and another maintained on handshakes and agreements.

“Please don’t get me wrong because there has been great cooperation between our county and cities in trying to do it,” he said.

“But like (the county), the city is trying to plan its budget for the next several years out, and there’s a lot of uncertainty occurring.”

The most recent census numbers for Marion County, Holter said, and right now the population has fallen below 12,000. The projection is 11,988 at the end of 2017.

“That impacts us as to where we are going,” Holter said. “Everything in government is about ‘where is the money, and how are we going to fund this?’’

Viewpoint

Holter explained the following is just perspective, but the 12 incorporated towns represent 31.22 percent of all the property valuation in the entire county.

“If we were to add in Marion County Lake and urbanized area, which is actually the third largest levy-producing for roads, we are about 37 percent,” he said.

The communities contribute to the county road and bridge $1,155,265, which is the current budget we are under, and it’s sizable contribution to the $3.5 million.

“We are asking if it could be funded by a different reallocation of revenues,” he said. “Simply as the county sets a long-term plan, can we change the $250 to a more reasonable maintenance figure?”

Another option, Holter said, is that he and Jesse Hamm, the county road and bridge supervisor, discussed the equipment and resources they own.

“The cities can’t go out and buy this equipment,” he said. “But perhaps we could have city crews trained with Hamm’s staff, so the county isn’t using its labor.

“But, taking the assets that are owned by your urban. as well as rural dwellers and get more usage (out of the equipment) during the year,” he said.

Holter said he also broke down the road and bridge contribution to provide some idea of what your city residents are contributing.

“We go from Lost Springs with $9,996, but again this is just for road and bridge and no other ad valorem taxes, to Hillsboro at $493,848.

For comparison, when charged with serving urban, as well as rural, the contributions are all laid out.

In Logan Township there is a contribution of $48.233, and to the highest, which is Centre Township at $222,928, Holter said.

Some thoughts, Holter noted, included Burns with .7 mile connecting links, and if the revised numbers were used, their payment would be $2,509 or 8.6 percent contribution.

“Goessel contribution is $55,900 and .6 connecting link, and also a Kansas link with a payment of $2,150 or 3.8 percent,” he said,

Hillsboro and Marion both have more than two miles connecting links, he added.

Proposals

Holter offered some possible option in the future to include:

n seating an advisory board for road and bridge that has city, township, commission and departmental representation. It could be 12 from cities, four from townships, one commissioner and two road and bridge staff members.

n defining the connecting links and miles of the roadway.

n determining a rate for reimbursement to cities.

n defining annual investment allocation to townships anchored to population and valuation.

n determining an exchange rate for labor and resources access.

n exploring and making recommendations regarding shared asset participation and the “three P” (public, private sector) options

n setting a deadline for the final and formal recommendation to the board of commissioner for action.

“This is a problem that continues to build day by day,” he said. “We are standing on the track, and the train is coming.”

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