Officials taking neighborly position on rail trail deal
Commissioners fear ‘stepping on Miami County’s toes’
By CLEON RICKEL, Herald Senior Writer
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County commissioners have decided they’ll take a hike when it comes to the proposed Flint Hills Trail.
Commissioner Don Stottlemire urged fellow commissioners Monday not to respond to an offer by the Kanza Rail Trails Conservancy concerning a bond for the trail in Franklin County.
Miami County is embroiled in a court suit involving the Kanza group concerning that county’s bond.
“I think we’re stepping on Miami County’s toes,” Stottlemire said. “They’re our neighbors.”
To accept any amount from the Kanza group before there’s a judicial decision would undercut Miami County’s position, he said.
Miami County demanded that the Kanza group post a bond of $76,100 for the part of the trail in that county, Lisa Johnson, interim county administrator, said.
That ended up in court but the judge ordered the two sides to go into mediation.
Miami County cut their demand by half but the trail group wouldn’t budge. The mediation broke down and the case ended back up in court, Stottlemire said.
Kanza, which seeks to create a the Flint Hills Trail along abandoned Missouri Pacific right-of-way between Council Grove and Osawatomie, has offered a bond of $200 per mile of completed trail or trail under development in Franklin County, Johnson said.
Given the mileage of the right-of-way in Franklin County, that would eventually reach about $5,000, she said.
The bond would be a “security bond,” designed to ensure that fences, benches, signs and other features would be properly maintained, she said.
According to a report filed by the group, slightly more than four miles have been completed or are being developed in Franklin County, she said.
The commission and Kanza officials have sporadically discussed and argued the trail for about two years.
Marion County accepted a bond of $500 and Shawnee County accepted a bond of $3,000, she said.
Commissioners appeared in no hurry to respond to the Kanza offer.
“I would like to see what happens in Miami County,” Commissioner Roy Dunn said.
“We’ve waited this long already,” Commissioner Ed Taylor said. “It’s winter.”
Johnson said she would check with Miami County authorities to review the status of the lawsuit.
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