County hears about new road material
Ron Matteson of Koch Industries, Wichita, appeared before Marion County Commission Monday to make a presentation on a relatively new chip-and-seal material for roads.
The material is a modified asphalt in which a polymer oil is added to the hot mix to create a much more flexible material.
Matteson said the rock, if it is a good grade of agate, binds much more tightly to the modified asphalt, creating a more durable surface that won't be as liable to crack in the winter or flow in the summer.
Matteson estimated that the new material will cost 15-20 cents per gallon more than the current material being used. This figures out to about an eight-cent increase per square yard. Good-quality rock also would cost more.
He stressed that the new material will not correct a deficient road bed but on a good road bed will require less maintenance and be longer lasting. He also emphasized the need to use a hard rock that won't turn to dust easily, as lightweight limestone does.
Commissioner Leroy Wetta asked road and bridge superintendent Gerald Kelsey if he would recommend a total changeover on chip-and-seal county roads. He said he had not yet seen a road using the new material, so he wasn't ready to make a recommendation.
Matteson noted that several counties are using the new asphalt and are pleased with it. Commissioner Bob Hein said he had heard good reports about it. He and the other commissioners discussed the possibility of applying it on the eight miles of Roxbury Road within Marion County. They asked Kelsey to calculate costs on the proposed project.
Kelsey reported that progress is going as planned on the bridge being reconstructed across the Cottonwood River on 140th south of Marion. After 44 working days, concrete has been poured. After it cures, side railings will be poured. Kelsey said the project is expected to be completed by June 1.
Zoning/planning director, David Brazil, requested a more specific list of changes commissioners want to see in the revised county comprehensive plan.
Commissioners agreed they needed to give plan writer Scott Michie better direction than what he received when meeting with them the previous week.
Among the things discussed were the need for exceptions to the rule requiring squared-off parcels of land, but only in extreme cases to allow efficient use of the site; a five-acre minimum in rural residential; and allowance of a short-40 when a quarter of land isn't a full 160 acres.
They also agreed that areas already under residential development and adjacent to towns be considered suburban residential. One-acre lots are acceptable and public utilities are required.
Commissioner Howard Collett presented and commissioners discussed a list of items Brazil was asked to present to Michie. They asked that Michie meet with them in May to present a "work in progress," as Wetta called it.
After the rough draft is completed, a public hearing will be held to get county residents' comments.
Brazil submitted March budget reports for planning, zoning, sanitarian, and solid waste departments.
As solid waste manager, Brazil reported he is submitting a recycling grant application Friday. He recently attended what he called a "timely" recycling/composting conference.
Weed director Bill Smithhart said his employees are looking for and spraying musk thistles.
The following hazardous waste collections occurred during cleanup days in various communities:
March 29 — Goessel, 15 participants, 420 pounds.
April 5 — Lincolnville, 10, 448.
April 12 — Peabody, 31, 1,280.
April 14 — Florence, 5, 217.
April 19 — Durham, 13, 353.
EMS report
John Ryding of Hillsboro appeared before commissioners with EMS director Joan Knak to show them the plaque he received as Kansas EMS Attendant of the Year.
Knak reported she has been elected president of the Kansas Emergency Medical Technicians Association for a two-year term. She said her job will be to co-ordinate the annual Kansas EMT seminar and work for better benefits for volunteers. Knak has been with the Marion County EMS office for almost 22 years.
There were 65 ambulance runs in March: 22 by Hillsboro, 28 Marion, 14 Peabody, and one Tampa. They included 18 transfers, five cardiac patients, 23 medical emergencies, one standby, three vehicle accidents, three falls, nine no-transports, and one rescue truck response.
Six first responder runs included three Goessel, two Lincolnville, and one Burns.
Projects completed in March included vehicle inspections with license renewals; DUI Consequence programs at Marion and Peabody; a Multi-hazards in School conference; and an EMT class in extrication. At least 100 people attended the April 19th EMS appreciation dinner.
The special needs kids aviation day was canceled due to poor weather. It will be rescheduled.
Commissioners were told the health insurance budget deficit will be closer to $30,000 than $22,000, as reported last week because transfer station employees were not included in the package.
Commissioners said it's a non-issue because the extra $8,000 will come out of the transfer station budget.
The short meeting was adjourned at 11 a.m. The next meeting will be April 30 at 9 a.m.
