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County Museum c
Mill Creek Sceni Drive
- Gem of the Flint Hills
County Courthouse
Read Newspaper in Wabaunsee County
VOLUME NO. 117 NUMBER 39
IVeke ae
l
ALMA, WABAUNSEE COUNTY, KANSAS 66401
-I -03
NZ8
Bell Gra hics (C)
~ ~ E ~th street Box 1 51
".~ _' vS 66436
Ho~ton, "
USPS 496-340 THURSDAY,
JUNE 13, 2002
day of their seven week bicycle tour many of the
for a break near the Eskridge City Park.
COUNTRY BICYCLE RIDERS ENJOY
COUNTY SCENERY AND HOSPITALITY
riders passed through Wabaunsee County last Wednesday as they neared
mark of their 3,420 mile ride. When asked how they handled their ride
Flint Hills, one rider replied, "It's slow climbing them, but fast going down["
participating in the tour commemorated the start of their journey with a
ceremony in the Pacific Ocean near Riverside, California on May 12th. The
as they traveled east through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, ~d
Kansas. Layovers in Kansas included Dodge City, Great Bend,
and on to Topeka. On the twenty-fifth day of the tour they traveled
County on Highway 4. During the early afternoon the group passed
and stopped for a high energy snack of orange juice and granola bars.
brief as they were anxious to push on to Topeka where they held a half-way
a breather near the Eskridge City Park, several of the bikers, and the driver
vehicle, were anxious to visit about the remarkable experience they were
riders reported that they started their tour on May 12th and planned to
the 28th of June. Their 'destination is Boston where they will dip their
in the Atlantic Ocean. Wednesday's trip from Abflene to Topeka was a 105
usually average 85 miles per day.
making the trip is a 67 year old gentleman who doesn't look his age. The
are two nineteen year old high school graduates from Whales, England.
from throughout the United States other participants include riders from
Zealand, and Holland.
Commented that the seven week trip cost $5,300. "That includes all
lodglng, breakfast and dinner. We usually are on our own for lunch and
additional purchases. We'll probably end up spending from $6,000 to
trip," he added.
riders reported that Kansas drivers are the most courteous - seriously[
the people in Kansas were the friendliest they experienced anywhere.
stayed in McPherson we went downtown to a laundromat to wash our
man from New York commented. '~rhere were a couple of elderly ladies
doing their wash, and we had a great visit with them. While my clothes
sat down and started writing in my journal. When I finished writing I
one of the ladies had taken my clothes out of the dryer and already folded
Said a young man from New York.
on what a glorious sight is was when they rode from Oklahoma into
through wheat fields as far as they could see. "It was fantastic. Everyone
!ng America the Beautiful. We especially enjoyed the part about the amber
added.
Kansas the bicycle riders travel through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
New York, and onto Massachusetts.
ducted by Cross Roads Cycling Adventures located in Newington,
website is www.crossroadscycling.com.
NAMED FOR 2002-2003
Im&R
Hers will share nearly $40,000 in scholarship
Kansas 4-H Foundation.
the Emerald Circle Scholarship and Awards
on June 6, the educational awards
to the organization.
an important opportunity to support
and alumni," said Bill Riley, Foundation
are fortunate to have 4-H donors who support 4-
the opportunities it provided to them."
individual orfamily donors endowed funds for
the Foundation.
pleased to welcome donors who may not have
experience of 4-H membership," Riley said.
effectiveness of 4-H in their community and
we have some scholarship donors say that it
help young people realize their potential. "
4-H scholarship recipients for the 2002-
were Tony Foster, Winter Family Grants;
N.T. Veatch.
2002 F JBRALD
CIRCLE BANQUET
STATE PROJECT
WINNERS
ANNOUNCED
After months of visualizing
success, 30 4-Hers realized
the payoff of their efforts as
they earned top project honors
in endeavors ranging from
public speaking to photogra-
phy and dah3ring to geology.
• to set goals is an
important step in the master-
ing of project skills demon-
strated by our state winners,"
cont. to back page, col 3
KANSAS SCENIC BYWAYS GIVES
PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO
K-99/K-4 SIGNING PROJECT
After months of completing forms, and nearly two years of
waiting for results, members of the Alma Chamber of
Commerce received notice that the K-99/K-4 Highway Signing
Project had met preliminary approval. In fact, the Kansas
Scenic Byways Committee gave preliminary approval to three
local groups working to earn scenic byway designation for
routes dn or near their respective communities.
The proposed routes are: K-4/K-99 from 1-70 south to K-177
in the Flint Hills of Wabaunsee County through Alma and to
AIta Vista, K-147/K-4 and US 283 in Trego and Ness
Counties showcasing the Smoky Hill River VaUey and the
Cedar Bluff Reservoir, and K-4, K-156, 60th Avenue SE, K-
19, 95th Avenue and 4th Street Road in Barton, Stafford and
Reno Counties focusing on Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
and Cheyenne Bottoms.
The Kansas Scenic Byways Program is designed to designate
routes of uniformly high scenic quality in the state for the
viewing enjoyment of residents and visitors. This program, in
its ninth year, is a grassroots-based endeavor administered
under public-private partnership of the Kansas Department of
Transportation and Bucher, Willis & Ratliff Corporation.
The program seeks to identify and designate scenic byways
through a multi-step process. The first step of the process is
completion of an application with map by the local nominating
group. The second step, recently completed by the three
nominees, is mile-by-mile evaluation of the scenic quality of
the routes. The Kansas Scenic Byways Committee reviews the
evaluations prior to giving the go-ahead for the third step in
the process. The third step, conducted by the local
nominating group, is completion of a corridor management
plan that provides a written summary of the activities the local
group plans to carry out to preserve, enhance and promote the
route once it receives scenic byway designation.
Once a route becomes a Kansas Scenic Byway, the route is
nbted as such on the state transportat/on map, s/sns are
erected, byway brochures are developed, and the byway is
included in the state promotional activity. In addition, the
designated byway becomes eligible to apply for grants for the
National Scenic Byway Program administered by the Federal
Highway Administration via the Kansas Department of
Transportation.
Richard Ross, Chief Landscape Architect and State Scenic
Byway Coordinator at the Kansas Department of
Transportation, notes, "We look forward to recognizing more of
the scenic beauty of our state by adding these byways to our
state byway program."
KANSAS SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS
TAX APPEALS ISSUE FOR
LIETZ
The Supreme Court of the State of Kansas ruled on a case
between Wabaunsee County and Lletz Construction Company,
Paxico, which will continue to provide tax exemption status for
Lietz's soll conservation equipment. Ruling on that case was
filed Friday, May 31st.
In February, 2000, Merle and Nora Lietz filed an application
for tax exemption with the Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA). The
initial request for exemption had been filed with Wabaunsee
County Appraiser Bobby Miller, where the property Is
principally located.
Lietz Construction indicated all of their equipment is used in
their business as a soil conservation contractor doing work for
farmers and ranchers as well as any other dirt work. They
also indicated that no other individuals or organizations use
their equipment. The Lietzs argued their case based upon a
similar exemption that had been granted to a Jefferson County
soil contractor in June, 1999.
Bobby Miller reviewed the Lietz's application but
recommended against exemption because the property was also
used for commercial purposes.
In August, 2000, BOTA sought further information from Lietz
Construction concerning the use of their equipment. In a letter
dated September 13, Lietz Construction responded that they
are a soil conservation contractor and their equipment is used
75 - 80 percentof the time for the purpose of doing work for
area farmers.
In February, 2001, the Board of Tax Appeals ruled that the
subject property is actually and regularly used as farm
equipment. They concluded that the Lietzs satisfied the
conditions requiring tax exemption. Wabaunsee County
petitioned BOTA asking them to reconsider their decision.
BOTA denied the motion on March 13, 2001. On appeal,
Wabaunsee County challenged BOTA's legal determination that
earth-moving equipment, such as bulldozers, scrapers, road
graders, and excavators used In soll conservation work for
farmers, may qualify for ad valorem tax exemption.
That appeal resulted in the case advancing to the State
Supreme Court. The Supreme Court upheld BOTA's position
and that ruling was handed down May 3 I, 2002.
cont. to back page, col. 1