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Allen County officially became a managing partner of the Southwind Rail Trail between Iola and Humboldt Tuesday morning. The trail’s dedication will be Saturday afternoon.
Commissioners had agreed to be involved with the trail several months ago, to alleviate volunteers from having to formally organize.
“The volunteers will keep the trail up through an agreement with its owner, the Sunflower Rail-Trail Conservancy, Inc.,” said County Counselor Alan Weber.
Allen County would be responsible for the trail’s upkeep if volunteers defaulted, he added, but allowed the likelihood was remote.
“They spent hundreds of hours to get it where it is today,” Weber said, and had made something good and positive that the public may enjoy.
Allen County Public Works employees recently completed covering the trail’s surface with limestone screenings that have left it ideal for both hiking and biking. In months beforehand volunteers cleared literally tons of brush and underground from the right of way, made the iron railroad bridge over Elm Creek safe and prepared for the county’s surfacing work.
THE SHAUGHNESSYS, Bob and Toby, won’t get a property tax abatement from Allen County for a new restaurant, Sam and Louie’s New York Pizzeria, they are building south of the entrance to Walmart.
Iola gave the Shaughnessys a waiver to include the property in its Neighborhood Revitalization Program, but didn’t, in Weber’s opinion, go about the process in the correct manner. Consequently, he recommended the county refrain from abating its share of property taxes over the next 10 years. Iola, Allen Community College and USD 257 have signed on to abatements.
Weber said the city held no hearing, during which a finding would have been made as to whether the area to be improved was blighted.
“In my opinion you don’t have authority to grant an abatement,” Weber told commissioners.
Commissioners indicated they would reconsider if the city revisited the issue with a hearing.
In the revitalization program taxes are abated for six years and then phased in at 20 percent over each of the next four years. The county retains 5 percent of taxes paid — they must be paid before an abatement — for administration.
BILL KING, director of Public Works, told commissioners 215 bridges 20 feet or longer were being inspected by Schwab-Eaton, Manhattan, under contract with the Kansas Department of Transportation.
“Three or four red flags have popped up,” King said, meaning corrective measures would be taken by the county. “Most of the time it only takes us a day or two” for whatever work is required.
King added that money going to the engineering company for inspections reduced what the county would receive from KDOT for bridge repairs and maintenance.
Commissioners approved purchase of two sizes of culvert pipe, 21 and 24 inches in diameter, with a total of 560 feet of each. Welborn Sales, Salina, had the lowest of three bids at $16,240.
At the conclusion of their meeting, commissioners retired for 30 minutes total in executive session to discuss legal matters, from all indications having to do with how the county and Iola might get together on a contract for the city to provide countywide ambulance service. No action was taken afterward.
