Minutes, March 19, 2007

ELLSWORTH COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

MARCH 19, 2007

MINUTES

The Board of Ellsworth County Commissioners convened this 19^th day of March 2007 at the Ellsworth County Courthouse.

Members Present:

Albert W. Oller, 1^st District Commissioner

Kermit Rush, 2^nd District Commissioner

Terry L. Kueser, 3^rd District Commissioner

1. OPENING BUSINESS:

Chairman Rush called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the Agenda as printed. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the Minutes of March 12, 2007. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

No one was present for the Public Forum.

2. APPOINTMENTS:

Nick Slechta, Director of the Ellsworth-Kanopolis Chamber of Commerce, shared information with the Commissioner on the Prairie Trail Scenic Management Plan that will be asking for their support in form of a resolution next week. The Chamber has met with the group and at one time thought they might be included in the plan, but they were too far into the process to add other attractions. The Prairie Trail Scenic Byway goes from Canton, KS, North to Roxbury, West on Smoky Valley Road to US Hwy 81, North to KS Hwy 4 and Lindsborg, then West to KS Hwy 141 and ends at the T intersection of KS Hwy 140. Mr. Slechta urged the Commissioners to consider the resolution of support for the group.

Shelly Maze, EMS Director, met with the Commissioners at their request to discuss the county website that is maintained at her department by one of her employees. Commissioner Kueser moved to go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel from 10:00 a.m. until 10:20 a.m. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. The Commissioners returned to open session at 10:20 a.m. No action was taken.

Rick Nondorf, Road & Bridge Supervisor, answered some of questions raised by constituents on the roads not designed as detour routes from the construction on Hwy 156, but are being used as such. At the present time, he is not concerned and when he has traveled the roads, he has not encountered major truck traffic. The Vopat Bridge has been completed and was inspected by the State last Friday. The bridge crew will be starting a bridge in Carneiro Township next week and after that they will replace one in Ellsworth Township. Commissioner Oller asked if the county could swap maintenance on a township road. Presently, Avenue N is maintained by the township and is heavily used while Ave Q is county maintained and has little use. Ave Q is a FAS road and he receives some assistance in the upkeep of the road. Avenue N does not have that designation and he is sure he did not want to trade one with assistance for one that does not. However, he will check out the request. They started hauling millings last week off Hwy 156. The Commissioners discussed the road agreement with Mr. Nondorf, in particular, the clause that would allow TradeWind Energy to subcontract work on county roads that might be damaged during the construction phase. Mr. Nondorf replied that that type of agreement was customary and he had no problem with it. The Clerk was instructed to contact TradeWind Energy and ask that the clause be retained in the agreement.

3. OLD BUSINESS:

There were no old business items.

4. NEW BUSINESS:

There were no new business items.

5. ADJOURNMENT:

Chairman Rush adjourned the meeting at 12:10 p.m.

 

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Janet L. Andrews, Ellsworth County Clerk