Both Marion and Hillsboro are likely to help fill the budget hole caused by rising costs of recycling. Although the $120-a-ton cost of taking recyclable material to a privately owned South Hutchinson recycling facility is $82 more than the $38-per-ton cost of taking it to a landfill, both cities seem willing to pay the difference. In January, the county planned to switch recyclable deliveries to Fort Riley, which accepted recyclable materials for free. Before the county delivered a load there, however, that facility stopped recycling because of COVID-19 concerns. It has not resumed operations. (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Marion County has the lowest combined tax burden of any surrounding county, according a new analysis by financial technology company SmartAsset. Combined impact of income, sales, property, and fuel taxes are reflected in the analysis, released this past week. Overall, Marion County ranked 42nd lowest among the state’s 103 counties. (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

ATV drivers caused issues on a crowded Memorial Day weekend at Marion County Lake, according to Lake superintendent Isaac Hett. Drivers had children and open bottles of alcohol in ATVs, Hett said, and ATVs not licensed for on-road use reportedly were driven on Upland Rd. and US-256 to Marion. Hearing of the problems, county commissioners decided at a meeting Monday to look into whether Hett could be deputized to enforce ATV ordinances and write tickets. (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Florence city council made a commitment to city employees Monday, approving a plan to pay employees’ salaries if they contract COVID-19 or another pandemic in the future. “It’s a good thing for the employees,” councilman Matt Williams said. “It shows our employees that we’re looking after them.” (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Goessel resident Matt Stiles will begin duties as Hillsboro city administrator June 15. The timing will give him two weeks to work with retiring city administrator of 12 years Larry Paine, whose last day on the job will be June 30. Stiles said city inancial planning is at the top of his punch list. “We’re going to have to address the inancial impact of the pandemic irst,” he said. “That will be the top priority right away.” The city’s strategic plan is also high on his list. He also wants to emphasize economic development, growth of new businesses, and expansion of [...]

Hillsboro city council members declared a state of emergency during their first online meeting Tuesday. The first 10 minutes of the meeting were spent ironing out minor technical issues. “This council meeting is unusual — it’s something we’ve never done before but it’s because of the COVID virus,” mayor Lou Thurston said. Council members passed an emergency declaration giving Thurston and city administrator Larry Paine authority to make decisions on behalf of the city without council members approving them first during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

Although urban areas may have more cases, the number of confirmed cases per 10,000 residents is 2.7 times higher in Coffey County than in any other county and most of the counties with infection rates that high are near that county. (Read more: Marion County RECORD)

County department heads met with county clerk Tina Spencer Tuesday morning and are announcing procedures to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus at county offices. “Marion County is committed to protecting the health and well-being of our community and work force,” Spencer said. “We are not closing the courthouse at this time; however, we are taking steps to limit counter access within individual county offices. Many services are available online, or can by handled by phone or by mail, and we highly encourage people to use the alternative service delivery methods as they follow the recommendations to practice social distancing. [...]

March 2 to 6 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Kansas. Two Marion residents learned more than they ever wanted to know about severe weather in 2007, and offered tips to be prepared. Marion residents Chelsi and Javan Koehn lived in Greensburg on May 4, 2007 when the town was devastated by an F5 tornado that flattened 95% of the town and killed 11 people at 9:47 p.m. It pretty well wiped the town off the map,” Chelsi Koehn said. The Koehns purchased their home one month to the day before the deadly storm hit. Chelsi was nine months pregnant at [...]

Most people learn the value of cooperation in grade school — but for cities the word can mean anything from sharing resources to ideas. Hillsboro has a relationship with Peabody providing its water and sometimes working with Peabody employees on electric issues, Hillsboro city administrator Larry Paine said. “It’s important, particularly as it’s harder to find employees with the right levels of training in both areas,” he said. There are drawbacks to sending city workers to assist in neighboring communities, though, Paine said. “If we were out of town helping another community and needed somebody to respond to a current Hillsboro [...]