The Marion County Board Tuesday night voted to buy the needed oil field pipe to replace the two tall flags poles taken down last year due to their poor condition.
The county is buying the oil field pipe for the poles from Bradford Supply in Salem for $2,583. Another $1,140 will be spent to get the poles powder coated at Americana. Board member Adam Smith noted the cost would be much higher if they bought actual flag poles. Board member Brock Waggoner voted no because there was no engineering study to determine specifications that needed to be followed to put up the flag poles properly so they don’t fall into traffic on East Main Street.
A new Community Relations subcommittee was created to work on codification of county ordinances and resolution. The county board’s old records now are not organized and searches to find information can be lengthy. Waggoner, who brought up the need, will chair the subcommittee.
Waggoner would also like the county to work to help bring more fiber optic internet to currently underserved rural areas of the county.
The community relations committee will look at a suggestion from Animal Control Officer Ken Ferguson to expand the low-cost spaying and neutering program for low-income residents. Right now the program is limited to those who receive food stamps. Ferguson would like to see low-income senior citizens to also be eligible. He notes there is currently $50,000 in the fund.
Sheriff Kevin Cripps reported the sheriff’s department handled 753 calls in December and currently has 82 in custody along with one juvenile. The department is holding 21 federal prisoners.
The board wants the State to live up to its original offer of $12 a square foot for two offices in the Public Service Building being used for pretrial services. The first rental check totals $132 or about $1 a square foot. The county board wants the original rent promised or for the Pretrial officers to leave.
