While Sedgwick County Commissioners agreed local township roads are generally well maintained, discussion at a June 3 staff meeting and June 10 commission meeting addressed what could be done in the rare scenarios where that is not the case. Typically, townships are responsible for their own road maintenance, but a statute does exist (K.S.A. 68-124) that allows counties to take over maintenance work – to be billed to the township in question – if those roads are not being maintained. As it stands, the county can get involved if a township board neglects, refuses or fails to comply with the provisions of the statute to repair, place and keep in “condition for travel” any public roads or highways under the township’s jurisdiction. County Commissioner Jim Howell, representing District 5 (including Derby and Mulvane), brought forth a draft policy at the June 3 staff meeting which laid out a more official way for the county to implement K.S.A. 68-124. The policy included measures for official county review of the road in question, methods to notify the townships and channels for official action by the county commission (including a billing timeframe).
(Read more: Derby Informer | News)
