To the editor:

On behalf of the residents of northern Marion County, thank you to the county commissioners and taxpayers for the significant road improvements on 330th from Tampa to K-15 and from there west to McPherson County.

After all the years of meetings, potholes, mud, and gravel, it is hard to believe the asphalt overlay is real.

This investment has already resulted in many benefits for the community.

Agri-Producers Inc. commits nearly a million dollars per year to improvements to grain handling, fertilizer storage, and rolling stock and employs 20 people locally.

Cardie Oil continues to provide fuel, propane, and vehicle service to the area.

Out-of-town visitors are able and willing to come to the café.

Small businesses are willing to open now that there is safe road access to the town.

The improvements also benefit the hundreds of farm families that keep the community and county alive.

No price can be put on the safety factor, as anyone who has followed semis on a quiet day on a gravel road can appreciate.

A special thank you to Rep. Tom Sloan (R-Lawrence), who arranged meetings between business leaders and the Kansas Department of Transportation in early 2009 that resulted in making the revolving loan a viable financing option.

Mayor Tim Svoboda kept steady and appropriate pressure that provided results.

Finally, thank you to Dan Holub, Randy Dalke, and Roger Fleming, who agreed that a good long-term investment can save the county money over time.

The new philosophy of the road department under Randy Crawford is showing results that will lead to a safer and more successful Marion County.

David Mueller
Tampa