The Pottawatomie County Commissioners met for their weekly meeting Monday, Feb. 9, which began with a discussion of an issue tabled from the week prior concerning the collection of delinquent sewer payments in the Green Valley District. County Attorney John Watt is continuing investigate possible recourse for collecting these unpaid bills, but it seems the commissioners are in a tight place.
“We really have no control over the water issue there so it makes it kind of a tough situation,” said Commission Chairman Pat Weixelman.
Register of Deeds Betty Abitz also made an appearance at the meeting to report information regarding a significant monetary loss to the county.
“Last month, we lost approximately $3,300 due to the mortgage tax fee being phased out by the state last year,” Weixelman said. “If that holds as an average, it looks like it could be a loss to the county of $40,000, [which]would be conservative, so maybe as much as $50,000 if it continues like the first month did.”
Additionally, the commissioners also heard from the county’s Public Works Department, which reported that the intended reopening of Mariadahl Road would no longer take place due to a grass easement that would force them to change its path. Public Works also discussed a proposition to install GPS systems in all county-owned pick-ups and dump trucks to help with location tracking and maintenance purposes.
The commissioners also opened bidding for the Wildcat Woods Unit 3 for temporary construction notes. They accepted one bid from Farmer’s State Bank, which proposed a 0.4 percent accrued interest over the lifetime of the note, or approximately $1,200, for the 13-lot area.
Sanitation Director Scott Schwinn gave an update on the number of sewer permits, and it was decided that the annual county-wide “Free Day” at the landfill will be April 4th.
