By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Gas prices have again been on the rise. That will not be a factor for the Barton County landfill for the upcoming year. That Barton County Commission approved Solid Waste Director Jennifer Hamby's request to enter into a diesel contract with American Plains Coop. The contract locks in the price of a gallon of diesel at $2.89 for one year beginning June 1, or for 25,000 gallons, whichever comes first. Commission Chair Shawn Hutchinson said the county began contracting fuel about a year ago, and the program has its benefits.
"I don't think we'll ever pay more than the average doing it this way, but if we ever pay just a little more, I think it's still worth it because we can truly budget instead of just going off floating gas price," he said.
The county's road and bridge department also has a diesel agreement, and both contracts so far have saved the county money.
The county also approved the purchase of a 2023 Ford Edge SUV for the health department. Director Karen Winkelman explained the agency had unused Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KHDE) grant funds from a child licensing grant. The funds were unused due to a vacancy in the position for several months. Winkelman said KDHE approved use of the funds to purchase a new vehicle for the current licensing worker.
"She serves six counties: Barton, Rush, Pawnee, Stafford, Ellsworth, and Rice," Winkelman said. "That is a combined 110 facilities that she surveys. So she's on the road a lot."
The new vehicle will take up $42,495 of the remaining $45,000 in grant funds.