By Lucky Kidd
ALLEN COUNTY, Kan. — Allen County Commissioners Tuesday discussed a possible change in the Environmental Fund the county has with Your Community Foundation (Iola). Secretary/treasurer Alan Weber said the foundation has received another $70,0000 matching grant from the Patterson Family Foundation for their match day later this year.
For 2024 they will not match donations to donor directed funds, which the Environmental fund is, and to qualify for match money it would have to change to a field of interest fund. This would require the addition of the foundation board members to its advisory fund along with the Commission, which would pass control of it to the foundation.
That fund, which has about $97,0000 in it, can be utilized for projects aimed at improving the quality of Allen County Environment. Commissioners also discussed potential uses for those funds.
Road and Bridge Director Jeremy Hodges in his report said chip sealing in Petrolia is wrapping up and they are moving to the area of 1800 and New Mexico Roads. Once that is done, they will take care of a few spots on Minnesota and Nebraska Roads that were torn up next year.
Hodges reported the contaminated dirt haulers on 2000 Road have completed dirt removal in that area and are now pulling dirt north of Oregon Road. Bids have come in from Bettis Construction on upcoming bridge projects on 1600 and Nebraska Roads. Hodges also reported on road project requests from Gas, Humboldt and Moran.
Public Works director Mitch Garner said test results have come back from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on compaction of the new cell site at the landfill, later than had been anticipated, but it did pass. With that, work can now be scheduled for installation of the liner for that cell.
Commissioners were also informed a starter went out on an emergency generator at the 911 dispatch center, which was discovered during a weekly test of the unit. A new starter was ordered and should be installed by now. In addition to the weekly test there is a thorough inspection of the generator done each quarter.
