New EMS shirts approved by the Marion County Commission

Travis Parmley, EMS Director, holds up a blue and white polo shirt that will be the newest addition to the service. Patty Decker / Free PressThe Marion County Commission approved the EMS department’s request for new uniform shirts at a cost of $26 each at its meeting Monday.

Travis Parmley, EMS director, said the blue and white polo shirt was selected and they planned to order 100.

Commission chairman Kent Becker asked if different counties have different colors.

Parmley said he has seen colors in grey, black and even more formal button-down shirts, but when Marion County EMS personnel are working outside the county, they wouldn’t be wearing this specific shirt.

In addition, Parmley said an open house has been scheduled, but details are still in the works.

“The date is May 18, which is the week before EMS and following that is the Memorial Day weekend. Mike Beneke, a county resident, offered meat for the open house,” he said.

Isaac Hett, Marion County Park and Lake superintendent, provided his quarterly report by saying the Waner Crappie Fishing Derby on March 18 saw 18 participants and two crappies caught.

Hett also talked about the roads at the park and lake, and how when the former superintendent was there, the rock would be stockpiled by the shop and residents took from it as needed.

Gordon Pendergraf, one of the residents, said when sewer and water systems were put in, more rock was piled on top of that.

“My road has grown over one foot,” he said.

“It’s probably time to address property owners to put a special on it and do this right (regarding property lines, roads),” he said. “It wouldn’t be a small project whatever we do, and then the county can decide how it can help.”

“One possibility would be to put a special on (the roads),” Dallke said. “We would need new surveys, and the county could chip in on how they would be able to help.”

Hett said they started rocking roads after the rock was washing down, but they were getting more and more calls, and it’s not that we mind doing it, but if it stayed.

Regarding camping, Hett asked about reservations rather than doing a first come, first served basis, and if it’s something we could do.

In addition, he said, all of the camping spots are labeled, but not in any kind of order. Some are letters and some are numbers.

“It’s something we have talked about by going through there and putting numbers and drawing it out so we know what exactly is everywhere and then there’s the possibility of taking reservations,” he said.

Hett requested input from the commissioners about the idea of reservations.

Dallke asked if the citizens have requested reservations, and should there be an additional cost or should the same person be allowed to get the same spot every weekend?

“There’s a lot of campers that come out on Tuesday or Wednesday and they stay out there ahead to hold it for the weekend,” Dallke said. “It’s first come, first served.”

Becker asked Hett what he thought about reservations, and Hett said he would like the idea for campers requiring hook-ups.

“This has come up enough that I thought it was worth bringing it to you,” he said. “It would still require some more planning.”

Lisa Reeder, the county appraiser, said valuations went out March 1, and 120 receiving valuations asked for a hearing.

“That’s about twice as many as last year,” she said. “Hopefully we will be completed by middle of April. Once that’s done we will start on real estate certification.”

Reeder also said re-inspection areas were determined to be Clear Creek, West Branch and Liberty for townships and the city is Peabody this year.

In other business, the county:

heard from Commissioner Dianne Novak about the transportation grant and if Tina Spencer, county clerk, had been able to look into it. The advantage of the service would be in helping the elderly, those needing hospital care or running errands.

heard from Randy Eitzen, a county resident, asking the commissioners to reconsider putting a moratorium on wind farms.

discussed a MET tower on Mustang Road near Caitlin Cemetery, and Novak asked when is a temporary MET tower determined to be taken down.

was queried by Charles Loewen, another county resident, about what roads will be used if the wind farm conditional use permit for Expedition Wind is approved. Loewen said there are bridges that have weight limits of 6-ton and 15-ton. He questioned how this would work and he doesn’t want to see the three main roads torn up in order to accomplish the set up of wind turbines.

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