County reviews reports, bridge bids
Staff reporter
Marion County Commission met in regular session Monday to hear department reports and open bids for two 2004 bridge projects.
After a morning of budget discussions and executive sessions, the commission met with Daryl Thiesen, incoming emergency medical services director, in a 20-minute executive session to discuss personnel issues.
After reconvening, the commission conducted the following business:
— David Brazil, county planning and zoning administrator, sanitarian, and transfer station manager, presented and reviewed his budget for his departments.
Planning and zoning budget is at 68 percent. The sanitation budget is acceptable except for environmental services.
"That department is going to be tight," said Brazil. Eighty-two percent of that budget has been spent.
The transfer station expenditures are at 78 percent.
— Brazil presented the monthly tonage report of 5,923.54 tons for the month of October. Brazil noted that this included clean up weeks.
— The contract with Robinson Trucking, the haulers of the solid waste to the Hamm Landfill in Perry, was discussed. Brazil requested the one-year extension option be exercised by the commission. The commission agreed to extend the contract.
— Brazil reported that the medical waste in the cistern near the courthouse has been removed and the cistern filled.
The 20-yard roll off dumpster was half full.
— Michelle Abbott-Becker, communications and emergency management director, distributed emergency communication statistics for the first half of November.
So far, 340 calls have been made to 911. Of those, 243 are from cell phones.
Abbott-Becker reported that the installation of the caller identification equipment for cell phones has been put on hold.
"The cost is going to be more than the original estimate," said Abbott-Becker. The commission approved the expenditure of $886 for the equipment. Now the equipment and installation will cost $1,400.
Abbott-Becker and County Clerk Carol Maggard are going to investigate the options.
— The commission signed the emergency operation plan, as per approval at the Sept. 30 meeting.
— Abbott-Becker reported that an oil line was damaged at the Marion-Morris County line, 340th and Xavier. County personnel are going to investigate to see if it was county equipment that caused the damage.
— Noreen Weems, elderly department director, presented monthly activity and budget reports. The department budget is at 82 percent.
— Gerald Kelsey, road and bridge superintendent, and Jim Herzet, road supervisor, presented sealed bids to the commission for two bridge projects.
Collett opened and read the bids for materials needed for the projects.
Welborn Steel was the lowest bid of $2,714.88.
— Kelsey reported that the Kansas Department of Transportation is requiring additional days for the bridge project by Durham.
The state determines the amount of days a project will take to be completed. Construction and engineering firms then bid the project according to the state's determination. The days then dictate the amount for inspectors which the county pays. Kelsey is going to contact the state for an explanation.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:20 a.m. The next commission meeting will be at 9 a.m. Dec. 1 at the courthouse.
