Staff writer
Water tests at the former Marion County landfill have returned satisfactory results, Jack Chapelle said Monday at county commission meeting.
Chapelle, of Engineering Solutions & Design, said wells at the bottom of the slope on the site showed the same results as wells at the top of the slope. That indicates the landfill has not affected water quality.
There is one exception. One of the bottom wells has tested positive for a chemical used in solvents, especially engine cleaners. The chemical is well below the maximum amount allowed by Environmental Protection Agency.
Chapelle said the county could stop testing for certain chemicals. It would be able to resume testing if other tests had unexpected results.
Commission Chairman Dan Holub asked if a landfill just for chopped tires would be feasible to go with a proposed construction and demolition landfill.
Chapelle said it would not require much more work in the permitting process but could produce good returns.
In other business:
- Commissioners will meet with county lake residents at 7 p.m. Monday in the lake hall to discuss roads. They also will meet July 27 in Tampa to discuss roads into the city.
- County pay lags about six percent behind comparable counties, Becky Crowder of Austin Peters Group of Overland Park said. Her analysis included counties of similar size and adjacent counties. If Butler and Saline counties were excluded, pay would still be slightly below the average, she said. Dispatchers are an exception, receiving higher than average pay compared to peer counties, Crowder said. She expects that to correct itself over the next few years
- Road and Bridge Superintendent John Summerville estimated it would cost $7,500 to $8,000 to re-rock 160th Road from Turkey Creek to Timber and Timber from 160th to 150th. The roads are another access to the county lake.
- Ambulances responded to 97 calls in June, bringing the 2009 total thus far to 561. Ambulance calls at the same time in 2008 were 549, Emergency Medical Services Director Steve Smith said. He thinks EMS crews will respond to more heat-related calls as the summer continues.
- Midway Motors of Hillsboro will repair an air conditioner in the health department’s SUV for $554. Webster’s Auto Service of Marion bid $1,161.
- Appraiser’s office assistant Sarah Schrader received a raise from $1,693 to $1,793 per month for working in the department one year.
- Sheriff Rob Craft said a compressor shorted out on an air conditioner which handles part of the upstairs of the jail and sheriff’s office. Dispatch was not affected. The air conditioner will be fixed, and the other five units will be inspected at another date.
- Commissioners met in closed session to discuss personnel for 30 minutes with Appraiser Cindy Magill and 10 minutes with Summerville. They met with four department heads — Teresa Huffman, economic development; Gayla Ratzlaff, elderly department, Diedre Serene, health department; and Smith, EMS —to review their performance evaluations.
A special meeting was Tuesday morning to discuss personnel. The next regular meeting will be Monday morning.