Allen County Commissioners were urged to transfer about $1 million from their landfill trust fund to the general fund, where it will be reflected in the budget as a line item.
County Counselor Alan Weber made the recommendation after hearing from auditors.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment years ago mandated the exclusionary fund on the off chance environmental problems might arise at the landfill. As such, the money was under control of the state.
Last year the county received permission to discontinue contributing to the fund annually in lieu of pledging its credit worthiness — ability to raise funds through taxes from assessed valuation of nearly $100 million.
Great Southern Bank, where the county maintains its checking account, notified Treasurer Sharon Utley that it would reduce interest paid on the account from .2 percent to .1 percent, effective Monday. The county has two certificates of deposit totaling just over $500,000 at Piqua State Bank drawing .75 percent interest.
“They don’t want any more money right now,” Utley said of longer-term investment with local banks.
Jeff Johnson, president of Citizens Bank, Iola, explained that pledging requirements to secure certificates of deposit and lack of demand for loans were why banks were reluctant to take on larger investments from the county.
“It’s not that we wouldn’t want to have the county’s money, but we’re sitting on a lot of idle cash right now,” he said.
Utley also noted unpaid taxes from 2011 were at $469,399.86, or 3 percent of what was levied. A year ago delinquency was 4 percent.
COMMISSIONER Gary McIntosh said he received a certified letter from a resident living along Nevada Road, who said she was fed up with trash along the road. Nevada Road is about a mile long and carries traffic from the southeast corner of Iola. It connects to 1800 Street at a T intersection.
Photographs accompanying the letter illustrated the problem.
Bill King, director of Public Works, said his crew patrolled the road, an easy access route to the landfill from Iola, and often picked up trash.
Sheriff Tom Williams said he would have deputies drive the road more often.
King said people bringing trash to the landfill were told loads were to be secured, but “we haven’t cited anyone. Maybe we’ll have to start.”
