Marion County commissioners talked about High Risk Rural Roads, also known as HRRR, at the Monday meeting. Superintendent of the Road and Bridge Department Jesse Hamm, HRRR is a program to help fund projets on rural roads where a danger exists. County Clerk Tina Spen­cer said that in 2016, the county completed a HRRR project to loosen up the hairpin […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioners met Friday, Sept. 30, in a $927,897 payday session with $459,073 designated for county payroll. The county clerk’s office reported receipt of regular sales tax from the state for July sales of $59,488 and of special jail bond tax of $51,988. The commissioners voted 3-0 to employ EBH & Associ­ates, an engineering firm at […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioners is going to help the new county Economic Develop­ment Committee with $30 to $50 in pay for a records keeper and perhaps with $4,000 to $8,000 in legal fees to recruit new businesses. The committee has chosen Elissa Dodd of Marion as record-keeper. Chris Hernandez, committee chair, told the commissioners at the Aug. 31 […]

The project to replace windows at the Marion County Courthouse was well underway last week with scaffolding covering the entire back side of the structure. Florence kids will be able to continue to use what was once the high school home economics building as a church-sanctioned recreation building. Marion County Board of Commissioners agreed Monday to put up chain-link fencing, […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioners Monday raised the 2017 tax levy by five mills in a 3-0 vote after years of resisting increases based on county valuation. Even at that, budget preparer Scot Loyd put part of the ambulance budget over into a cash fund so the county still has access to it while increases in ambulance service are […]

Gerken Environmental of Springfield, Mo., was tentatively awarded the bid Monday to restore the historically approved county courthouse windows at $425,000 plus other expenses that might arise. Before the Marion County Board of Commis­sioners made the decision final, Chairman Randy Dallke asked overseeing contractor Treanor Architects of Topeka, represented by Ian Pitts, to check the Gerken’s credentials and history. Dallke […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioners decided June 30 to pay for weatherization and restoration of the historic courthouse windows from the special county building account of the general fund rather than seek financing. The estimated cost of the project was $600,000 to more than $800,000. The commissioners agreed they need to be deliberate and conservative in saving money for […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioners Monday began organizing the new county economic development committee under the temporary chairmanship of Chris Hernan­dez. The commissioners told Hernandez that although they would like the number of members on the committee reduced to five or six from the 15 who have volunteered, they expect that to happen by withdrawal of participants when they […]

Emergency Medical Services Director Ed Debesis was given permission by the Marion County Board of Commissioners during a May 31 payday session to hire two full-time paid medical technicians for the currently all-volunteer ambulance service. The commissioners specified that current volunteers be given first chance at the paid positions. The decision was made following a 15-minute executive session for personnel. […]

Tonya Richards, county director of planning, zoning and environmental health, resigned her post Monday in a Marion County Board of Commissioners meeting after a 10-minute executive session for personnel. The commissioners reluctantly accepted her resignation in a 3-0 vote, and joined in wishing her well. Richards will cease work here March 11, and then move to Topeka to work for […]