Commission approves mastic seal on 27 miles of roadway
Sales tax collections in the county were down in January
Dickinson County officials learned Wednesday, April 13 a joint grant application to improve the northwest corridor of Abilene was not funded.
In February, county and City of Abilene leaders applied for a Building A Stronger Economy grant, seeking funds to improve the Northwest 14th corridor on the edge of Abilene. Some of the area is in Abilene, while other portions are in Dickinson County.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly set aside $100 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for BASE grant funding to help support infrastructure and advance economic development opportunities.
County Administrator Brad Homman said 14 projects were awarded and all were in the metropolitan areas of Kansas.
“We didn’t pull enough political weight to be able to participate in that,” Homman said.
However, as he has said before, applying for the grants lets decision makers in Topeka know Dickinson County has a need.
“We’ll continue to pursue opportunities for out here,” he said.
The grant sought funding to expand NW 14th Street to three lanes beginning west at Shady Lane, removing the curve where NW14th, Van Buren and Flag Road meet, turning it into a four-way intersection, and improving the intersection at Fair Road and NW 14th Street.
That improvement also would address flooding problems at NW 14th and Fair, installing a box culvert on the north side of 14th, building up 14th so water won’t run over while diverting water to the north side where it has been running naturally, eventually ending up in Mud Creek.
The proposed project also included a new road going north into the industrial park behind Russell Stover Candies and Love’s Travel Stop between NW 14th and Interstate 70, and a new frontage road, visible to those traveling I-70. The frontage road would be a prime area for developers who want interstate exposure.
Road sealing
The commission approved a bid from Hall Brothers to lay mastic seal on 27 miles of paved roadways at a cost of $544,843. The sealant, a fairly new process, extends road life by extending its durability.
“Asphalt deteriorates from the sun, weight, use and everything else,” Homman said, explaining that cracks are the first sign of deterioration. Then cracks allow water to seep in, which causes additional deterioration.
“Moisture is the enemy of any hard surface road,” he said. “We want to keep those sealed so moisture will go off the edges of the road instead of into the base.”
The fine aggregate in mastic also stops the road from getting slick when it rains and keeps the roadway looking new for years.
The five sections of roadway are: Mink Road from Interstate 70 to Kansas Highway 18; 1900 Avenue from Eden to Hawk Road; Solomon Road from 1700 Avenue to the Saline County line, north of Solomon; Rain Road from I-70 to K-18; and Key Road from 1400 Avenue to Kansas Highway 4. Crews also will do an area left over from the summer of 2021 which they did not complete.
Other
* After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, Dickinson County will hold its first Township Night since 2019 on May 2 at Sterl Hall. Afterwards, board members can tour the courthouse.
* The commission approved a resolution declaring items various departments did not need following the move as surplus. The items will be sold on the internet auction site Purple Wave. Some of the items include file cabinets, wooden and metal chairs, old wooden folding tables and even an old generator used at the courthouse.
* Commissioners approved an application granting tax relief for a property at 203 S. Court St., Enterprise, which was totally destroyed by fire. Since the fire occurred between January and August it makes the homeowner eligible for a tax abatement.
*Commissioners approved the 2022 solid waste management plan. While the majority of the plan is updated information, the 2022 document included material about disposal of Construction and Demolition materials, because the county no longer has a C&D landfill.
* Sales tax collections in the county were down in January, which Homman said is not unusual. Sales typically dip lower right after Christmas. January’s sales tax came in at $130,821.63, which was higher than the $122,368.54 amount collected at the same time in 2021.
* Homman and Road and Bridge Department Supervisor Martin Tannahill planned to meet with Clay County Commissioners Monday, April 18 about a bridge replacement project on First Road, which is between the two counties. Dickinson County will pay 72%, while Clay County will be responsible for 28%. The calculation is based on each county’s valuation.
Homman said the Kansas Department of Transportation has extended its window for project competition.
“They’ve discovered there’s a shortage of contractors and that they get better bids by extending things out so contractors have more time,” he said.
* County Counselor Doug Thompson reported on the status of the tax sale held in March. Once the judge signs the order the clerk and sheriff can sign deeds for a follow-up hearing on May 25.
Thompson said one parcel sold for a large sum of money, which was significantly higher than the past due taxes.
“It brought in about $6,200 more than the taxes,” Thompson said, noting that once the judge gives the final approval, the heirs will be able to recover some money.