SWA dissolution a step closer; county officials okay slight contract changes

Long standing issues were examined at the Jan. 26 Chase County Commissioners meeting.
Commissioners Jacci Brown, Dennis Kunnemann and Duane Dinnel moved closer to approving a Southwest Solid Waste Agency contract.
The county compromised on the length of the contract. Rather than making the contract as long as the city is running the facility, the new contract could be broken by the city in 10 years.
The county also agreed to only have first right of refusal on the transfer station and land, not the recycling center.
The third compromise is over liability of the facility. Rather than holding the city to all liability, as was first proposed, the city and county would split any liability based on percentage.
The SWA board has been reestablished until an agreement between the city and county is completed.
Discussion was held concerning a recent zoning hearing. The commissioners felt there was a mixed message from the zoning board.
Zoning policies the commissioners had been upholding were interpreted differently at the meeting, specifically conditional use permit holders are supposed to only receive one one-year extension and have 51% completed to receive the extension.
Two years ago, a state dam inspector noticed cracks in Wauneta’s north dam. The commissioners and highway superintendent Jeff Tidyman have been looking for answers ever since.
Tidyman recruited Jim Hicks, a retired dam expert, to come look at the dam last summer. He came back in December to look at the dam when the ground was frozen. He believes the cracks are caused by erosion, but to know for sure, he suggested some excavation work in the spring.
In other business, commercial spraying was discontinued by the county.
The next meeting of the commissioners will be Feb. 9 at 8 a.m. in the courthouse.