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By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer

Cowley County officials Tuesday afternoon said they anticipate a proposed "island" annexation for a new Arkansas City hospital on 168 acres of land two and a half miles north of town will be approved.

But the devil's in the details.

"I want a plan and I think it behooves us to have one," said County Commissioner Gary Wilson. "I'm not against the hospital; I'm for it. But we need to hammer out an agreement that's good for everyone and then we'll buy off on it."

At its regular meeting Tuesday morning, county commissioners delayed a vote on the annexation proposal, saying they needed more information before they approve it.

Curt Freeland, Arkansas City city manager, said today he anticipates the annexation will be approved soon.

"The county has 30 days to consider the matter before they make decision," Freeland said today. "They look at by two criteria: Does this impede the development of any other incorporated area; and two, does the annexation in any way create a problem for growth in the area.

"I anticipate they'll weigh those two criteria and my sense at the meeting is they did not wish to impede of the new hospital (project)."

The general feeling of the county commission is that they were excited to see this development for Arkansas City, because it's good for the entire county, said Leroy Alsup, county administrator. "They were supportive of the hospital project."

But before the annexation is approved, several details must be examined, Alsup added.

They include: the effect of increased traffic on U.S. 77 near the hospital site; road maintenance costs on 242nd Road, the main access road from U.S. 77 west to the hospital site, and on 61st Road, the old Highway 77 that leads to the site; if and how cost should be shared between the City of Arkansas City and the county; and issues related to extending utilities from Ark City to the site.

"Storm water drainage, road development -- how those will be handled and who will pay for them," Alsup said. "Those details need to be worked out."

Alsup said the county engineer and his staff probably would meet with City of Arkansas City to look at some of the issues involving the annexation.

"We need enough information to figure out what obligations the county has and what the cost of those would be," said Dale Steward, county engineer.

Steward said it looks as though there would be increased traffic on 61st Road, and at some point that road would have to be rehabilitated, repaved or reconstructed.

"It has old construction joints every so many hundred feet," he said. "It makes for a kind of unpleasant ride."

Safety issues brought up at the meeting by Col. Mike Lind also should be examined, Steward said.

"I think Col. Lind brought up some points we all need to think about," he said. "As increased traffic pulls up to 242nd where it crosses the highway, you have to cross high-speed traffic, and there also are concerns on west end (where 242nd intersects 61st Road). It's a blind intersection with some trees."