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Staff writer

Commissioners discussed alternatives to hiring a full-time employee to fill a clerk vacancy in the County Treasurer’s Office Friday.

Treasurer Jeannine Bateman said she is understaffed because the department has a vacancy and an employee is going on leave for six weeks. The end of the calendar year is the busiest time for the department, she said.

Commission Chairman Dan Holub said he would like to move someone from another county department to the treasurer’s office until the end of the year to save money.

One possible solution would be changing the department from a 37½-hour weekly schedule to 40 hours, he said. That would allow current staff more time to accomplish duties.

Holub asked about the possibility of having someone part-time that could be called in at peak times or when someone was on leave.

Bateman said she would like that, but part-time employees are problematic because the work requires a lot of training, and most part-time employees don’t stay long.

Deputy Treasurer Rose Funk asked if department employees could see a raise to compensate for the increased duties.

Commissioner Randy Dallke said that in private industry, when someone’s boss gives them more duties, their only alternative is to quit.

Funk said there was a three-year period when treasurer’s office personnel did not receive a cost-of-living raise.

Holub said he would not vote to raise taxes to pay for employee raises. Commissioners met with Department for Elderly Director Gayla Ratzlaff in closed session for 20 minutes to discuss that possibility. No action was taken on return to open session.

County saves $70,000 on road project

Marion County saved about 10 percent on a project to chip seal 33 miles of county roads, Road and Bridge Department employee Tom Holub told county commissioners.

Blevins Asphalt, of Mount Vernon, Mo., submitted a final pay estimate about $70,000 lower than the $701,474 original contract because the county didn’t place lane markers on the resurfaced roads.

The county also will save more than $3,600 because the company failed to finish the project by the deadline.

In other business:

  • Shawn Brandmahl of North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility, of Junction City, requested the county pay $33,671 in quarterly installments in 2010. State reimbursement could reduce the actual cost to the county dramatically, he said. In 2008, the county’s cost after reimbursement was between $4,000 and $5,000.
  • Commissioners are winnowing the lists of applicants for two county positions: planning and zoning/environmental health director and road and bridge superintendent.
  • Cardie Oil Company, of Tampa, won bids to supply 2,950 gallons of fuel to two Road and Bridge Department locations. The company bid $1,826 for 800 gallons at tank No. 1 and $4,906 for 2,150 gallons at tank No. 2. Cooperative Grain and Supply, of Hillsboro, bid $1,828 and $4,913, respectively.
  • Cooperative Grain and Supply won bids for 3,600 gallons of fuel for two Road and Bridge Department locations. The company bid $4,104 for 1,800 gallons at tank Bo. 3 and $4,113 for 1,800 gallons at tank Bo. 4. Cardie Oil bid $4,144 for each tank.
  • Sales tax for August sales was $49,978. Year-to-date sales tax through 10 months was $500,668. That is $27,413 ahead of the same time in 2008. County Clerk Carol Maggard said the county is receiving more compensating tax than ever before. Compensating tax is provided for sales outside the county.

The next commission meeting will be Monday morning.

Funds available for wastewater systems

Funds are available for replacing household wastewater systems until Nov. 30. For more information or to apply, contact the Marion County Conservation District office at (620) 382-3520.

Last modified Nov. 5, 2009

 

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