While new lights eventually will greatly increase illumination of the Oregon Road and U.S. 169 intersection just east of Allen County Regional Hospital, new and larger signs alerting motorists of its location may not be erected any time soon. COMMISSIONERS received two budget requests.
Bill King, director of Public Works, said a Kansas Department of Transportation representative said the state agency wasn’t interested in permitting the larger signs. Small signs now point the way to ACRH and Allen Community College.
“Might help to contact your legislator (Kent Thompson),” King said. “I have,” rejoined Commissioner Tom Williams.
As for concrete refuse, King said he envisioned no problems in the county’s landfill accepting that created by demolition of the old Allen County Hospital.
“It may not go to waste,” he added, saying the concrete may be used for erosion control in the multitude of areas where small streams and ditches cross county roads. “We may have to crush it up some,” he said, and its use may be limited for things other than water control because of the preponderance of rebar.
Also, the landfill is authorized to accept asbestos, which King described as “special waste, not hazardous waste by KDOT.” Contractors will have to acquire a KDOT permit before removal, however, which King said was little more than a formality.
Allen County Conservation District, represented by its manager, Colleen Riebel, asked for $25,000 during 2016, the same amount it received in county funding the last two years.
The district expects to spend $43,732 during 2016, and have more than $94,000 cash in hand when the year starts. Actual expenditures depend on conservation practices done on agricultural land throughout the county.
Tri-Valley Developmental Services requested $65,000, the same as it received this year. TVDS provides services to developmentally challenged individuals in Allen, Bourbon, Neosho and Woodson counties, with each county contributing to its annual revenue.
Currently, it has 87 Allen County residents receiving services, 76 in the county and 11 elsewhere in the four-county region. TVDS has 22 paid staff living in Allen County. Its 2016 budget anticipates expenditures of nearly $5.5 million.
