County
downgrades dirt roads
Commissioners take action to declare
low maintenance roads
Wayne White | Managing Editor
LYNDON—Over 50 miles of Osage County’s township roads
are slated to be declared as minimum maintenance roads, after
county commissioners signed a resolution Monday.
The resolution lists 48 stretches of roads in eight townships
that were requested by township officials to be declared as minimum
maintenance. Commissioners acted on a state law that allows the
declarations based on the opinion the roads are used only occasionally
or are used only by a few individuals.
The list of roads is to be published this week in The Osage County
Herald-Chronicle, after which a public hearing will be held to
allow opportunity for anyone to give testimony or evidence regarding
the minimum maintenance declaration. (See Public Notices, page
5B.)
At the conclusion of the hearing, set for 11 a.m. May 4 at the
Osage County Courthouse, commissioners will determine which roads
or parts of roads will be declared as minimum maintenance. Once
the roads are declared as such, the county is responsible for
placing signs on the roads designating them as "Minimum maintenance,
travel at your own risk."
County road and bridge supervisor Glen Tyson said Tuesday the
main reason for the townships’ request for declaring roads
minimum maintenance is that it relieves government entities of
liability for claims pertaining to the minimum maintenance roads.
“Some people are going to be concerned they’re never
going to see a motor grader on it again,” Tyson said, “but
basically [the reason for the declaration] is just the liability
thing.”
He said some of the roads would continue to be maintained by the
townships as they have in the past. Some of the roads designated
already appear to be closed, he said, having been overgrown and
not maintained for years.
He said the designation of the minimum maintenance roads should
not affect access to existing residences.
Tyson said his department is already making preparations for posting
the signs, which must be placed within 10 days of the commissioners’
declaration.
In other discussion during Monday’s meeting, commissioners
gave final approval for the Outer Zone Paranormal Society to investigate
the courthouse for paranormal activity. The commission received
the request the previous week from Doug Chase, Osage City, who
said all members of the group are members of the 190th Emergency
Management Flight. The group conducts paranormal investigations
as team-building exercises, Chase said.
“We’re all kind of sci-fi geeks in our section,”
Chase said. “This is just one way to get out our equipment
and get in some team building.”
Chase said a courthouse employee had told him of possible paranormal
activities that have occurred at the courthouse.
Commissioners were agreeable to the request, but with the investigation
planned for a Saturday, Osage County Commissioner Ken Kuykendall
questioned whether the county should pay an employee to open the
courthouse.
“That’s the only problem I have,” Kuykendall
said. “I don’t know if taxpayers should pay the employee’s
salary.
Chase said his group would pay an employee’s wages during
the investigation, which he estimated would take two hours.
Commissioners decided to determine whether an employee would be
available on the suggested dates, April 18 or April 25, and make
the final decision this week. As of Monday, a date had not been
set, but custodian Clark Thompson had agreed to open the courthouse
for the investigators, according to Osage County Clerk Rhonda
Beets.
Chase said anyone with an interest is welcome to be present during
the investigation, which will be conducted only in the hallways
of the courthouse.
In other business during Monday’s meeting,
the commission:
• heard from county economic development director Stephanie
Watson about upcoming outdoor events at area state parks and a
geo-caching event to be held in the county Saturday.
• approved the employment of Christopher Wells as lake patrol
officer, to be paid $11.65 per hour.
• heard from county land use coordinator Sheila Dale regarding
developing bylaws for the county planning board. Dale also reported
she was sending out three land use violation letters.
• signed an agreement with ADT to provide temperature and
intrusion monitoring for the county health department, to maintain
security of prescription drugs stored at the facility.
• approved purchase orders for the sheriff’s office
in the amount of $4,753 for a video camera and GPS unit for a
lake patrol vehicle; $3,190.47 for a computer and equipment for
the 911 system; and $618 for a 911 radio. |
