County commissioner hears concerns
Contributing writer
“If it’s not raining, Hi Plains will be here tomorrow to work on our streets,” Mayor Jim Clemmer announced Oct. 6 to Tampa City Council. That work is now in progress.
Dan Holub, Marion County Commissioner, appeared at the meeting to hear concerns of the mayor and council members. He asked Paul Backhus whether the county road and bridge superintendent had agreed to put requested culverts under 330th Road to prevent the city from flooding. Backhus said, “Yes.”
Seeral months ago the city started proceedings against the owners of two derelict properties to force them to clean their properties and remove hazards. Holub said one of these properties is slated for a sheriff’s sale for delinquent taxes. After that, the city then will know how to contact.
“We finally got the road to the north graded today. That had huge holes in it,” Backhus said.
Holub asked, “Did you call Mark? When you have something like that, call Mark [Heiser], John [Summerville] or me. We’d get someone out here.”
The commissioner explained that, contrary to rumor, a new jail will not be built with property taxes if the vote for a sales tax fails. In that case, the county would have to renovate the old jail to meet state and federal required standards at a cost of more than $6 million. The jail still would not accommodate all prisoners, so some would have to be transported to other counties at an estimated cost of $600,000 to $700,000 per year.
A new Marion County jail at a slightly increased cost would bring in money for housing prisoners from other counties instead of costing money to the county.
Holub asked if there were crafts people in the community. He said that booths will be needed in Florence next June on the day of the Symphony on the Prairie in the Flint Hills.
Donna Backhus read the minutes of a special meeting where a resolution was adopted to allow the city to borrow money for street repairs. Also Larry and Annette Sneary had presented plans for improvements at the park such as painting and repairing picnic tables. They volunteered to do the work for no payment using donated materials.
Among the bills approved for payment were $185 for a sewer license, $318.80 for a culvert which was installed in back of Cardie Oil building, $150 for the rental of a backhoe when the culvert was laid, and $1,300 for writing a grant application.