Sewer project reviewed
Marion County Commissioners reviewed but took no action Monday on a request to trench through county roads for a sewer project at Lost Springs.
Al Reiss, engineer in charge of the project, said boring under county roads would cost from $5,000 to $15,000 for each of four road cuts in the project. Trenching is estimated at $1,000.
Reiss had further concerns because he is the engineer for a water district which will require more than 100 road crossings.
Mike Olson, county engineer, said the county's requirement for boring isn't to stifle development or prevent people from having sanitary sewers or sources of water. It is because of countless past incidents where the county has found trenches caved in, requiring money and time to repair.
"The real issue is whether the trench is compacted properly or not, even with a concrete cap," he said.
In particular, since the cuts would be on county roads within Lost Springs city limits, the people most affected would be the city's residents, Olson said.
"It's my impression that for paved roads outside city limits, we feel strongly we want them bored," he said.
Some companies prefer to bore even if they have the option to trench because it reduces the number of follow-up calls as the trench settles, he said.
CIS
Commissioners received an update from Linda Ogden and Debbi Darrow on Communities In Schools of Marion County.
The county provides $6,000 annually to CIS.
A number of programs are planned or in place for 2002, including parenting classes, county youth team and youth court, certain family services, Early Steps program for families with youth children, and community training in substance abuse prevention and planning future initiatives.
Commissioners also were invited to attend Communities That Care training in the county. The sessions provide a forum to discuss perceptions of local substance abuse and discuss ways to reduce problems for children and families.
Sessions are 4-9 p.m. in each school district. They are free but reservations are needed. People can attend whichever session is convenient — each session covers the same material, Ogden said.
Sessions are Monday, Hillsboro High School Technology Center; March 7, McGillicuddy's in Marion; March 14, Centre Junior-Senior High School; and April 1, Peabody-Burns Junior-Senior High School. A date for a meeting in Goessel has not been set.
Park
Dale Snelling, park and lake superintendent, reported briefly on a trip Saturday to Topeka, where the park and lake were approved for submission to the National Register of Historic Places (see separate story).
Commissioners approved a bid of $1,400 from Bob Kelly for repairs and improvements to the bathroom of the superintendent's home at the county lake.
Snelling added that crappie fishing picked up over the weekend, with some anglers catching good numbers.
Department for elderly
Noreen Weems, director of the department for elderly, said volunteers are helping people with forms for food sales tax and homestead property tax refunds.
"We've helped more people this year than I think in all the other years combined," she said.
She added that the Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging board will meet at 9:30 a.m. March 19 at Eastmoor United Methodist Church.
Snow day
Commissioners said employees with compensatory time should request use of time through their department head.
The issue arose because the courthouse closed Jan. 30 due to an ice storm. Road and bridge personnel, most of whom were on duty throughout the day, wanted to have July 5 off to make up the time.
Clerk Carol Maggard said all employees who worked that day had comp time but it would cause a great deal of accounting problems to delay use until July. Also, it would essentially mean the county commission was declaring another holiday.
The best option, she said, was for employees to request use of their comp time through Gerald Kelsey, superintendent.
"If you want to approve everybody for a comp day, the department is still technically open," she said.
Kelsey asked why the courthouse couldn't stay open when his department had to come to work.
"Our crews made it to work, why was the courthouse closed?" he asked.
"We'll never have another snow holiday," Commissioner Howard Collett said.
In other reports:
Commissioners approved a public hearing to close two small road sections along 70th near Peabody. They are minimum-maintenance roads.
Purchase of a 1994 Chevrolet three-quarter-ton truck was approved for the road and bridge department. Cost is $12,145.
Commissioners will discuss care and requirements for roads in the housing areas around the county lake. Most have never been accepted by the county and do not meet county standards.
