Early debt payment benefits county
Marion County commissioners on Monday passed a formal resolution stating that the county will pay off certain road bonds, totaling more than $1.06 million, before their due dates.
The payoff is to come on Oct. 1, against a total principal amount owed on the bonds of $1,920,000. This will leave $860,000 still outstanding, due, on the principal.
The early payoff will result in a big saving in bond and interest funds for the county, but no one is quite sure what the total is. The bonds were to come due in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
Commissioners discussed riding in the Old Settlers' Day parade in Marion, but no decision was made on who might do so.
County Clerk Carol Maggard reported expenses from the Motor Vehicle Fund for July totaled $1,911.16.
David Brazil, director of planning and zoning for the county, said the County Planning Commission will have a public hearing at its 7:30 p.m. meeting Aug. 28, on the newly updated Comprehensive Plan for Marion County.
If approved by the planning board, the plan will come back before the county commission for its final approval.
Brazil, who is also the county sanitarian and director of the transfer station, said he was sending reminder letters to all solid-waste haulers who use the station. The letters will tell haulers "where they are" in regard to their bills and the tonnage they have hauled so far this year.
Commissioners conducted three executive sessions, with Faye Makovec, register of deeds, JoAnn Knak, director of Emergency Medical Services, and with Bill Smithhart, director of Noxious Weeds and Household Hazardous Waste.
All three closed sessions dealt with personnel matters. Commissioners took no action after any of the three sessions.
Knak said EMS workers treated one person who had been working in the pits at the demolition derby, two from the mutton bustin' contest, one from the rodeo and one from the demo derby, all at last week's Marion County Fair.
Dale Snelling, director of Marion County Lake and Park, told commissioners about repairs needed to the dam area at the lake, to bring it into compliance with state floodplain requirements.
Snelling said the road at the south end of the dam would need to be raised 18 inches, using asphalt millings, and raised 10 inches at the other (north) end. A total of 485 tons of the millings would be needed, he said.
A dirt retainer, a terrace, behind the dam also will be needed, he said. This will require about 340 tons of earth.
Commissioners plan to look at and discuss this situation further. They will meet with Snelling and County Road and Bridge Supervisor Gerald Kelsey at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 8.
The City of Peabody plans to run a new sewer line. It will be on the north side of U.S. 50, then on the east side of Pawnee. Coming from the south, it will be on county property on Cemetery Road and from Fifth to Ninth on Old Mill Road.
Randy Dallke, Peabody mayor, was present Monday, along with Al Reiss, P.E., president of Reiss and Goodness Engineers, Wichita.
They said construction of the new line is expected to begin in the spring. They hope the city will be awarded a Community Development Block Grant to help with the project.
