Dear Editor:

Scranton Township needs three individuals to fill its township board positions. Due to one of its members moving to Topeka, the board has been operating with two members for about a year now. The current board members have been serving for a number of years and due to personal circumstances, presented their letters of resignation to the Osage County commissioners three months in advance of their departure date which will be Jan. 1, 2018. Both members want to emphasize their departure is not due to any internal or external conflicts, pressures or disagreements.

Treasurer Ed Hug has served for 19 years, and trustee Paul Schmidt has served for 16 years.  Scranton Township is in solid financial shape with no debt or deficits.  The maintainer and operator, David Wangler, is doing an excellent job maintaining our roads and equipment within the budget and materials he is given to work with.

Any individual of age residing within the Scranton Township area including the city of Scranton is eligible to run or be appointed as a township board member.  The Scranton township, one of sixteen in Osage County, generally covers the boundaries between Indian Hills Road to the west and Lewelling Road to the east and 114th Street to the north and 181st Street to the south.

The positions available are: Township trustee, township treasurer, and township clerk. The term of office is four years. While it is an elected position, in the past, Scranton Township positions have been uncontested, with volunteers being appointed at various times or written in at election times.

The charge of the township board is to oversee the approximate 36 miles of gravel roads and right-of-ways within the township, ensure road maintenance and safety, direct and coordinate with the township road maintainer operator in road grading, small culvert maintenance, snow removal, and assorted duties associated with the roads and right-of-ways including brush and debris removal as well as assorted signage installation and maintenance. Accurate and timely bookkeeping, budgetary duties, bill payment, payroll, and paperwork submission is also required, usually on a monthly basis in cooperation with Osage County and other governmental agencies associated with roads and bridges.

Individuals interesting in serving the Scranton Township community as a board member may call Paul Schmidt, Scranton Township trustee, at 785-793-2149, or Osage County Clerk Rhonda Beets at 785-828-4812.

Sincerely,
Paul Schmidt