The Barton County preliminary damage assessment meeting for government entities has been scheduled for 10 a.m. today, in the Barton County Courthouse, 1400 Main Street, room 101, Great Bend. Emergency Risk Manager Amy Miller is coordinating the process to collect damage totals from the recent ice storm.

Miller said the information gathered during this meeting will be used by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management to apply for a Federal Disaster Declaration. 

Since the storm Jan. 13-16, Barton County Emergency Management has been working to gather damage figures from local entities, Miller said. An initial dollar damage estimate was forwarded to KDEM Jan. 19. 

The next step in the process was to hold meetings with KDEM, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and local governments to begin detailed accounting of the damages. 

The report on the meeting was part of the biweekly departmental update presented by County Commission Chairman Jennifer Schartz Monday morning. Other hightlights included:

County Engineer Barry McManaman

• Attended a meeting with Watco and local officials about the logistics for the wind turbine storage project at the Great Bend transload facility.

• Technician inspecting the new concrete box culvert project north of Beaver.

• Met with officials from two townships about local road issues.

• Worked on floodplain permits for a cattle feed yard expansion project. 

Road and Bridge Director Dale Phillips 

• Personnel worked over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend on winter weather emergencies. Ice management on county roads was a priority from January 12–17.

– Sign work by Road and Bridge crews was ongoing as ice damaged signs were repaired.

– Brush and trees were picked up in county right of way after the ice storm. 

– Salt supplies were replenished and mixed for the next storm. 

– Completed accounting of cost for the ice storm. Reported the information to Emergency Management.

• Sand was hauled from Ellinwood to Great Bend.

• Aggregates at the South Washington pit were stacked and ready for summer projects. 

Solid Waste Director Phil Hathcock

In the past two weeks, the Barton County Landfill took in:

• 1,307 tons of municipal solid waste

• 97 tons of construction/demolition waste

• 46 tons of special waste

• 595 loads of waste received for disposal

• $56,302.20 Of revenue generated through disposal fees

Emergency Risk Manager Amy Miller

On January 24, the Barton County Local Emergency Planning Committee, sponsored by Barton County Emergency Management, held its first quarterly meeting of 2017.

• The committee elected Amy Miller as chairperson and Doug Hubbard as vice-chairperson. 

• Andrew Fullerton, Bartlett Grain, provided information to the LEPC about the grain handling and marketing operations of the Bartlett Grain facility east of Great Bend. 

County Treasurer Kevin Wondra

The Treasurer’s Office processed a total of 997 motor vehicle transactions between Jan. 12 and 25. Of those, 612 were vehicle renewals and 195 were new titles. In the past two weeks, staff has also renewed, registered or updated 207 Commercial vehicles. Any vehicles operated in a commercial capacity after Jan. 1 must renew for the 2017 renewal year. The last day to renew Commercial vehicles within the grace period is Feb. 28. 

• The department is still receiving a few first half 2016 taxes. Any 2016 first half taxes received now have penalties assessed. Additionally, any delinquent personal property taxes are due in full at this time. 

• The bookkeepers are getting ready to disburse the first distribution of this year.