By DEWEY TERRILL
JC Post 

The Geary County Commission has voted 3-0 to approve the Munson Road Maintenance Agreement.

The action by the commission during a special meeting Thursday morning means that road can be opened up for use as a haul route by contractors working on the new Junction City High School project. The Board of Education approved the agreement as well, in a special session on Wednesday.

The county had stopped Bergkamp Construction from using the road on March 24th until the maintenance agreement was finalized. Commission Chairman Charles Stimatze explained why the agreement was needed. “We have a statutory duty to protect and make sure all county roads are safe for the general public, and this is nothing new for any large project that’s going on that we don’t do.” Stimatze explained there was a similar agreement for Westar Energy, “to make sure the roads are up, safe for the other general public travel on the roads.” Westar undertook an earlier substation project in Geary County.

Signs have also been put up indicating that no tracked vehicles are allowed on Munson Road near the new school site. . Stimatze confirmed that was the case, “No tracked vehicle allowed on any county roads, especially that one there because it’s going to be around some construction equipment. ” A tracked vehicle could damage the roadway.

Stimatze also stated, “I know that if they wanted to cross the road, Cory Trumpp( ( Geary County Public Works Director )  has said that they can use steel plates, they make rubber mats, tires, whatever he agrees to that they could use to cross the road.” Tracked vehicles could also be hauled into the new school site on a trailer.