Zoning board to be restructured
By GAYLE WEBER
The Ellis County Board of Zoning Appeals likely will have a new face once county commissioners decide how to proceed with complying with state law.
Currently, the nine-member Ellis County Joint Planning Commission also serves as the zoning board, but County Counselor Bill Jeter told commissioners Monday they would have to revise their appointment of the zoning board to conform to state regulations.
"The makeup of the Board of Zoning Appeals has to comply with the specific number -- that is not less than three and no more than seven," Jeter said.
Commission Chairman Dennis Pfannenstiel said it would be difficult to choose which three, five or seven members of the planning commission would serve on the zoning board, so Commissioner Perry Henman recommended appointing a new board.
"Maybe three would be better, and we can each pick one and have three separate people," Henman said. "They wouldn't have any of the baggage that the planning board has anyway."
No action was taken on the issue Monday; however, Jeter said commissioners should make a decision in the next couple of months before changes to the county's zoning regulations are finalized.
Jeter also asked commissioners to hire a consultant to look over the zoning regulations once approved by the planning commission.
"It would be my recommendation ... that the consultant look at any changes that are changes in text so we can understand from the consultant's perspective exactly what that change may impact," Jeter said.
Commissioners told Jeter to contact Wichita-based Baughman Co. for a consultant since the county has used the company in the past.
In other business:
* Commissioners voted to take the buyback option on two 2004 John Deere motor graders. The county had made numerous repairs on the machines, and Public Works Administrator Mike Graf recommended the buyback. He estimated the county would receive about $85,000 for each grader.
Replacement costs are estimated at about $200,000 each. The county will be accepting proposals for the replacement graders.
Commissioners decided not to take the buyback option on a 2004 Caterpillar loader, with which the county has had no problems.
* Commissioners signed a proclamation making this week National 4-H Week.
* Commissioners signed an agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation to have a pin and hanger bridge about 6 miles south of Victoria inspected. Graf said inspectors already were out last week, but results have not come in yet.
The county will pay about $1,500 for the inspection.
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