Rollin Schmidt offered transfer station position
Rollin Schmidt will be asked to step up as manager of the county's transfer station.
Currently the county's director of noxious weed and household hazardous waste, Marion County Commission decided Friday Schmidt would be the logical person to assume the transfer station duties.
David Brazil, transfer station manager, sanitarian, and zoning administrator, resigned last week. His last day on the job is Monday. Applications are being accepted for the sanitarian and zoning administrator position but the commission wasn't sure which direction to take with the transfer station.
In 2008, general obligation bonds will be paid for the transfer station which could provide opportunities for the county to consider recycling. Even though the current transfer station manager position is not a full-time job, Brazil said if recycling is implemented, it would become full-time.
Brazil told the commission there were three options regarding the position of manager of the transfer station — hire a full-time director, have another department head take over duties, or promote from within the department.
Commissioner Randy Dallke said he would like to see another department head assume the duties and recommended Schmidt as interim manager for seven months.
Commission chairman Dan Holub said he would contact Schmidt to discuss the position. A work session will be held at 8 a.m. Thursday with Brazil and Schmidt, if he accepts the position, to discuss the department.
Brazil said the county could contract with another county for sanitarian and zoning services if qualified applicants are not found.
County health administrator Deidre Serene said she was concerned with building permits, nuisance complaints, blue-green algae, and lagoon inspections until a sanitarian and zoning administrator is hired. She requested and received a 10-minute executive session with the commission and Brazil to discuss personnel. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
The issues will be discussed with Brazil Thursday and Monday afternoon.
In other department business:
— Brazil addressed issues presented Monday by Linda Johnson.
A new appointment will be made by the commission to replace a deceased member on the Central Kansas Regional Solid Waste Authority Planning Committee. Currently members are Harry Bennett and Eileen Sieger of Marion; Bruce Schroeder of Hillsboro; Tom Alstrom of Peabody; and Glen Unrau of rural Marion County.
The committee did receive notification of the annual planning session by the authority, said Brazil.
The third issue was reporting of out-of-county solid waste. Brazil said the authority created the reporting criteria as a tool for monitoring the waste stream. Out-of-county solid waste cannot be reported unless it is "captured" or weighed. Cedar Point's solid waste has not been captured and must be reported as part of the normal solid waste stream.
— Holub recommended consideration be given to establishing a countywide water quality board. He said he recently attended two meetings regarding water quality at Marion Reservoir and there were different people at the meetings. He suggested having a board with members who would attend these types of meetings and report to the commission.
— Only one bid had been received for an overhead door at the transfer station. Another bidder will be contacted before awarding a bid.
