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Road department expands random drug testing

All road employees subject to requirement

Staff reporter

All Marion County Road and Bridge employees will be subject to random drug tests.

Marion County Commission approved the recommendation made by county road and bridge superintendent Jim Herzet following a request by Herzet for a five-minute executive session to discuss personnel.

Currently, employees with CDLs (commercial driver's license) are randomly tested but because of safety concerns related to the operation of any county-owned equipment, the commission determined it would be in the best interest of the county to include all employees in that department.

Road and bridge office personnel will not be tested.

In other business:

— The commission approved a fireworks permit for the county fire departments as part of the annual Labor Day fund-raiser.

Stacey Collett of Marion Fire Department and Steve Rose of Peabody Fire Department requested the permit as part of the third annual activities that include family-oriented activities Sept. 3 at Marion County Park and Lake, a barbecue, and a fireworks display in the evening.

Fire departments take turns hosting the event at the county lake, with Peabody taking its turn this year.

Money raised from the event will be used to purchase three to five acres with access to water for fire training purposes.

— Commission Randy Dallke said he had been contacted by Florence resident Bryan Harper regarding three lots in Florence that were not sold in the recent county tax sale. Harper offered $150 for the three lots but the commission determined the base price for all properties at the auction was $180 per parcel.

Dallke will contact Harper regarding the commission's counter-offer which also would include filing fees.

— County noxious weed director Rollin Schmidt reported he contacted Bruce Wells of Flint Hills RC&D (Resource, Conservation, and Development) regarding grant funds for trailers to house recyclable materials.

Currently Chase County has two trailers that are located in cities for one-half to a full day for collection and then transported to Emporia where it is discarded for free.

Hillsboro and Peabody cities charge utility customers $1.50 per month per household for recycling.

Commission chairman Dan Holub said he had been told that recycling of cardboard could significantly reduce the weight of solid waste, therefore reducing the cost to transport to and dump at a landfill.

Schmidt said he will do more research and report.

— Cook, Flatt, and Strobel Engineers of Wichita were awarded the biennial bridge inspection contract for nearly 300 bridges within the county. The engineering firm presented a bid of $41.50 per bridge which is the same price two years ago, said Milton Lowmaster of the firm.

Schwab Eaton of Manhattan also presented a bid of $45.75 per bridge.

Lowmaster also reported on the county's bridges.

There are 86 bridges located on rural secondary roads. Of those, 63 are good, 20 fair, and three poor. Those three will be replaced in the next five years.

There are 215 bridges located off-system. Of those, 124 are good, 34 fair, and 57 poor.

— Herzet reported Kansas Department of Transportation will pay for signal crossing arms at a Lost Springs railroad crossing. The county will be responsible for prep work and warning signs.

— Discussion of a job description for a county economic development position will be on the agenda for the next commission meeting.

Also on the agenda will be a discussion and recommendations for a water quality board.

The next commission meeting is at 9 a.m. Monday in the courthouse.

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