Small Town News

County joins RPC with split vote

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The Flint Hills Regional Planning Council invited Wabaunsee County to join a number of months ago, and during their Monday meeting Wabaunsee County Commissioners accepted the invitation.

Commission Chairman Ervan Stuewe said he has been gathering and weighing information for a while and heard the presentation from the RPC again while attending another meeting.

"I sat through another presentation this Tuesday at the Alma City Council meeting, " he said. "I think there may be something to gain. I don't think we're going to get anything if we're not involved."

He said that meeting prompted him to ask that the issue be put on the agenda again.

Economic Development Director Abby Amick said the Economic Development Council revisited the issue at its last meeting and directed a number of questions toward Pottawatomie County's Bob Cole, who attended the meeting. She said the issue remained tabled, but most of the council members seemed more at ease.

Stuewe brought up concerns that have been lifted up by Alma resident J.C. Rivers and said many of Rivers' concerns seemed to deal with how the agency is handled.

Stuewe acknowledged the concerns as valid, but said he believes it could be easier to change any concerns from the inside.

He asked other commissioners for their opinions as well.

"I'm not sold on it yet, " Commissioner Jim Suber said, adding that he objects to the "piecemeal" approach to county representation, with the rural areas represented by a commissioner, the county seat potentially represented by a council member and the additional cities potentially represented by a council member.

He then outlined a number of other concerns.

"I don't think what they do will affect us necessarily or benefit us necessarily, " he said.

He also objected to the fee of $0.50 per person as a tax without directly elected representation and said he would prefer to join the Kansas Association of Counties for legal help.

"We are the last legal embodiment of ourselves, " he said.

He said the RPC representatives are not directly elected to the office they represent, and that ultimately he objects to what he said seems to be the Department of Defense coming in and setting up the RPC and then claiming power and authority. He added he doesn't want to see projects happen in Wabaunsee County whether the local communities want them or not.

"My vote, if we vote, would be no, " Suber said. "With all great respect to everybody who is for it."

Area resident Andy Badeker said it seems nothing is preventing the county from joining the KAC, but Commissioner Rodney Allen said he has a personal problem with KAC.

Amick said she does not think the goal is to implement projects unilaterally.

"I don't think we know enough, " Suber said.

"What more do you want to know?" Stuewe asked.

Suber said with the connections to the DOD he wonders why they have interest in Wabaunsee County participation.

Amick said she believes membership will help her office with information on housing, income levels and other demographics.

Area resident Roger Badeker said he is a very strong advocate for joining the RPC.

"My overall concern is membership is in the best interest of this county overall, " he said. "If you reject it, you will have cause to regret it later on."

Badeker said he believes the county would receive scant consideration if it does not participate, and he said the networking potential is helpful.

"I think they are presenting us with a real opportunity to hear what is happening and I think it would be a mistake to pass it up, " he said.

Stuewe then made a motion to join the Flint Hills Regional Planning Commission and Allen seconded the motion.

Suber asked whether that would mean the rural part of the county would be the only part represented, and if so how that is done.

Stuewe said he got the impression Alma would join, and discussion took place on how representation would be divided.

The vote was taken with Stuewe and Allen voting yes and Suber voting no.

Stuewe said he would be willing to represent the county and said if he is unable to attend he is allowed to send a proxy.

"Since you all voted, you could count on me, " Suber said. "I'll do my best to help."

He added anyone with questions on his vote can call him.

Amick said the meetings take place the fourth Friday each month and move around the region.

Amick also gave a department report and introduced Chelsea Diepenbrock as the 2010 Summer Intern. She also said the Army Community Covenant Re-Signing will take place following the county fair parade on July 25. A Main Street LIVE! Event will take place in Alma July 7, and the Flint Hills Discovery Center groundbreaking will take place in Manhattan the same day.

Bernadette Trieb said the Extension Office has been really active recently. She said Agent Karaline Mayer has been at Downey Ranch working with brome samples. Trieb also reported that numbers are up for livestock tagging, three Wabaunsee County participants attended State Discovery Days, 22 campers attended 4-H camp, she is planning to train for Senior Health Insurance Counseling to be able to help with Medicare Part-D, she and other Family & Consumer Science Agents from the area are looking into joining programming, and they are preparing for an Ambassador exchange trip with 11 students from Massachusetts.

Emergency Management Coordinator Amy Terrapin reported to commissioners that Wabaunsee County has been included in a state of disaster declaration signed by Governor Mark Parkinson, which includes almost 80 Kansas Counties affected by thunderstorms, high wind, lightning, torrential rain, tornados and other severe weather between June 8 and 20.

She said she has a conference call scheduled with the Kansas Department of Emergency Management on Thursday, but that if the declaration goes through it could help with some of the costs of damage to roads and bridges rom the storms.

Road and Bridge Department Supervisor Les Schrader said there has been some damage, including the loss of another bridge last week. He said it needs replaced, but until that can happen he is working on it and patching it back in.

Suber complimented Schrader on his work on Turkey Creek Road, and Schrader said keeping it and Wells Creek Road draining have been a big task.

Suber asked about other bridges that washed out during storms last year and Schrader said they are in FEMA's hands right now.

Commissioners also heard budget requests for ambulance and fire services.

Mary Glover, with AMR, reported the company has gotten some new employees started up, which particularly is helping the south part of the county.

She said AMR is not asking for any increases and would like to hold the subsidy at the 2010 level of $312, 312.

Fire districts often present requests one of two ways and all but one fire district that presented asked for level funding.

Fire District No. 2, Alta Vista, requested the same mill levy for a total of $54, 019. Fire District No. 6, Alma, also requested the same mill levy as in previous years and Fire District No. 8, Wabaunsee, requested to remain at 4.99 mills.

Fire District No. 3, Harveyville, requested an increase from $42, 518 to $43, 905. Fire District No. 4, Maple Hill, requested $55, 410 in 2011, as in 2010, and Fire District No. 7, Newbury (Paxico and McFarland) requested $35, 000 as in last year.



Copyright 2010 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise, Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 The Wabaunsee County Signal-Enterprise Alma, Kansas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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