Repair on rain-ravaged roads to begin soon

As soon as the final nod of approval is given Monday at the Bourbon County Commissioners' meeting, workers will begin making repairs to Grand Road near 20th Street.

A portion of the road was washed away, exposing two large tubes, during heavy rains that fell in late July and early August.

Road and Bridge Coordinator Jim Harris told the commissioners on Friday the project qualifies 100 percent for the Transportation Works for Kansas (T-Works) program through the Kansas Department of Transportation.

On Aug. 17, Hubert Thomas of Thomas Construction said the cost of the project could be done for $20,000 to $22,000, not including gravel.

On Friday, Harris said that cost will be closer to $25,000 because it has been discovered there is some concrete work that needs to be done. Harris expects Thomas to have an estimate on Monday.

"As soon as we get that, we'll start working on Monday," Harris said.

On Aug. 17, Commission Chairman Allen Warren said he has learned there are 1,600 acres of land that drains towards the road. The plan is to move the road to the south and raise it. One individual owns property on both sides and is willing to remove his fence so the work can be done, Warren said on Aug. 17.

The 10-year T-Works program, which began after legislation was passed in 2010, provides a total of $8 billion over 10 years to each county with $1.6 billion set aside for local roads. Funding from the program comes from a four-tenths of a cent sales tax. Funds also are set aside for high preservation projects, highway modernization and expansion projects, transit services, aviation projects and rail projects.

The goal of the program, according to the KDOT website, kdotapp.ksdot.org, is to create jobs and economic development opportunities while at the same time preserving the highway infrastructure across the state, the website states.

Harris said the county has $800,000 available in T-Works funds, but he will be meeting with Sondra Clark of KDOT to verify how much will be available in 2014. Second District Commissioner Barbara Albright asked if Clark could meet with them at the same time.

Other business:

In other county business, Albright and Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman voted to continue with an agreement with Security First Title of Fort Scott to provide certification work on properties slated to be sold for delinquent taxes. Security First has agreed to continue doing the work for $60 per parcel.

The motion was made on the condition that Warren sign the agreement Monday. He was absent from Friday's meeting.

Albright and Coleman agreed that the commission will discuss soliciting bids for the abstract work next year.

They also voted to reappoint Judge Mark Ward as a member of the board of directors of the Tri-Valley Developmental Services.

The two commissioners also voted to reduce the speed limit to 30 mph on Justice Lane and to 30 mph on Kansas Road at 205th Street. The speed limit on county roads is 55 mph, unless otherwise posted, the commissioners said.

The action came after Dave Bruner and Richard Goldstein told commissioners they are concerned about the speed limit because there are 14 kids living in the area between Justice Lane and 205th Street.

Jodi Harper appeared to request dust control be applied to the area near her residence in the 2000 area of Maple Road. Although commissioners discussed the idea of providing the service to residents, Albright said at that time it was too late to start the program. She asked Harris to keep the project in mind for the spring 2014.

If the program is adopted, residents will be asked to submit an application before spring so the county can order enough material and have enough manpower to apply the calcium chloride. The cost will be borne by the residents.