Staff writer
An adult accompanying youth hunters on upland bird hunts at the closed Marion County landfill will be able to carry a firearm, following a rule change by county commissioners Monday.
Program coordinator Dale Ehlers of Quail Forever recommended the change. He said the program hadn’t had as much participation as expected.
He said changing it to a “mentor” hunting program would probably increase participation, based on results elsewhere.
The change only affects upland bird hunting. A similar program for deer hunting has plenty of participation, Ehlers said.
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will continue to handle liability issues, he said. Commissioners approved the change, contingent on receiving a letter from Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
Applications are available at http//www.marioncoks.net via a “special events” link. For more information, contact Ehlers at (620) 381-1096.
Sanitarian to receive training
County Sanitarian Tonya Richards will participate in Kansas Environmental Leadership Program Training.
Marion Reservoir Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies will pay half of Richards’ tuition in the program. WRAPS Coordinator Peggy Blackman said it would be a good networking opportunity.
Richards also could apply the training toward becoming a licensed sanitarian. The program is worth four credit hours, and she needs seven hours.
Commission Chairman Randy Dallke asked whether the county had a policy about paying for the credit hours, which would be an additional expense. Commissioners will decide later whether to pay for Richards’ credit hours.
Richards became sanitarian following the resignation of Roberta Strait on Aug. 26, 2009.
In other business:
- Lloyd Davies of Great Plains Computers and Networking of Marion will install monitoring software to protect county computers from viruses and spyware for $6,225. Annual maintenance afterward will be $3,297, and commissioners will decide whether to continue the program after one year. Davies will provide quarterly reports on the program to commissioners.
- Union Pacific railroad will install crossbars and flashing lights at a railroad crossing on Sunrise Road about one-half mile north of Marion. “People have been trying to get that done for years,” commissioner Dan Holub said.
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment ordered Road and Bridge Department to stop washing an oil distributor at the county shop until a pit is installed to catch runoff to prevent water pollution.
- Road and Bridge Superintendent Jim Herzet met with commissioners in closed session for five minutes to discuss personnel. On return to open session, he announced tire technician Gerald Benshoof Jr. had resigned, leaving the department with three vacant positions total.
- Cooperative Grain and Supply of Hillsboro will provide 12,100 gallons of fuel to Road and Bridge Department for $28,943. Cardie Oil Company of Tampa will supply 2,950 gallons for $6,853.
- Transfer Station Director Rollin Schmidt will seek repairs to walking-floor semi trailers to make them last until funding can be budgeted for new trailers.
- Schmidt will investigate the cost to build a fence at the transfer station to store tires. Commissioners considered purchasing a machine to cut tires so they could be sent to Butler County Landfill, but they decided it wouldn’t be used enough to justify the $17,000 price tag.
- Commissioners want to speak with Stutzman Refuse Disposal, Inc., executives about establishing a countywide recycling program.
- Schmidt met with commissioners in closed session for five minutes to discuss personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.
- Custodian Troy Schmidt received a raise from $1,858 to $1,908 per month for working for the county one year.
- County Clerk Carol Maggard met with commissioners in closed session for 10 minutes to discuss personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.
The next commission meeting is 8:30 a.m. today.