The McPherson County Commission Tuesday approved in part a request to rezone a property along the Old 81 Bypass on the northwest outskirts of McPherson to accommodate an expansion project of Piping Technologies which would include a larger paint shop and a building for hydrological and hydrostatic pipe testing.
The original request would rezone the full 100 acre property west to 13th avenue and north to Moccasin Road from it’s current agricultural transition zoning to light industrial, however the Board of Planning and Zoning Appeals at a hearing last month recommended only approving a change involving around 20 acres adjoining the company’s current facility, with future changes to the rest of the site to e considered at a later date.
Commissioners also approved a conditional use permit for a rural event venue along 4th Avenue between Cheyenne and Chisholm Roads west of Inman. The Planning Board recommended approval of the permit, with one change increasing the number of days of use allowed during the year.
The Commission approved a temporary moratorium on accessory housing units and second residential structures in unincorporated areas. Planning and Zoning Administrator Jon Kinsey told Commissioners a new state law mandates such uses be processed administratively rather than having to go through the formal permit process. The new law takes effect July 1st, and the moratorium will run to at least December 1st to allow the Board and Planning and Zoning Appeals to review required changes in regulations.
It re-approved a resolution originally adopted in 2006 allowing an adult care home for to ten residents on Cherokee Road about 5 ½ miles east of Inman. The original resolution was never filed with the Register of Deeds. Since it was first approved there have been a number of ownership changes, during which time the number of residents has exceeded what was initially approved. The re-approval sets that number at the original figure of eight. Any future change in capacity would have to go through the conditional use permit process.
Commissioners discussed a fee structure to be charged townships for surveyor services, after Andrew Nixon joined the county as a full-time surveyor last month. The fee would be based on $75 an hour for Nixon’s services inclusive of equipment and mileage, with a $50 per hour charge if a secondary employee is needed to assist with a project.
Commissioners approved a gas supply agreement with Symmetry Energy solutions, which NextEra Energy has merged with, to provide natural gas to the asphalt plant and Law Enforcement Center. This is a bulk purchase agreement that saves the county a considerable amount of money as their highest use period comes at a time of the year when other gas purchases are at their lowest. The new agreement is based on a delivery charge of 62 cents per MMBTU, up eight cents per MMBTU from the prior contract, with overage or underage based on Southern Star’s Gas Daily Delivery Price.
Commissioners also approved a $15,292 bid from J&A Traffic Products for road sign materials, a $11,563 purchase of a tool storage kit for the bed of the County Surveyor truck, and a $2,942 purchase of a new computer to replace an outdated one in one of the Engineering Tech offices that can handle the county’s AutoCAD program.
During this week’s McPherson County Commission meeting approval was given for the hiring of an office deputy and transfer of a corrections officer to fill a road deputy position. Sheriff Jerry Montagne reported as of Monday the number of jail inmates was down to 49, the lowest it’s been in some time. Six inmates are still being housed at the Rice County jail, with three juveniles in detention facilities. Montagne also reported the county is still paying for care of horses tied to a criminal case, a cost that will continue until that case is resolved.
A Change order connected with work on the McPherson County Building was approved This covers framing and drywall work including adding a two-hour firewall against the parking garage, items connected with IT related equipment, installation of a worktable in the Register of Deeds Vault, and HVAC related items. These changes, along with a reduction in Motor Vehicle Department workstations, came to a net cost of $145,734. This brings the total project cost to just over $7.4 million.
Commissioners approved a proof of loss statement connected with an insurance claim for damage from a hailstorm last September, and signed documents related to grants the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services provided to the McPherson County Community Developmental Disability Organization.
