McPHERSON COUNTY, Kan. — McPherson County Public Works Director David Bohnenblust presented a proposed 2026 project plan to McPherson County Commissioners Monday.
23.6 miles of asphalt mill and overlay is planned, the largest part of this is a mill and overlay of 5th Avenue from US 56 to Marquette, which would also include a one foot widening of each side of the road, Bohnenblust said this project will not be as complicated as the recent project on 27th Avenue between Canton and Roxbury. Other paving projects will be on 21st North from Galva to Pawnee Road, and 18th Avenue southeast of McPherson where culvert replacement is now underway.
Three bridge projects are in design right now, including one on Arapaho Road east of K-61, 27th and Rainbow Road, and Comanche Road east of Groveland, for which a bid has already been accepted. Five concrete box structures will be replaced next year including one west of Maxwell Wildlife Refuge that was washed out earlier this year.
Bohnenblust also discussed the number of entrance permits issued, which has more than doubled for 2025 from prior years, most of which are for second entryways. Right now the property owner covers the pipe purchase and the county covers all other costs including installation, and Bohnenblust said he’d like to change that to have the property owner cover more of the material expense. He noted the number of drive entries this year delayed work on other projects.
Commissioners approved a $3,559.73 payment to Central Power of Wichita for repairs to the Communications emergency generator at the Law Enforcement Center, involving replacement of a throttle body on the generator which had an over-crank issue. Emergency Management Director Emily Yates reported field testing is expected to begin Tuesday on the new Windom tower site.
It also approved nearly $11,000 in software purchases for the IT Department, related to computer equipment that could not be upgraded to Windows 11.
A pickup truck purchase approved earlier this year for Public Works was cancelled and a quote accepted for another. The pickup, which will be used primarily as an office vehicle, had been approved for purchase in February. However, it was learned Monday morning by the county and Midway Motors Ford cancelled delivery due to a fire at a key supplier, which wasn’t known locally until Monday morning. They then agreed to purchase from Midway a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup,at a price just over $300 above the originally bid 2025 model pickup, which will be used primarily as an office truck.
Commissioners approved a new contract with Brian Bina to serve as county counselor through December 31, 2027. The contract calls for an annual payment of $45,000 which will go to his law firm, Karstetter and Bina. Commissioners also approved an end of introductory raises for Noxious Weed Director Mike Benda and for a public works employee and promotion of him to maintenance worker II.
Agreements were signed with the Kansas Department of Transportation connected to a Transportation Alternatives Grant for a portion of the Sunflower Santa Fe Trail, a Central Kansas Conservancy rail-trail project, extending along a former BNSF rail line from 25th Avenue west of Canton to 1st Street in Canton including a concrete walking path within Canton.
The KDOT grant will cover up to $811,857 in preliminary and construction engineering, and project construction, and the city of Canton is looking at amenities. This is the first part of a project that will eventually extend this trail segment to Galva. Michelle Cullen from CKC also reported a bridge on the Meadowlark Trail between McPherson and Lindsborg destroyed by an arson fire has been replaced.
17 zoning permits were issued by McPherson County during October. Planning, Zoning and Environmental Administrator Jon Kinsey told McPherson County Commissioners Monday those permits had a construction value of $767,000, with $5,825 in fees collected. A floodplain permit was also approved for an upcoming bridge replacement project near Groveland. Kinsey noted in his report there were no chicken barn permits issued last month, after several such permits had been approved in recent months.
Lori Bower from BowerComm reviewed with Commissioners a number of concepts related to a seal that will be placed at the currently under renovation McPherson County Building. Commissioners provided input on the concepts and made recommendations on possible revisions that could be made.
