Barton County benefits from having an experienced staff, it was noted at the County Commission meeting Monday morning. With this in mind, commissioners approved the awarding of longevity pay to a host of county employees.
“It’s worth the investment,” said Commissioner Homer Kruckenberg. “It makes them feel appreciated.”
This is a supplemental compensation benefit designed for the employee who has established a long term commitment to public service with Barton County, said Financial Officer Jessica Wilson. Once a full-time employee has reached five years of continuous service, that employee will be rewarded longevity in the amount of $3 for each month of service, with half that for part-time employees.
 Longevity payment, which is contingent on budgetary conditions, may be awarded in November of each year.
This year, a 98 employees qualify for longevity pay, with 32 employees having been with the county 20 years or more, Wilson said. In all, the totals $56,198.
However, Wilson explained, the money for county employees comes from the general fund and the money for Juvenile Services and Community Corrections comes from other funds.
There is more to this than a pat on the back, Commissioner Jennifer Schartz said. “It costs so much to train new people.”
A little incentive to keep experienced personnel around only makes sense.

In other business Monday morning, the Barton County Commission:
• Approved a resolution declaring a portion of a township road as being of minimum maintenance. The road in question is a one-mile stretch of  NW 140 Avenue between NW 190 Road and NW 200 Road in Fairview Township. County Administrator Richard Boeckman said the matter will now go to the Planning and Zoning Board and ultimately come back to the commission for action. The resolution will also be published as a legal ad and there will be a hearing.
However, township officials said there have been no objections voiced so far. The road is passable and used by only a couple farmers and a few hunters.
The road is on the Rush County line, and Rush County officials will be made aware of the change. The stretch in question is maintained by Fairview Township.
 • Approved a proposal from Ellsworth-based engineering firm Kirkham Michael for required bridge inspections. Work included under the proposal is routine inspections completed following the “Local Bridge Inspection Contract Scope of Services” as described in the Kansas Department of Transportation Bureau of Local Projects, said County Engineer Clark Rusco. The cost under the contract is $85 per bridge for 370 bridges for a total of $31,450.   
• Approved two bridge-related agreements.
The first was a preliminary engineering services agreement with Kirkham Michael. Under the KDOT Local Bridge Improvement program, Barton County was awarded funding to replace one bridge located 1.8 miles east and 11.9 miles north of Claflin.  KDOT will pay 90 percent of the service cost, with a 10 percent local match.  The maximum project cost is $120,000.     
The second was a project engineering design services agreement also with Kirkham Michael. Bridge 200, located 2.7 miles east of Great Bend, has been selected as part of the KDOT Off-System Bridge Program.   Just some of the qualifications for program eligibility are having a current inspection report and being classified as deficient or functionally obsolete.  
This will be the first Geosynthetic Reinforce Soil (GRS) bridge in the State of Kansas. GRS bridges reduce construction time and cost, with costs reduced 25 to 60 percent from conventional construction methods. Rusco said the contract was will be for $$31,100.  
There will be more on the bridges in Wednesday’s Tribune.
• Re-appointed Bev Komarek to the Barton County Community Development Advisory Board for an uncompensated term that ends Aug. 1, 2017. The county recently sought applicants for the 11-member BCCDAB which advises the commission on economic and community development matters, monitors the progress of the Barton County Strategic Plan and makes suggestions to the commissioners concerning the advancement and realization of the plan goals. The board was formed in 2008. Boeckman said there is still one opening on the BCCDAB.