by Stephanie Croston

    It's all over but the chiming.
     Rich Laurenz of the Verdin Company told the Seward County Commissioners March 14 that the permanent weatherproof microphones and the new equalizer are now installed for the courthouse chimes.
     They were the final pieces of the chimes refurbishing project that started last summer. After replacing the strikers on the courthouse's carillon system, questions were raised about the volume of the chimes. The Verdin Company, which designed and installed the original system, redesigned the strikers, but Laurenz said they didn't want to hit the carillon tubes too hard and crack them.
     "If they do crack, it's done. They don't make these any more," he said.
     Commissioner Joe Ruzicka asked if Verdin had documented the decibel and equalizer levels for the chimes in the event of equipment failure. Laurenz said they had not yet but would. In addition, the three-year mechanical and five-year electronics warranties would begin as of March 1.
     After discussion, the board agreed to add the decibel ratings and warranties to the contract and complete the county's payment to the Verdin Company. The total project cost was $109,240.
     In an unrelated matter, the board signed an interlocal agreement for the Unified Economic Development Organization, a countywide group that is currently in the process of hiring an economic developer for Seward County.
     Commissioner Ron Minchow said an evaluation of the entire economic development program is planned after three years. In addition to money donated by the county and the cities of Seward, Milford and Utica, private funds are also being solicited, he said.
     In addition to signing the interlocal agreement, the board agreed to transfer $10,000 from the inheritance fund to the economic development group to cover current expenses. A formal budget request will be made when the fiscal year 2006-07 budgets are set.
     In other business, the commissioners:
     • approved a right-of-way request from Kenneth Maca northwest of Staplehurst;
     • approved a right-of-way request from Matt Owens at the intersection of O Street Road and Highway 15;
     • awarded the materials bid for a soft-match bridge project on 350th Road between Rokeby and Saltillo roads to Oden Enterprises of Wahoo, which submitted the low bid of $76,879;
     • met in executive session to discuss pending litigation; and
     • authorized the chairman to sign an interlocal agreement for the 2006 Affordable Housing program.