The Board of County Commissioners met in regular
session at 9:30 a.m. with all members and the County Clerk present.
Marty Long made the motion to approve the
minutes and the claims against the various funds of the county. Madison Traster
seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Tom Kramer, Road Department Administrator, and
Mike Olson, Kirkham Michael, presented information on the proposed roadwork on
Stubb’s Road during the public forum portion of the meeting. The commissioners
agreed the road should be upgraded for the future benefit of the county. The
commissioners authorized Mr. Kramer to purchase 66” culverts at a reduced rate
if it meets the standards of Kirkham Michael.
Carl Higgs made the motion to appoint Madison
Traster as chairman of the commissioners for 2006. Marty Long seconded the
motion and it passed unanimously.
Marty Long made the motion to approve Items 2 –
15 on the organizational agenda. Carl Higgs seconded the motion and it passed
unanimously. The organizational agenda follows:
1. Elect Chairman
2. Select Meeting Dates and Times for the Year
a.
1st Tuesday of month – 9:00 a.m.
b.
3rd Tuesday of month – 9:30 a.m.
3. Designate Official Depositories
a.
Grant County Bank
b.
Western State Bank
c.
Bank of Ulysses
4. Designate Official Newspaper – Ulysses News
5. Give Treasurer the Authority to Invest County
Funds to the Best Interest of the County
6. Appoint
Clerk Chief Purchasing Agent, Federal & State Withholding Tax Agent, Social
Security Agent, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System Agent and Insurance
Agent for the County, Public Information Officer, Freedom of Information
Officer, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator.
7. Appoint Tom Kramer Road and Bridge Administrator
8. Appoint Ramon Clinesmith as Noxious Weed Director
9. Appoint David Wagner as Transfer Station Manager
10. Appoint Nancy Ramski as Civic Center Building and
Grounds Manager
11. Appoint Sherill Thompson as Health Department
Administrator
12. Appoint Dr. Johnson as County Health Officer.
13. Appoint Don Button as Emergency Management
Coordinator
14. Appoint Jerry Jo Deckert as Emergency Medical
Services Director
15. Appoint John Crosby as Fire Chief
16. Resolve
that mileage be paid at __________. Currently 40 ½ cents per mile when using
personal vehicle for county business (IRS 2006 mileage rate is 44 ½ cents
per mile.)
17. Appoint
the Following Administrative Heads for Approving Claims Against the Various
Funds of the County:
a.
Lance Babcock for Sheriff’s Department and Juvenile Justice
b.
Jerry Jo Deckert for Ambulance Funds
c.
John Crosby for Fire Department Funds
d.
Tom Kramer, Road Department Administrator, for Road & Bridge and
Noxious Weed Funds
e.
David Wagner for Transfer Station Fund
f.
Tom Fuhrmann, Appraiser, for Appraiser Fund
g.
Mary K. Sullivan, Register of Deeds Funds
h.
Rita Gee for Treasurer and Treasurer’s Special Funds
i.
Robin Hathaway for Attorney Funds
j.
Don Button for Emergency Management Funds
k.
Sherill Thompson for Health Department Funds
l.
Nancy Ramski for Park Maintenance
m.
Chairman of the Airport Board for Airport Funds
n.
Linda McHenry for all Other Funds
18. Appoint
a commissioner to serve as Grant County’s representative to weather
modification.
19. Make Board Appointments.
a.
Hospital Board – Steve Alford is up.
b.
Care Home Board – Larry Rumburg and Kent Carmichael are up
c.
Board on Aging – Jim Anderson and Josephine Taul are up. They cannot
serve again. Larry Bortz and Betty Warner have been suggested as possible
appointees.
d.
Fair Board –Daron Cowan, Kevin Shapland, Katrina Benyshek, Terri
Trotman, Dennis Deyoe, and Tony Cavasos.
e.
Mental Health Representatives –Larry Rumburg & ??.
20.
Review Redistricting Maps
Carl Higgs made the motion to leave the mileage
reimbursement rate at 40 ½ cents/mile when using personal vehicles for county
business and to approve Item 17 of the organizational agenda. Marty Long
seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Carl Higgs made the motion to appoint Marty Long
as the county’s representative to weather modification. Madison Traster
seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Marty Long made the motion to make the following
board appointments: Reappoint Steve Alford to the Hospital Board; Reappoint
Larry Rumburg and Kent Carmichael to the Care Home Board; Appoint Larry Bortz
and Betty Warner to the Board on Aging replacing Jim Anderson and Josephine
Taul whose terms expired; Reappoint Fair Board Members, Daron Cowan, Kevin
Shapland, Katrina Benyshek, Terri Trotman, Dennis Deyoe and Tony Cavasos; and
to appoint Larry Rumburg as a representative to Mental Health. Carl Higgs
seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
The commissioners reviewed redistricting maps. A
decision on redistricting was tabled until the next meeting.
Carl Higgs made the motion to allow the Sheriff
to purchase a GM Tahoe from KHP Partners at a cost not to exceed $23,183.54
plus $500 to Riley Chevrolet to prep the vehicle when it arrives. Marty Long
seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Discussion was held on the temperature in the
Commercial Building, which is being used by recreation for wrestling. Jason
Wood requested that the thermostat be set at 90 degrees in that building while
the wrestlers are using it. The thermostat is normally set at 75 degrees when
the wrestlers are practicing. During their lunch break the commissioners and
clerk went to the commercial building to see how cold it was at that time. It
was chilly outside and the thermostat was set at 65 in the building. The inside
temperature was comfortable. It was the consensus of the commissioners that
since the gas bill at the Commercial Building was over $700 last month it would
be better to leave the thermostat at the 75-degree level.
Loyetta Skeen, Clerk of the District Court,
informed the commissioners that she is going to be having more records
microfilmed starting next month because her storage area is full. She will also
purchase additional storage for the microfilm. Later in the day, Ms. Skeen
reported that the hard drive in the probation officer’s computer quit working.
The commissioners authorized Ms. Skeen to purchase a new computer for that
office.
Robin L. Hathaway, County Attorney, met to
discuss questions the commissioners had regarding dogs at large in the county.
Ms. Hathaway said there is a state law dealing with permitting dangerous dogs
to run at large. She said stray dogs are more of a problem. She said that if
the county is willing to pay the city for dealing with the problem that would
be a good option. The commissioners asked Ms. Hathaway to draft a resolution
similar to the city’s leash law that would apply to the three-mile area around
the city. Ms. Hathaway suggested that a public hearing could be held regarding
the issue.
Linda McHenry, County Clerk, requested approval
to purchase new computers and election equipment for her office. She explained
that her computers are five years old and due to technology advances need to be
replaced. The other equipment will be used to help with the new election
program that was required by the state. Carl Higgs made the motion to approve
the purchase of 4 HP Desktop Computers, monitors, keyboards, backup and
necessary software, a Fujitsu USB Flatbed Scanner, a Dymo Label Writer, and 2
USB Barcode Scanners for the clerk’s office at a cost not to exceed $10,623.00.
Marty Long seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Two of the computers
will be purchased from the clerk budget ($4,174.00) and two computers and the
remaining equipment will be purchased through the election fund ($6,449.00).
The decision was made to have the clerk attend
the luncheon meetings with the various boards and the city so any important
discussions can be documented in the minutes. The commissioners met with the
following from the city for lunch at Park View Assisted Living: Bud Newberry,
City Administrator; and the following council members, Rod Kreie, Ann Papay,
John Duran, Pete Woods, and Scott Malone. General discussion was held on the
Frazier Park Project. A committee will be meeting to make recommendations
regarding the project. Commissioner Traster informed the council that the
county attorney is working on a leash law resolution similar to the city’s that
would affect the three-mile area around the city. He asked if the city would be
able to enforce the resolution if it is passed. Mr. Newberry said he thought
something could be worked out. Discussion was held on the high cost of animal
control.
Pam Gindlesberger and Larry Rumburg, Care Home
Board Members, Billie Upshaw, Care Home Administrator, and Doug Yoder,
Management Consultant, presented preliminary information for a new 60 bed
facility. They reiterated the reasons for building a new facility. It was the
consensus of the commissioners that there was no need to talk to the hospital
board regarding a joint complex due to space restrictions and functionality.
The care home will put together a focus group from within the community to work
toward their plans to build a new building. The commissioners approved the
board’s proposal to have a bond election at the August 1, 2006 Primary
Election. Financing research will be done prior to making final bond election
plans.
David Wagner, Transfer Station Manager,
presented quotes from Dell and Gateway for a new computer. Marty Long made the
motion to approve the purchase of a Dell computer at a cost not to exceed
$1,086.68. Carl Higgs seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mr. Wagner
said he needed two file cabinets at a cost of about $79.00 each and 5 office
chairs. He also asked about hiring part time office help. The commissioners
recommended that he talk to Vivian Button since she is already a part time
employee and has helped at the Transfer Station before.
Tom Kramer, Road Foreman, talked to
the commissioners about purchasing a roller packer. Marty Long made the motion
to approve the purchase of a used Bomag packer at a cost of $42,000 with trade
in of an old packer. Carl Higgs seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Mr. Kramer asked permission to purchase a couple of 48” culverts as well as the
aforementioned 66” culverts if they meet Kirkham Michael standards. The
commissioners authorized Mr. Kramer to go look at the culverts to determine if
they are the quality that is needed for road projects and authorized him to
purchase them if they meet quality standards. Following discussion the
commissioners authorized transferring the noxious weed pickup to the transfer
station. Based on the recommendation of the pay plan committee Carl Higgs made
the motion to approve job description changes within the road department to
include an Operator II/Assistant Road Foreman position with an hourly rate of
$14.00 and a Traffic Control Officer/Road Foreman position with an hourly rate
of $14.25. Marty Long seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Jerry Jo Deckert, EMS Director, and Julie
Fowler, Paramedic, presented an update on that department. Ms. Deckert reported
that were 548 ambulance calls and 99 transfers in 2005. She notified the
commissioners that there would be an Emergency Department Head meeting on
Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. and invited them to attend. She said they will
discuss different issues of the various departments. Ms. Deckert explained that
Ms. Fowler has finished taking her EMT Instructor’s course and to complete her
certification, she is teaching an EMT class. Grant money in the amount of
$10,020.00 will help fund the course.
Marty Long made the motion to adjourn at 4:45.
Carl Higgs seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The commissioners
will meet again in regular session on February 7, 2006.
Linda McHenry, County Clerk Madison
Traster, Chairman