Looking at the long-term life span of Barton County’s sand pit south of Ellinwood, the County Commission Tuesday morning approved purchasing about 53 acres just north of the site from Marvin Sessler for an amount not to exceed $280,000, or about $5,000 per acre.
The county’s site sits caddy-corner to Knop Sand Company, a private sand mining operation. One of businesses owners, Damian Knop, was at Tuesday’s meeting and said he, too, had been negotiating with Sessler to buy the land to keep his business going.
In the end, however, commissioners assured Knop the county would work with him. “Everybody will win,” District 1 Commissioner Kirby Krier said.
County Counselor Patrick Hoffman said after the county approved the purchase Tuesday, it has until next March “to do all of our due diligence to make sure it is going to be good and usable for our purposes.” This includes core sample drilling and survey work.
The discussion
“Looking at what you guys are wanting to do with that ground, I’ve been in contact with Marvin Sessler for the last couple of years trying to purchase that ground,” Knop said. The initial price was $10,000 an acre, but he finally got the cost to the $5,000.
He didn’t know how the county got into the picture and was a little surprised to learn the county was buying the land.
“I don’t think it’s the county’s agenda to run me out of business,” he said. “But (the county’s) buying this ground definitely will within two years.”
His operation butts up against the tract on the western edge. He has water rights to 150 acres in that area, but for various reasons, not all of those are minable.
“My easiest position is to buy that property of Marvin’s and just continue pumping,” Knop said.
It is an odd-shaped piece of ground. A Northern Natural Gas pipeline and related easement bisects the property, making about 13 acres unusable.
Knop proposed to Sessler acquiring the 21 acres north of the pipeline. He has an agreement with the gas company to mine the area.
Because of the need to slope the sides of a new sand pit and implement erosion control measures, that 21 acres will yield about 17 minable acres, he said.
“We’re in the same boat you are,” District 3 Commissioner Shawn Hutchinson said, and stressed they are not wanting to compete with Knop. It makes sense to divide the property, allowing Knop to buy the northern piece and the county to buy the southern portion, but Sessler didn’t want to sell it that way.
“We’re willing to work with you, and make sure you are continuing in the future,” Krier told Knop. There was a 2 p.m. meeting planned during the commission’s study session between Knop and the commission to discuss this and negotiate a compromise.
“We have some trading we’d like to do with you,” Krier said. “This is going to work out for both of us.”
The value of sand
“Before I was a commissioner, I did not realize how important sand was to the function of the county,” District 5 Commissioner Jennifer Schartz said. “And when we can mine our own sand, because we’ve got the equipment to do it now, it really saves a lot of money.”
The total seems like a large amount, the equivalent of a mill in property taxes. But, “we are thinking long-term that it will keep the county functioning with sand for 15, maybe 20 years longer. So I think it’s long-term planning that this commission has needed for a long time.”
The sand is used by the Road and Bridge Department in the maintenance of the county blacktop roads.
Since the county has invested in the sand pit and equipment, it is worth the investment to continue, Hutchinson said. “We only had two choices here, and they were to move everything we had or buy additional land.”
Barton County Commission meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Barton County Commission did Tuesday morning:
• Approved a resolution establishing a certificate of authority for grants and federal funding management. The authority was granted to Grant Coordinator Sue Cooper, Interim County Administrator Barry McManaman and Finance Officer Matt Patzner.
It is necessary to appoint authorized personnel to carry out the management of grants and federal funds. These grant and federal funding management activities may include, but are not limited to: Managing Barton County’s System for Award Management registration, entering into legal agreements as approved by the Barton County Commissioners, requesting funds, submitting financial reports, assigning user roles, and carrying out all other administrative functions relative to the proper execution of grants and other federal funding.
This was done to keep the county in compliance with federal regulations, and as a means of improving transparency and accountability, commissioners said.
• Approved asking county employees to contribute to the United Way of Central Kansas at the request of District 2 Commissioner Barb Esfeld.
“Workplace giving campaigns are vital to United Way’s local success,” Esfeld said. “Donations though payroll and one-time contributions combine to give United Way the opportunity to bring results to our own backyard.”
Through combined donations, they become a part of a larger mission that allows United Way’s 22 community partners to focus on education, financial stability and health.
• Approved participating in the Rural Opportunity Zone Student Loan Repayment Program.
The ROZ Student Loan Repayment Program provides up to a $15,000 benefit as a workforce recruitment tool for eligible persons establishing home in Barton County, Grant Coordinator Sue Cooper said. The Kansas Department of Commerce requires counties to pass a resolution obligating them to participate in this ROZ program for at least five years.
However, Barton County will participate, but will not provide matching funds for applicants. This means the applicants will have to find a sponsor (business, foundation or other entity) to offer the incentive.
• Approved the final Redwing intersection improvement project cost.
The final cost for the project was $296,172.90, which reflects an overrun of $1,641 as the approved L&M Contractor’s bid was $294,532, County Engineer Barry McManaman said. Change order number one has been prepared to document the final amount.
The Kansas Department of Transportation will reimburse the county $206,745 as per the project agreement.
This project corrects a dangerous intersection that has been the scene of several accidents, including one that nearly claimed the life of Aubrey Alcorn of Claflin in December 2017. McManaman said this was nicknamed “Aubrey’s Project.”
• Approved a new dredge pump purchase and repair of an existing dredge pump from Midwestern Metals of Topeka for a total cost of $119,746.
The pump on the dredge at county sand pit at Ellinwood is in need of repair, and the commission directed County Works Director Darren Williams to determine the cost of a replacement as well as determine the repair cost.
The current pump will then be utilized as a secondary unit.
• Approved the purchase and sale of real estate for no more than $280,000 from Marvin Sessler.
In order to protect the county’s commitment to infrastructure, it was suggested that the commission consider the purchase of approximately 53 acres of land adjacent to the county sand pit just south of Ellinwood at 1127D SE 10 Rd.
The county will work with the owner of the neighboring Knop Sand Company who was also seeking to buy the land.
