Commission passes on signing Evergy bridge contract
- Charlene Sims, Journal staff
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
By Charlene Sims, Journal staff
MOUND CITY – On Monday, August 10, the Linn County Commissioners decided not to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Evergy to take over the bridges along the dam road that Evergy now owns. The commissioners had been discussing this and making changes with Evergy since early in 2026.
When Commission Chair Alison Hamilton asked if the other commissioners wanted to proceed with the MOA, Commissioner Jason Hightower said, “No, not really.”
Commissioner Jim Johnson said, “I don’t see why we need to. It’s been there 50-plus years. Why are we wanting to change the way it’s going.”
Hamilton continued, “Do you want to table it?”
Johnson answered, “I don’t see why we need to change the way we’re doing it, myself.”
Hightower said, “I don’t either.”
At the April 6 meeting, Hamilton clarified that the county had not signed the MOA that had been presented by Evergy for taking over the bridges.
County Counselor Jacklyn Paletta had said that Jesse Walton, then public works director, was having the bridges inspected first by the county’s engineering firm.
Walton added that Evergy was also having its engineer inspect the bridges.
Then at the July 13 meeting, Walton asked Paletta if she had had a chance to read over the agreement. He told the commissioners that if the county took over the bridges, Evergy had agreed to reimburse the county for any funds that the county puts into the bridges as long as Evergy was still in operation.
Conversation continued at the July 13 meeting about signing the MOA, however, no mention was given about the engineer’s inspection.
“What is the benefit to us as far a taking over this?” Johnson asked.
Hamilton answered, “There’s not a benefit. I thought it was just a requirement, because if they shut down we have to keep the road open.”
Paletta added, “As far as benefit, I don’t know that there’s a benefit. They’ve wanted to reach an arrangement whereby the county would be owning the roads, and this does have to do with their long-term planning.
Johnson asked whether the bridge that Evergy had put in to go over the railroad tracks was included.
Walton said that Evergy had made a verbal contract to take down that bridge and put that back to a regular straight-through road if the train line is done away with.
Johnson said, “Verbal, there’s no (written)?”
Walton continued, “Right now, that’s just a verbal that we’ve discussed.This agreement is just that they will help out with any finances that will go towards helping keep the bridges open. That is something that we want to go back in and add to this agreement that they will take that other bridge out if the rail system ever becomes obsolete to put that road back where it was. Like I said that was just a verbal confirmation on that.”
Hamilton asked, “So, once we sign this, that’s when the county becomes responsible for snow removal and repair and replacement of guardrails.”
“We always remove the snow,” answered Walton. “We will be responsible for that (guardrails). So if we have to replace any guardrails, we turn that back into Evergy and they will reimburse that cost.
“This also states on dollar amounts in there. When we reach a certain dollar amount, If a project is going to exceed so much money, we need to inform that so that they can budget for that. If it reaches another amount of money, we need to give them a five-year notice so they can work that into their budget.
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Hamilton said she had read the entire document and asked Paletta if this was something that she was recommending that they go into a contract with them on this.
Paletta said, “I don’t have a recommendation on this one.”
Hamilton said that she would like to wait until Hightower was at the meeting and have him review it before making a decision.
Johnson said moving forward he would like to have a written agreement instead of verbal on anything too.
Hamilton said maybe the commission could have some verbiage ready for next week.
In other business, the commissioners:
Were formally introduced to the new fire chief Shaun Tuggle.
Went into executive session for attorney-client privilege for 15 minutes with the three commissioners, Paletta, Undersheriff Bobby Johnson, Fire Chief Tuggle and Interim Fire Chief Brian Shroyer. No action was taken, but the session was extended for five more minutes.
At Shroyer’s recommendation, hired Kyle Rockers for the La Cygne fire station pending all pre-employment screenings.
Learned from Public Works Administrator J.D. Handly that he had met with Bill Nelson, the new transportation director for Prairie View USD 362. Handly said that he mainly just wanted him to know that the county cares about those bus routes and they are a priority. Handly asked that the bus drivers be overly ambitious with their complaints about things they see out on their routes and to forward that information to the public works department. Handly said he was planning on meeting with Pleasanton and Jayhawk transportation officials also.
Learned from Handly that he had met with the undersheriff and Sheriff James Akes last week and they took him on tour of the facility. Handly said it’s an amazing facility. It’s amazing and on top of that, the operation that they’re running is a very well-oiled machine and he was very impressed with the facility itself and their operation and the treatment of the inmates.
Approved purchasing an new heating and cooling unit for $10,000 from Myrick Mechanical for the Blue Mound Senior Center from the elderly non-grant capital outlay fund. Handly told the commissioners that his department had been fighting the air conditioning at the Blue Mound Senior Citizens building ever since he started. He told the commissioners that the county had probably already put $2,000 to $2,500 into repairs this year and recommending the system be replaced. He said that he had compiled numbers and in the last 36 months the county had spent $9,175 on that system at Blue Mound.
Heard from Handly that Planning and Zoning Director Jennifer Cummings had received a full NOWAR sponsorship to attend the NOWAR national conference in Colorado because she had submitted an essay to the National On-site Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWAR). That means that they will pay the registration fee, mileage, hotel and all of it.
Approved hiring Zachary Wylie as an equipment operator at $15.09 an hour at the Pleasanton road shop, primarily as a mower to start with.
Learned that four of the six culverts being installed by the county were completed on the north part of 1095 Roads. The other two will be installed this week.
Nail is running behind on the eight culverts they are installing. There are four in two different location.
The ingress and egress was completed on the bridge west of the power plant on 2200 Road.
Asphalt crew has moved over to west of Centerville where six culverts have been replaced.
Went into and executive session with the three commissioners, Handly, Walton, and County Clerk Chasity Ware for 5 minutes for non-elected personnel.
Approved a position change for Jesse Walton (from Public Works Administrator) to equipment operator at the pay rate of $25.02 effective on August 17.
Went into executive session for attorney-client privilege with the three commissioners, two attorneys, Paletta and Scott Nehrbass from the law firm Foulston Siefkin for 20 minutes. The session was extended for another 20 minutes.
Learned from Ware that elections went pretty smoothly last Tuesday. There were a few hiccups but nothing that altered the total day of voting and that sort of thing.
Discussed upcoming meeting with Dave Trabert about how county budgets affect their taxes being held on Wednesday, Aug.12, at the 4-H building at 6:30 p.m. The commissioners will be there but no county business will be conducted. Johnson said that he thought all county taxing entities should attend.
Went into executive session for attorney-client privilege for 15 minutes with the three commissioners, Paletta, and Ware.
Approved allowing the commission chair to sign the contract addendum changing the date with Welborn Sales for the industrial park lots.
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