By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

Marion County Park and Lake has received a clean bill of health from the Kansas Division of Wildlife and Parks regarding invasive zebra mussels, Superintendent Steve Hudson said Monday.

Lake water was tested mid-June, Hudson told Marion County Commissioners. Results were received July 7.

Several lake rules are designed to prevent introduction of zebra mussels. Among them are a seven-day wait before a boat from another waterway can be put on the lake and a prohibition on use of bait from other waterways.

Without such rules, Hudson said, the lake would almost certainly be contaminated by now.

Zebra mussels are invasive mollusks that reproduce so rapidly their shells can cover the bottom of a lake and clog pipes. Zebra mussels spread when water — containing free-floating zebra mussel larvae — from a contaminated lake enters an uncontaminated lake.

Marion Reservoir has a zebra mussel infestation.

Departments to present budget proposals

Commissioners will meet Thursday with department heads and accountant Scot Loyd of Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd, LLC to discuss budget proposals. The meeting, which will begin at 8 a.m., is expected to last throughout the day.

A first draft of the 2011 budget will be presented at a commission meeting Monday. Loyd will meet with commissioners at 8 a.m. July 22 to revise the draft.

If the total remains the same as 2010, property taxes will decrease 2.761 mills because of increased valuation, Clerk Carol Maggard said.

Treasurer Jeannine Bateman, Appraiser Cindy Magill, and representatives of the soil conservation office presented budget requests similar to their 2010 budgets.

In other business:

• Commissioners met in closed session for five minutes to discuss property acquisition. No action was taken.
• County Attorney Susan Robson met with commissioners in closed session for 15 minutes to discuss matters protected by attorney-client privilege. No action was taken.
• Commissioners signed a letter of support for wind energy in a wind energy overlay district in the county at the request of Rex Savage of Windborne Energy, Inc. Savage said a study tentatively has found that wind turbines there wouldn’t adversely affect birds.
• Health Department Director Diedre Serene received a plaque from Kansas Department of Health and Environment for coordinating efforts to prevent a flu outbreak.
• The county received $28,986 in lieu of taxes from the federal government in return for loss of taxable land used to create Marion Reservoir.
• Hillsboro Ford was told to locate a one-half ton pickup truck for the Road and Bridge Department within 30 days with a bid of $22,570. Midway Motors of Hillsboro bid $27,181 for a Chevrolet truck, Midway Motors of McPherson bid $26,500 for a GMC truck, and Don Hattan Chevrolet of Wichita bid $24,330.
• Brandon Huntley was promoted from equipment operator 1 to equipment operator 2 in the Road and Bridge Department.