County road crews are preparing for a busy summer.
Mark Griffith, road and bridge director, told commissioners on Tuesday he plans to compile a list of summer projects to review next week.
He’s already been giving them a “heads up” with estimates about potential costs for some road work.
Summer work will include a new asphalt overlay on 1200th Street from Connecticut Road to the Neosho County line. Griffith said the state has given $450,000 for road repairs caused when traffic used the road as a detour while U.S. 169 was closed between Humboldt and Chanute. Commissioners approved a bid from Bettis Asphalt for $430,886 for a 1½ inch overlay.
Griffith said his project list would include options for 1400 Road; he previously provided estimates that it would cost $700,000 for 1-inch overlay or nearly $1 million for 1½-inch overlay, but said his budget probably wouldn’t accommodate the work this year.
Humboldt food pantry
Commissioners agreed with a change to a renovation project at the Humboldt Senior Center.
A large metal garage on the parking lot at the senior center is being converted to usable space for the Ministerial Alliance’s Food Pantry. Several contractors have been hired to do the work, and the Ministerial Alliance agreed to foot the cost of adding a bathroom.
Initially, the county wanted to grind and paint the concrete floor, which would give it a longer lifespan than adding tile, county maintenance director Ron Holman told commissioners on Tuesday.
“We had trouble finding someone who could do it,” Holman said, so they were moving forward with Plan B, which would add tile flooring, “but then we found someone.”
Refinishing the concrete floor would add about $2,000 to the cost. Holman recommended the county go back to its original plan for the concrete floor, and commissioners agreed.
The work is expected to begin in April.
IN OTHER news, commissioners:
• Heard an update on plans to relocate the American Flight Museum at Allen County Regional Airport. Thrive Allen County is working with county leaders to submit a state tourism grant for $5 million.
• Approved a request from Floyd Thompson of the LaHarpe Days committee. The county agreed to donate $1,000 for the annual festival, after checking to see what they typically give to similar events. Last year, the county gave $500 each to LaHarpe and Moran, and $1,500 each to Humboldt’s Biblesta and Iola’s Farm City Days.
