By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

Deb Geis, chairman of Marion County Special Education Cooperative, offered the vacant east wing of the co-op’s building at 1500 E. Lawrence St., Marion, as a home for the county health department.

The county has been considering whether the department should stay in its current building, move to an existing building, or a new building.

The vacant wing has 5,000 square feet, Geis told county commissioners Monday.

Commissioners said they would tour the building Friday to see whether it would fit the county’s needs.

Smaller tax increase

After a meeting Thursday with accountant Scot Loyd, commissioners are expecting the 2011 budget to require a property tax increase of about 1 mill. A previous budget estimate called for a 3.8-mill increase.

Commissioners will meet with Loyd Aug. 9 to draft a final proposed budget for publication. When the budget is published, it can not be increased without republishing.

In other business:

• The county purchased a used Volvo semitrailer tractor for $13,500 from Halstead Trailer Sales. It will replace a failing water truck for Road and Bridge Department.
• Changing federal regulations will make road graders more expensive after Dec. 31, said Garrett Clay of Foley Equipment Company, Salina. If the county turns in leased graders before then, it could save 6 to 12 percent on the lease price. The county currently leases graders due to be returned in May.
• Cooperative Grain and Supply of Hillsboro will supply Road and Bridge Department 3,600 gallons of fuel for $8,041, and Cardie Oil Company of Tampa will supply 2,950 gallons for $6,552.
• Road and Bridge Superintendent Jim Herzet met with commissioners in closed session for five minutes to discuss personnel.
• Commission Chairman Randy Dallke demonstrated with string and a tape measure the slope of a section of 40th Road under construction. He said he had heard complaints comparing driving on the road to driving on a pipe. Herzet said the high crown would level out as work on the road continues.
• Health Department Administrator Diedre Serene met with commissioners in closed session for five minutes to discuss personnel.
• Marion County Economic Development Council requested $8,000 for its 2011 budget, including $3,000 for tourism, $3,000 for marketing, and $2,200 for business retention and expansion. After interim economic development council chairman Anita Goertzen left the meeting, Commissioner Dan Holub said the council no longer funds Leadership Marion County, and he would like to reduce the appropriation to the council by $2,000. No action was taken.
• Noxious Weed Department Director Rollin Schmidt told commissioners that a family in the county was requesting $400 compensation, claiming county spraying killed their garden. Schmidt said the garden did show signs of herbicide. Commissioners instructed him to check whether insurance would pay the claim.