By Lucky Kidd
ALLEN COUNTY, Kan. — If everything goes as planned, trash could be going into the new cell at the Allen County Landfill by the first of March.
Public Works Director Mitch Garner told Allen County Commissioners Tuesday Schwab-Eaton representatives are scheduled to be on site today for the final inspection on the project, after which they will submit required reports to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which Garner estimated will take about 2-3 weeks to do their review and give approval for use of the cell. The new cell is projected to accommodate their needs for about the next ten years, and the county already has approval to construct two additional cells under their current permit.
As part of the annual reorganization, the Commission selected Commissioner Jerry Daniels as chair for 2024, with Commissioner David Lee as vice chair, along with the annual GAAP waiver for their financial statements, designation of the Humboldt Union as the official county newspaper, although many notices also are published in the Iola Register and a number of board appointments.
Commissioners imposed a 180-day moratorium on consideration of battery storage facilities such as one that has been proposed in the southeast part of the county. Zoning Administrator Terry Call said this was suggested to him by the chair of the County’s Planning Commission, to allow it to have more time to work on regulations and requirements related to this.
It has been indicated an application for the proposed project could be filed as soon as mid-March. Following an extensive discussion Commissioners agreed to the 180 day hold with the option to extend it another 180 days. Likewise, if the planning board is able to come up with regulations they feel comfortable with, the moratorium can be lifted earlier.
The Commissioners agreed to allow expenditure of some of the remaining funds from renovation projects at the Fairground to replace animal pens. Bo Garrett from the Fair Board said the fair has seen an increase in the number of livestock entries in recent years, and they need more pens to accommodate them.
$150,000 had been allocated for fair improvements, of which about $35,000 remains. They have a quote of $25,000 from a vendor that supplied pens used in the hog barns. Commissioners asked the Fair Board to obtain some additional quotes, noting they support the project but want some additional price and other data. There is one potential vendor several other extension districts have recommended not using due to quality issues
In other business the Commission approved a pay raise for election workers, whose hourly pay will increase from $10.60 to $15 an hour. The pay raise, requested by County Clerk Shannon Patterson to help recruit and retain poll workers, will bring their pay in line with other employees.
