County is a step closer to obtaining grant
It sure seemed like Marion County was about to receive something big during Monday's commission meeting but it was only a formality.
Randy Snider of USDA Rural Development brought numerous papers for the commission to sign as part of the application process for a grant to create another county revolving loan program.
County economic development secretary Teresa Huffman had applied for the $40,000 grant on behalf of the county with the county kicking in $10,000 as the matching portion.
The commission signed letters of condition for the program which spelled out the criteria for the revolving loan program.
The loans are designed for small and emerging businesses in Marion County with less than 50 employees and $1 million in annual sales.
Loans can be from $600 to $15,000 at four percent interest. Administration costs can be deducted from interest earned.
The commission also approved resolutions for the formal application.
Snider said in his district of 35 counties, there are a total of seven applications. He wasn't sure how many total applications there were for the grant program but in the past, between $300,000 and $400,000 was awarded for the program.
If the revolving loan program is successful, the county can apply for more funds, Snider said, with a 4-1 match by the county.
Applications will be reviewed and Snider said probably approved within 30 days.
The commission discussed how the program will be administered and tentatively determined it could go through the other county revolving loan selection committee for micro-loans.
In other business:
— Commission chairman Randy Dallke announced that representatives of Law Kingdon will be at Monday's commission meeting to discuss designs for a new jail.
The commission had earmarked $50,000 for the jail design and $23,375 had been expended thus far to BG Consultants of Manhattan.
— The commission approved the purchase of four computers — two for the clerk's office and two for the treasurer — for a total of $5,882 from Great Plains Computers and Networking of Marion. Competitive bids were reviewed but when all was discussed, the commission decided to go with the local computer provider even though that bid was $100 higher.
Two of the clerk's computers were "traded in" and then "resold" to two other departments in the county.
— Lonnie Matz of Hillsboro requested permission to use a metal detector on the courthouse lawn to find buried artifacts. The commissioner expressed concerns about buried utility lines and would prefer no one search for buried treasure on the courthouse property.
— A price tag of $350,000 to $400,000 to make improvements to the health department building may be too much for the county's budget. Dan Hall of BG Consultants reported the building's second story floor joists and roof rafters don't meet today's codes.
He said the limestone exterior was in great shape with no bulges but needed to be re-pointed and the mortar repaired.
Dallke said it was an eye-opener to see the costs associated with the building improvements.
The commission decided to take care of necessary maintenance and repairs but to table the more costly options.
Dallke informed Hall of the commission's decision to talk with another architect about the jail project.
"We owe it to Marion County to check our options," Dallke said.
— The commission entered executive session and reviewed applications for the positions of lake superintendent and elderly department director.
The commission will meet at 9 a.m. Monday in the courthouse.
