County's feet held to fire regarding jail issues
Architect to assist in response to fire marshal's concerns
Architects of Law Kingdon of Wichita toured Marion County Jail Monday to determine the most feasible and cost-effective ways to address concerns of the Kansas Fire Marshal's office.
Tony Rangel of Law Kingdon told Marion County Commission that he would compile solutions and a conceptual estimate for the fire marshal regarding the 70-year-old jail. He is scheduled to meet with authorities Monday.
Among the concerns are 24-hour jailers to operate cell doors in case of fire or disaster and a barrier to separate prisoners and personnel in the sally port.
If the fire marshal approves Rangel's recommendations, the commission can review and approve, and local contractors can bid on the project. Rangel said this is work local craftsmen can do.
Rangel said he will ask the fire marshal's office for 90 days before a re-inspection.
In other business:
— Consultant Alan Beck had requested information from the commission regarding a new jail project. The commission agreed to send individual responses.
Rangel said when Beck compiles the information, Law Kingdon will discuss with Beck to avoid duplication of efforts and services.
The county needs to determine Beck's role before Law Kingdon can move forward, Rangel said.
Law Kingdon's proposal included evaluation of existing operations and the courthouse facility. Beck's proposal included an evaluation of the judicial system.
"Before we talked about timing and the 2008 election," Rangel said. "Inflation in construction is not small."
Other costs to be considered are those for a special election or waiting for the general election in November.
Marion County Clerk Carol Maggard said there are some city elections planned but the county still would have costs since the election would include all county residents.
Rangel will return in two weeks to the commission with information from the fire marshal.
— County sanitarian and zoning administrator Bobbi Strait said she had followed up on a conditional use permit authorized for Daniel King regarding a salvage operation.
Some of the conditions of the permit were to have the property surveyed within 90 days, which Strait said it appeared it had been, and 75-80 percent of fencing installed by Oct. 1. King also was to have a plan for collecting fluids from vehicles.
When King was contacted regarding the conditions, King told Strait that all fluids were removed from vehicles before they were on his property, which King was told to put in writing.
— Dallke asked county public works director Jim Herzet to provide a list of road and bridge projects planned within the next 90 days. Herzet said he would provide that information. Herzet's last day with the county is Friday.
— Marion County Improvement District #2 is planning to purchase acreage for a new water tower, report district representative Dan Crumrine. With the water tower, the district will build a new maintenance building. Crumrine asked if the county was interested in purchasing the 24x40-foot metal building currently used by the district. The building has sewer, water, heating and air conditioning, office space, and a bathroom. There also is a 12x10-foot overhead door with an opener.
Dallke told Crumrine that the county was interested in purchasing the building.
