By Lucky Kidd
McPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson County Commissioners Monday tabled until next week a special use permit for an oil service yard and building on a just over three-acre site on Moccasin Road east of Galva. The Planning Board recommended approval of the permit requested by Hess Oil. This is part of a 35-acre site that the owners did not want to change zoning on all of it to a manufacturing district where this would be permitted by right.
One person living north of the site raised concerns about the proposal, and the Commission has questions about the layout of the site and possible impacts on a property to the west which has a vacant house on it. They also wanted to ask the applicant some questions about the layout of the property.
Planning, Zoning and Environmental Director Jon Kinsey also gave his report on activity during May. 14 zoning permits were issued during the month, five of which involved fireworks stands. To date, Kinsey said over $18,000 in fees has been collected by his office. He also reported two lot splits will be coming before the Board of Zoning Appeals in the near future.
Commissioners accepted a bid from Ward Davis Builders of Hutchinson for a channel improvement project along Cherokee Road about two miles east of Inman. Ward Davis had the low of five bids submitted at $399,423.28, all but one of which was below the engineer’s estimate of $659,000. This will involve clearing of trees and other debris in the channel and provide for a shoulder along Cherokee Road that would allow removal of guardrails along the channel.
Related to the project, authorization was given to seek professional services for construction inspection of the project.
Commissioners approved replacement of a skid steer with forestry attachment for removal of trees and brush from Murphy Tractor and Equipment of Park City, with had the low bid on both items, and purchase of two Ford F250 pickups from Midway Motors for a price of just under $100,000. While their bid was $866 above one from Long McArthur in Salina, it was well within the local bidder preference of the county’s purchasing policy. These would replace pickups 20 or more years old with more than 200,000 miles on them. Approval was also given to seek bids for purchase to striping paint and glass beads used with that paint.
Commissioners also approved a personnel change order for a new employee in the Register of Deeds office and an end of introductory raise for the Public Works office manager. At the end of the meeting an executive session was held on personnel matters with no action taken out of it.
