McPHERSON COUNTY, Kan. — McPherson County Commissioners Monday approved an updated fee schedule for zoning related permits. The new fee schedule was presented by Planning, Zoning and Environmental Administrator Jon Kinsey and came after a meeting last month with local Realtors and the Board of Planning and Zoning Appeals.
Kinsey said the vast majority of fees are not changing, but it will include new charges for wireless antenna structures or collocation, the latter fee only for projects not a substantial modification as discussed last week and what state law now allows.
Included in the schedule are guidelines for historic farmstead applications handled administratively, and addresses situations where permits were never obtained, grandfathering those that were in existence prior to April 7, 2007 as legal nonconforming structures that has remained under the same ownership.
It also clarifies fees that would be charged for buildings constructed without a permit and a provision where ownership has changed but the structure is reflected on tax valuations and otherwise compliance with regulations, a zoning permit will be issued without the usual fee being charged.
The new schedule takes effect after it’s published in the official county newspaper, which will probably be next week.
Department of Homeland Security Funding being held up by Senate Democrats is also having another impact that is being seen locally. This relates to new flood plain maps which are currently under review, and Kinsey told County Commissioners processing of the maps is on hold due to a lack of funding, which also impacts the division of the Kansas Department of Agriculture that reviews flood plains and has only enough money to operate through the end of the month.
Commissioners approved purchase of reinforced concrete boxes and material through McPherson Concrete Products for replacement of a washed out bridge on Pueblo Road east of 23rd Road near Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, at a cost of $58,459.56.
It also approved memorandums of understanding with two townships related to maintenance and operational responsibility of designated culverts. One is in Jackson Township on Mohawk Road just over a half mile east of 9th Avenue, and the other is with Gypsum Creek Township on Sioux road west of 26th Avenue near Roxbury.
Through this, the townships will assume responsibility for maintenance, with the county to provide assistance in the event replacement should ever be needed. Public Works Director Dave Bohnenblust noted last year the county had incurred about $150,000 in unbudgeted expenses due to bridge washouts last year.
Bohnenblust told Commissioners it’s expected he will bring a recommendation for surveyor services to the Commission next week. He also reported on meetings he held last week in Washington with Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran and Congressman Tracey Mann. Bohnenblust said one topic that’s being discussed a lot in Washington is data centers, and the feeling there is that local control needs to be maintained, along with requiring data centers to provide their own power and do their own monitoring of water resources which had been a major issue raised regarding their development.
The feeling in Washington is that data centers are needed if for no other reason that having this dominated by China.
Commissioners approved purchase of security cameras and related software for the Noxious Weed Department Building at 1st and Hickory in McPherson. Two inside and two outside cameras, which would be used to watch over their chemical supplies, will be installed, and IT Director Jeff Butler said these would be connected into the county’s camera system. The cameras and related items cost $8,667.52 through CDW-G, and will be installed by Hopp’s Sound at a cost of $760 which could end up being less than that.
The McPherson County Commission agreed Monday to provide $500 in support of the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature. Former Inman Mayor and McPherson County Silver Haired Legislator Jim Toews made the request, noting the group that advocates for programs serving Kansas’ older population receives no funding from the state. SHL members have begun contacting local governments for support.
Butler County, which has a little over double the population of McPherson County, has contributed $1,000, and in Southeast Kansas Allen County, which has about 40 percent of the population of McPherson County, has donated $200.
As of Monday morning the McPherson County Jail is full. Sheriff Jerry Montagne told County Commissioner Monday they are at their capacity of 60 and are having to house some people in the Rice County Jail. Of those being held, seven are female and six are held for municipal courts. 25 arrests were made last week by McPherson County law enforcement agencies.
Montagne noted six people in the jail are being held there pending court-ordered evaluations at Larned State Hospital, which has a very long admission waiting list, one of whom has been waiting for seven months and there have been cases around the state where waits have been as long as a year and a half. Montagne also said two juveniles are being housed at regional detention facilities.
During their meeting, Commissioners also approved the appointment of Angela Brunk of McPherson to Prairie View’s McPherson County Advisory Committee.
