Commissioners considering giving away old unused bridge
Bourbon County Commissioners are considering not selling, but giving away an old unused bridge.
They received a letter from Allen County Public Works Director Bill King to ask for a bridge in northwest Bourbon County to be donated to Thrive Allen County for use on a hiking and biking trail south of Iola.
Last year a seven-mile hiking and biking trail from Iola to Humboldt was completed with volunteers and county crew workers.
"Thrive is undertaking a similar project connecting the east to the west along the south side of Iola," according to King's letter. This newest project will cross a creek and ravine.
King said that Bourbon County has a bridge that would fit this project perfectly, and asked if the county would consider donating it to Thrive Allen County to preserve the unique old bridge.
The bridge is approximately 170-feet long and is located on 35th Street, south of Yellowstone Road. King said in the letter that Thrive, a 501 C-3 not for profit corporation will move it at no cost or liability to Bourbon County.
Commission Chairwoman Barbara Albright asked Engineer Frank Young, who attended Monday's meeting of the request.
Young is the senior staff engineer with Agricultural Engineers Associates, Uniontown.
"Is the road closed?" asked Young.
"It's been closed for a long time," Jim Harris, Bourbon County Public Works director, said.
"If you aren't using the bridge, I'd say get rid of it, if you've got a place to go with it," Young said. "It's a liability. Basically they are scrap iron. And that's a sad way to go."
"This way would preserve it," said First District Commissioner Lynn Oharah.
Albright asked Harris to take a photo of the bridge and bring it to the commission.
"We'll have the county attorney look at it," she said.
Low water bridge bids
The commission opened bids for the low water bridge replacement at 255th and Yale Road.
It's a 40-foot bridge with 80-foot approaches on both sides.".
"We are bringing the structure to the south, so it'll line up better," Young said.
There were two close bids, Rogers and Sons, Fort Scott, bid $172,075 and Thomas Construction, Fort Scott, bid $172,549.
Young recommended to accept the low bid of Rogers and Sons.
"The past performance of both of these companies has been good," Young said.
"The engineers estimate was $200,000 for the project, so you came out pretty good," Young said.
Harris said federal funds will pay for the project and must be completed by the end of the year.
Elm Creek Lake
The commission has been doing preliminary work on the leak that was discovered in the Elm Creek Lake dam. The county workers have previously attempted to open a valve, but failed and determined that the lake needs to be drained to locate the origin of the leak.
Harris said the pumps have been brought in and the county will provide the labor.
"We'll have to come up with pipes," Oharah said.
"I've observed that (the City of) Fort Scott has a pretty good pile of old sewage pipe," Young said. "They might loan it to you (for the project). It's getting kind of old, it's by the wastewater plant."
Albright asked Harris to look into the city loaning the county the pipes if they are the correct size.
"Fort Scott has some air inflated plugs they can put into sewer lines when they work on it," Young said. "If you had a diver they could...put plugs in holes."
Oharah suggested maybe a local emergency medical service needs some water training and could help with plugging the holes.
"Until you get rid of that water, it's kind of hard to speculate (on the problem)," Young said.
Informational presentations for possible wheel loader
The commission spent about an hour listening to presentations from three companies about their respective wheel loaders. In Saturday's Tribune it stated the county was looking for a rock crusher, in fact, the machinery being contemplated is a wheel loader.
A wheel loader is an excavation machine made up of a wheel tractor, a backhoe and a front-end loader, according to Webster's Online Dictionary.
Steve Richard with Berry Tractor and Equipment, Wichita, presented information about a 2015 Komatsu; Travis Clinesmith, Murphy Tractor, Park City presented about a 2015 John Deere; and Archie Moffet, Foley Equipment, Chanute presented about a 2015 CAT wheel loader.
In the end, Albright said they are gathering information to make a decision, but none was made at this time.
Other business
* The commissioners approved membership with Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.
* A request by Doug Hurd to have a culvert at 250th and Limestone Road evaluated was received Harris said it is on the list to be overlaid this year.
* Undersheriff Ben Cole attended to ask of dates that have been scheduled by the commissioners for public forums by the county regarding the proposed new jail: March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the USD 235 Board of Education meeting, March 16 at 7 p.m. the Uniontown Ruritan meeting. Fort Scott Rotary, Kiwanis and Pioneer Kiwanis have yet to get back with Albright about doing a community program before the jail bond issue in April.
* Young gave County Clerk Kendall Mason a survey for the Wade Aluminum property to get the survey recorded at the Register of Deeds. The county attorney needs to look it over, Young said.
* Wednesday, March 25 will be the Southeast Kansas County Officials Meeting hosted by Crawford County. Three commissioners will be attending.
* Heard from Interim County Attorney Justin Meeks that he will work on a letter of understanding with the City of Fort Scott for the industrial park.
* Approved year-end transfers pending audit approval and legal limitations in reference to a Dec. 31 resolution.