March 28, 2024

Maitlen, Dunphy selected to fill county vacancies

The hiring of two new employees, Ryan Maitlen and TJ Dunphy, was approved by the Union County Board of Supervisors during its regularly scheduled meeting Monday.

Maitlen, who currently works as a Creston Police officer, was one of four candidates interviewed for the position of deputy sheriff.

“(He’s) not only local, but probably one of the best candidates that we had interviewed,” said Rick Piel, Union County sheriff. “It’s not like he doesn’t know what the job entails, his dad being in it as long as he has.”

When questioned by the supervisors about potential nepotism, Piel assured them that Maitlen truly stood out among the applicants. Maitlen will be reporting directly to Piel.

Dunphy, KSIB news director, will join the county as jailer Nov. 7 in the Law Enforcement Center. For this position, Dunphy was selected among more than 10 applicants, three of which were interviewed.

“He was ... the best choice out of the three we did interview, so I feel good about that one too,” said Piel. “He’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

Open forum

During open forum, Dan Waigand of Afton expressed concern regarding a closed bridge on Rose Drive. Waigand said the bridge adds approximately 16 miles a day to his route as he has a number of steel bins, weening facilities and cattle stalls on farm land he owns beyond the bridge.

“I understand it’s unsafe and I appreciate you closing it,” said Waigand. “My concern is whether it’s going to be reopened.”

Zach Gunsolley, Union County engineer, said he is working with Calhoun-Burns & Associates to come up with a low-cost solution. Additionally, county workers are waiting for frozen ground to further inspect the 3-ton bridge. However, Gunsolley’s goal is to reopen the bridge, but no date has been determined yet.

County roads

Those who travel REA Road can expect relief in the near future as the contract for work on the road is nearing an end. However, road work complete on REA Road to date has not come without some issues.

“We gave the contractor a lot to deal with,” said Gunsolley.

REA Road, which Gunsolley described as very hilly, narrow, rough and wavy, challenged crews. While most of the road work went well, some thinner areas of the road need correction, which Gunsolley said needed to be done now, before final coats are complete. As crews milled the road, the material was saved and used to widen REA Road in some areas. Gunsolley estimated six good weather days to complete the project.

Contracted work for REA Road nears completion mid-November. According to Gunsolley, any liquidated damages, should the contractor exceed the number of days of the contract, will be assessed to the contractor.

“They do get dinged in the pocket book if they take too long,” said Gunsolley. “That is their incentive to get done quickly, but we also want it done with a quality product.”

Road millings aren’t the only upcycled materials being used by county road crews. Gunsolley said a polymer grid snow fence was reused to help strengthen Dogwood Avenue at 170th Street.

“A lot counties and municipalities cannot afford, with tighter budgets these days, to bring in virgin material, brand new rock for a road base when they reconstruct a road and put the pavement on,” said Gunsolley. “To help strengthen the road, if they needed more material, then they lay down this Geo grid first ... and then they lay down the crushed, recycled road on top of that. So they use all the materials from the old road, then they put the new road on top without trucking in any new base material.”

Gunsolley said Union County Secondary Roads is seeing real savings in recycling, which helps the taxpayers and environment at the same time. He considers the crushed, old concrete reused as shoulder material and surfacing for “rock roads” as a win-win. This recycled material, which is half the price of material received from the quarry, also saves on fuel costs.

The last crushing project yielded 4,048 tons of material, which saved the county $4.85 per ton.

“This is a savings of $19,632.80, which we can use to buy more surfacing material for frost boil or spot rocking needs next spring,” said Gunsolley.

Additionally, the county purchased two tanker cars, which are approximately 10-feet in diameter and consist of half-inch thick steel, to be used as culverts.

“Because of fiscal reasons, we incorporated that this summer,” said Dunphy.

Some of the benefits of the tanker cars-turned-culverts are no width restrictions for ag equipment, they don’t create issues with piling and back walls, and don’t sag or egg because of the thickness of the steel. The largest benefit is to the tax payers, as the first tanker was installed for approximately $10,000, and the second for approximately $14,000.

Bonding hearing

Union County Supervisors set a date for a public hearing for bonding for 10 a.m. Nov. 19. The public hearing is to discuss the purchase of a building, 201 N. Elm St., and the refinance of a Build America bond.

Union County Board of Supervisors meet 9 a.m. Mondays at the county building, 300 N. Pine St.