New commission takes over county reins
Some changes anticipated by incoming commission
Staff reporter
A vision and strategic plan are goals newly sworn-in Marion County Commissioner Randy Dallke would like to see attained.
Following a formal swearing-in ceremony Monday, conducted by Eighth Judicial District Chief Judge Michael Powers, Dallke addressed the commission and those in attendance.
"I don't see direction for the commission," Dallke explained. He said a vision and plan would give the commission and the county much needed direction.
Dallke also acknowledged a five-year plan for resurfacing county chip and seal roads currently in place was not effective.
He said he would like to see the county promoted "inside and outside county lines; making services more available."
Dallke asked Jim Herzet, acting road and bridge superintendent, to provide the commission with chip and seal projects for this summer.
Commissioner Dan Holub, also newly installed Tuesday, told Herzet he wants motor grader operators to be professionally trained.
Veteran commissioner Bob Hein was elected chairman and Holub was elected vice chairman of the commission.
In other business:
— Commission approved an insurance proposal for 2005. The premium was $131,435. The original proposal was for $134,587, a five percent increase from 2004. The commission decided to decrease the premium cost by dropping comprehensive coverage for county vehicles, which was a savings of $3,152.
Richard Nickel of The Insurance Center, Hillsboro, and Alex H. Case of Case & Son Insurance, Marion, presented the proposal.
The insurance provides $7 million coverage for county buildings and content, an increase of 10 percent from the previous year to cover inflation.
Besides county-owned buildings, coverage includes automobiles, general liability, professional liability, and malpractice for emergency medical services personnel.
In 2004, the previous commission had reduced coverage on some older county vehicles, saving the county $8,000 on the premium.
Following the presentation and approval, Dallke asked the county's insurance agent to "step up and do more for the county."
Dallke was referring to a previous request made to the former commission to provide malpractice insurance for an emergency medical technician instructor who was not a county employee.
At that time, Nickel told the commission the county's insurance would not cover the individual since she was not a county employee.
The City of Peabody paid for the instructor's insurance so she could teach classes for Peabody area residents.
— Membership renewal to Kansas Association of Counties was approved. Membership fees for counties are based on assessed valuation. Marion County's fee was $2,664.
County clerk Carol Maggard noted there have been some changes in the association and some counties have not renewed their memberships. She said there were valuable training programs and other information available to the county as members.
— A decision was tabled by the commission regarding the official newspaper for the county.
Proposals were received from Hoch Publishing Co., Inc., publisher of the Marion County Record, Peabody Gazette-Bulletin, and Hillsboro Star-Journal, and the Hillsboro Free Press.
— Sheriff Lee Becker reported a deputy's car, a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria, was struck this past week by a tractor-trailer on U.S.-56. The car had 196,000 miles and damage estimates were $3,000. The car is out of service and needs to be replaced, Becker said.
— David Brazil, county zoning director, distributed copies of the county's comprehensive plan, and zoning and subdivision regulations to the commissioners. Copies also are available at the clerk's office for the public.
— Brazil requested and received a 10-minute executive session with the commission to discuss personnel. Maggard also was in attendance.
Following the session, the commission recessed for a second 10-minute session with Brazil and Maggard for the purpose to discuss personnel.
The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— Herzet requested and received a 10-minute executive session to discuss personnel. Phil Bowen, acting road supervisor, also was in attendance.
The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— Dale Snelling, Marion County Park & Lake director, distributed budget information. He explained his budget for 2004 was $160,000. The anticipated revenue for his department was $105,000, but $103,006 was actually received.
Total expenses for his department were $128,739, leaving a $30,000 cash carry-over. Typically, the department meets revenue and cash carry-over expectations and Snelling wanted the new commission to be aware of his situation.
Snelling also reported tree damage and some damage to the park's trailer houses. He was instructed to obtain bids from professional tree trimmers to "drop" the branches with county employees assisting in the cleanup.
Dallke asked Snelling if there was a program to replace trees. Snelling said no and that it was difficult to plant trees in some areas due to rock and white clay.
— The commission instructed Maggard to obtain bids to repaint the commission room similar to the clerk's office.
The commission will not meet Monday because county offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
The next commission meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the courthouse.
