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Franklin County Commission approves routine items, grants and road work funding; appoints advisory members
Summary
At its April 9 meeting the Franklin County Commission approved multiple consent and action items including grant plan submissions, land-division plats, vehicle purchases, advisory board appointments, a tire bid and additional asphalt tonnage to complete road patching.
Franklin County commissioners on April 9 handled a package of routine and programmatic decisions, approving grant plans, land-use technical corrections and equipment purchases, and authorizing additional road material to complete a multi-site asphalt project.
Key approvals
- Resolution amending rezoning application: Commissioners approved an amendment to a prior rezoning resolution to correct which 3 acres were to be rezoned at a parcel commonly known as 3853 Iowa, northwest of Ottawa. Planning staff described the change as procedural and the commission approved the amended resolution by recorded roll call (unanimous).
- Funk Estate 3 final plat: The commission accepted dedication of rights-of-way and easements and authorized the chair to sign the final plat for Funk Estate 3 (final plat for property near Homewood). Planning staff said there was proof of water availability and that the Planning Commission recommended approval; the county commission approved the plat unanimously.
- Juvenile and adult comprehensive plan grant submissions (Kansas Department of Corrections): The commission approved the FY2026 Juvenile Comprehensive Plan grant application (to fund juvenile community corrections services) and approved the FY2026 Adult Comprehensive Plan grant application in the amount of $740,506.75 to fund adult community corrections. Both plans had been approved earlier by the advisory board and the commission voted to submit them.
- Vehicle purchase for community corrections: The commission authorized Community Corrections to purchase two 2023 Ford Escapes at a combined net cost of $49,432 after trade-ins and service agreements; the purchase was approved by roll call.
- Advisory board appointments: The commission appointed George Ogle and Albert Harris to the Fourth Judicial District Community Corrections Advisory Board to fill vacancies and meet statutory representation requirements; both appointments were approved unanimously.
- Tire bid: Commissioners approved the county’s annual tire bid from Pumps Tire for $21,389.10.
- Additional asphalt tonnage for ongoing patching contract: After staff and Kilo Construction reported that several base failures required more material than estimated and that a clerical error affected the original estimate, the commission authorized an additional 553 tons of asphalt at an additional cost of $84,056 so the county could finish 15 locations as originally described. Staff said stopping immediately would leave an outstanding purchase of 150 tons (approximately $22,000) if the work were not completed; commissioners approved the additional amount by roll call.
Votes and procedure
Most consent and routine items passed on unanimous roll-call votes recorded in the meeting minutes. For items requiring discussion, staff presented background, the county finance officer reviewed fund balances, and commissioners asked clarifying budget and project-duration questions before voting.
Other staff updates and reports
- Sheriff’s Office hiring and jail population: Sheriff’s staff reported a competitive hiring process for deputy vacancies and that one vacancy had been filled; the office continues to advertise for a clerk to replace a departing employee. The sheriff also reported a higher-than-usual inmate count requiring 16 inmates to be temporarily housed in other counties.
- Road and Bridge: Staff reported progress on a multi-location asphalt repairs project and justified the additional tonnage request with field discoveries of base failure and the need to install drains at some sites. Finance staff provided detail on fund balances and said road-and-bridge reserves remain above target after the requested transfers and purchases.
Next steps
Staff will proceed with equipment purchases, grant submissions and the extra asphalt purchase. Commissioners and staff discussed additional follow-up for the asphalt contract and monitoring of the Road and Bridge reserve levels. Several commissioners thanked crews and contractors for work completed on county roads.
