County signs paperwork for Rural Opportunity Zone

On Monday, Bourbon County Commissioners signed off on a resolution authorizing participation in a student loan repayment program to attract young people back to the county. The program is part of the Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ), which is in Section One of Senate Bill 198.

The commission obligated the county to participate in the student loan repayment program for a period of five years.

The county agreed to pay $1,500 to match payments from the state to qualified individuals.

"I think it's important to note that we are going with the minimum amount (of matching money).We've budgeted for this for next year," Second District Commissioner Barbara Albright said during the signing.

There are no income guidelines to qualify for the student loan repayment. All degrees and professions are eligible, and anyone who graduated from an accredited post-secondary education institution is eligible. There is a formal application process to determine eligibility for the program, which is available on the Kansas Department of Commerce website, according to ROZ information given at an earlier county commission meeting.

The maximum student loan balance for each qualified individual resident to be repaid jointly by the county and the state is $15,000 over a five-year term.

In an unrelated matter, the commissioners made a conference call to Dan Meara, a local attorney who assists the county on its delinquent tax sales. Albright wanted advice about who is responsible for paying a City of Fort Scott bill on property that was mowed after the property was cited for sale and before it was purchased.

"The property owners need to take their deed to the city," Meara said. "I'll give them a copy of the statute to take."

The statute Meara referred to is Kansas Statute 12-1617f, which reads, "If there is a change in the record owner of the title to property subsequent to the giving of notice ..., the city may not recover any costs or levy an assessment for the costs incurred by cutting or destruction of weeds on such property unless the new owner of title ...is provided notice..."

In other business the commission:

* Seeks to buy one-half inch chips from Nelson Quarries Inc. to finish Jayhawk Road because the Public Works Department has run out of this material. The funds will come out of sales tax money, Jim Harris, Public Works director said.

* Learned that Harris is meeting with Buckley Powder Co. and also Explosive Contractors Inc. to seek for bids for blasting more rock at the Beth Quarry.

* Heard the cemetery near 240th and Birch needs a larger culvert.

* Heard Dwayne Neil completed the haying at Elm Creek Lake.

* Announced that they would be speaking to Rotary at noon on Wednesday at the Presbyterian Church. Commission Chairman Allen Warren will be speaking on the pipeline in the county, Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman on the budget and Albright on roads. They will keep their comments brief to allow time for questions, Albright said.

* Heard from Frank Miller, owner of Linn's Sanitation, that Daryl Brown can't use his account for dumping trash from now on. Warren noted that Brown would not be allowed to use the county's dump site until he pays $2,300 from previous billings.

* Announced that flu shots are available to county residents through the Bourbon County Health Department, 221 S. Judson.

* Is seeking a time when Health Department staff can provide flu vaccinations to Road and Bridge employees at the county's barn, 1427 215th Street. On the same day, commissioners also want to speak to employees about contributing to United Way. The commission would meet with the rest of the county's employees on the same day. The tentative date in Monday, Sept. 23.

* Heard a request from Redfield City Clerk Wilma Graham to look at the city's streets. Coleman told her that Harris would have a look at the street conditions.

* Heard from Graham that ditches also need to be mowed. Warren told her the county doesn't have enough workers to mow, but is seeking temporary employees. Applications can be picked up at the Public Works office, second floor at the courthouse.