Marion County Commission makes COVID emergency declaration

MarionCounty

Marion County approved an emergency declaration for COVID-19 to move in line with the state’s emergency declaration.

Cases have boomed across the state, hospitals have filled and Governor Laura Kelly recently declared a state of emergency and put two executive orders in place.

One executive order relaxes certain licensing restrictions needed to provide medical services. Basically, hospitals are at capacity and short-staffed in part due to many employees being out with COVID-19. The order allows, for example, nurses to perform procedures and take actions they might not be medically licensed to do. It also allows the National Guard and some military personnel to volunteer to work at hospitals.

The second order relaxes and suspends licensing, certification and training requirements for adult care homes.

Last week, Marion County was averaging about 11 new cases a day to be confirmed, according to state numbers.

In other news, if you want to live in Marion County and have state student debt, the county will continue to help pay for it.

At its Jan. 10 meeting, the Marion County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution renewal that places it in the state’s Rural Opportunity Zone program.

The program pays up to $15,000 toward a resident’s student loan debt over five years, should they now move back to the county. The state and the county split costs.

With the 2022 resolution, the county will set aside $4,500 for the program, with the budget to be revised by the state for the following years.

To qualify for loan repayment, applicants have to submit a proposal to the state, prove current residence in the county and prove residence from a previous location. They also must have an associate’s, bachelor’s or post-graduate degree before moving to the participating county.

Ninety-five of Kansas’s 105 counties are eligible for the program. Marion joins 14 other counties to offer help with students repaying loans.

In other business:

•The county increased pay for election workers, which was stagnant since 2014. Poll site judges will be paid $150 per day. Supervising judges will be paid $200 per day. Hourly pay for advanced, early in person, and audit board judges will range between $11 and $12 per hour. The motion passed 5-0.

•The board of commissioners reorganized their board, as they do each January. David Mueller was made chair of the board of commissioners, 5-0. The chair runs the meeting. Dave Crofoot will continue as vice-chair.

•The county approved appointing Keith Jost to the county planning board for District 1.

•The county is considering storing some trailers and other items at the county fairgrounds.

•Items will be moved off the fairgrounds and out of the fairground building when it’s being used.

•The county will review applications by companies to conduct tax sales for the county. Usually, the county has about 20 parcels that get auctioned off each year due to back-owed taxes. Properties can be sold off when taxes aren’t paid over an extended period.

•The county held two executive sessions.

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