County accepts wildfire response vehicle
Staff writer
Marion County commissioners Monday accepted a John Deere M-Gator utility vehicle from the Kansas Forest Service for wildland firefighting.
The county’s expected cost to outfit the vehicle with firefighting equipment is about $5,750, emergency manager Marcy Hostetler said. A comparable vehicle would cost an estimated $27,500 to $35,000 total.
The vehicle will be used in areas inaccessible to larger fire trucks and will be available to fire departments throughout the county.
Commissioners took no action on Hostetler’s request to purchase a trailer for emergency operations after questioning whether submitted bids were comparable.
Hostetler left the meeting at commissioners’ request to seek additional information from a vendor but did not return before the meeting concluded.
Hillsboro Mayor Lou Thurston and water plant superintendent Morgan Marler discussed a $60,000 monitoring project that would track blue-green algae and other water-quality conditions in Marion Reservoir.
Marler said the Kansas Water Office would provide $20,000. Marion and Hillsboro each are being asked to contribute $20,000. Hillsboro’s share also would cover Peabody, which buys treated water from Hillsboro.
The monitoring system allows water plants serving Hillsboro, Marion, Peabody, and Marion County Lake to detect potential problems before reservoir water reaches treatment facilities.
Commissioners took no action on her request that they contribute to the system’s cost.
Commissioners also reviewed a proposed electronic payment policy.
According to County Administrator Tina Spencer, electronic payments could reduce postage and check-printing costs and improve payment reliability.
Discussion also focused on payroll procedures after Spencer said direct deposits are being transmitted before formal commission approval so employees can be paid on time.
Kevin Gaeddert, executive director of Harvey-Marion County Community Developmental Disability Organization, requested $75,000 for the organization’s 2027 budget.
He told commissioners that his organization serves 368 clients, including 78 in Marion County, and that 159 people remain on waiting lists.
Department on Aging Director Lu Turk reported preparing 90 tax returns and 54 homestead claims this year.
She expressed concern about potential reductions to federal energy-assistance and commodity food programs.