Allen County Commissioners agree to donate $1,500 towards LaHarpe Day activities.

Allen County Commissioners made quick business of a light agenda Tuesday morning. In Commissioner Bruce Symes’ absence, commissioners David Lee and Jerry Daniels approved a donation of funds for LaHarpe Day.

Representing the City of LaHarpe, Floyd Thompson requested the commissioners infuse the city’s third annual celebration with a $2,000 donation.

“You helped us last year and we appreciate it,” Thompson said. “We’re having a parade, mini-carnival, and various things. We’re trying to make it like it was in the past.”

“If we do $2,000, we’d have to do $2,000 for everyone else,” said Lee. Wanting to keep the community donations equal across the board, the commissioners agreed on $1,500.

Thompson presented the commissioners with LaHarpe Day T-shirts as a token of appreciation.

IN OTHER NEWS, Public Works Director Mitch Garner noted that once the runway lights are completed at the airport, the Federal Aviation Administration is required to perform a flight check. The cost for the six-hour flyover inspection is $29,801.52.

The amount is included in a grant the county has already secured, Garner said. “Our share is going to be about $2,900.”

The flyover will inspect that the runway lights are operational at the correct angles.

Garner also brought the upcoming Kansas County Highway Association (KCHA) spring conference to the commissioners’ attention. The May 20-22 conference is at the Prairie Band Casino in Mayetta-Jackson County, Kansas.

“It’s for the highway department and officials,” said Garner. He plans to attend, accompanied by interim Road & Bridge Director Jeremy Hopkins.

Hopkins informed the commissioners that, following an inspection of a bridge on Nebraska Road between 200 and 400 streets, the bridge is closed until repairs are completed.

He also presented commissioners with an estimate for repairs to the 980K loader at the quarry.

The commission had approved a bid from Foley Equipment last week for $8,839.84 in repairs.

“I did some more investigating on the repairs and it was more than what they quoted,” he explained. “Those were just additional repairs.” The total cost for repairs will be $43,816.27 for the front axle.

Hopkins added that former Road and Bridge Director Mark Griffith had been in talks with the same company about doing a cab rebuild.

“That would be $447,000,” he said. Lee asked Hopkins to investigate what the cost would be for a new or good used cab versus the rebuild. “That way we know our options,” Lee said.

In agreement, Daniels and Lee approved the repair cost of $43,816.27.

Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy requested that commissioners recognize next week as Telecommunicators Week.

“Our telecommunicators get left in the dark sometimes and kind of forgotten,” said Murphy. “I’d ask that we do a proclamation in acknowledgement of their service.” The commissioners approved.

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