The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session at 9:00 a.m. with all members and the County Clerk present.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to nominate Carl Higgs as commission chairman for 2003.  Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to approve the following organizational items:

 

            That commissioner meeting dates and times for 2003 be the first and third Tuesday of each month, and that the first meeting will commence at 9:00 a.m. and the third meeting will start at 9:30 a.m;

 

            To designate the Grant County Bank, the Southwest National Bank, and the Bank of Ulysses as official depositories for the county;

 

            To designate the Ulysses News as the official paper for the county;

 

            To give the County Treasurer the authority to invest county funds to the best interest of the county;

 

            To appoint the County Clerk as Chief Purchasing Agent, Federal & State Withholding Tax Agent, Social Security Agent, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System Agent and Insurance Agent for the county;

 

            To appoint Frank Goldsby as Public Works Administrator;

 

            To appoint Ramon Clinesmith as Noxious Weed Director;

 

            To appoint Dr. Johnson as County Health Officer;

 

            To appoint John Crosby as Fire Chief;

 

            To resolve that mileage be paid at $0.31 per mile when using a personal vehicle for county business;

 

            To appoint the following administrative heads for approving claims against the various funds of the county:

 

a.       Lance Babcock for Sheriff Department and Juvenile Justice

b.      Sean Gooding for Ambulance funds

c.       John Crosby for Fire Department funds

d.      Frank Goldsby for Road Department funds

e.       Ramon Clinesmith for Noxious Weed funds

f.        Ronald Lofland for Transfer Station funds

g.       Brad Welch, for Appraiser funds

h.       Mary K. Sullivan for Register of Deeds funds

i.         Rita Gee for Treasurer funds

j.        Douglas Campbell for County Attorney funds

k.      Don Button for Emergency Management funds

l.         Sherill Thompson for Health Department funds

m.     Nancy Ramski for Park Maintenance and 4-H Building funds

n.       Harold DuPree for Airport funds

o.      Linda McHenry for all other funds;

 

That Gene Schwein remain serving as the county’s representative to weather

modification;

 

That the following board appointments be made:

 

a.       That Teri Christian and Eldon Dirks be reappointed to the Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital Board;

b.      That Larry Rumburg be reappointed to the Western Prairie Care Home Board;

c.       That Jim Anderson and Josephine Taul be reappointed to the Board on Aging;

d.      That Daron Cowan, Kevin Shapland, Ron Smith, Gail Jorgensen, Susan Alexander, and Dennis Deyoe be reappointed to the Fair Board; and

e.       That Arturo Trevino and Larry Rumburg be appointed to serve on the Area Mental Health Board of Directors.

 

Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

Gene Schwein made the motion to approve the minutes of the January 7, 2003 meeting and the claims against the various funds of the county.  Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

            Brad Welch, Appraiser, presented quotes for computers for his office.  Madison Traster made the motion to approve the purchase of Dell computers for the appraiser’s office at a cost not to exceed $3,000 including installation.  Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  There will be a savings of about a thousand dollars over the IBM quote.  Gene Schwein made the motion to approve the purchase of imaging software for the appraiser’s office not to exceed $1,080.  Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

            Representatives from the Grant County Leadership class proposed improvements to the park by the swimming pool.  The commissioners gave their approval for the leadership class to pursue this project with the understanding that the county may not have any funds to help with their plans.

 

            Orville Rodgers, Safety Committee Chairman, and Don Button, Safety Coordinator, attended the meeting.  Gene Schwein made the motion to adopt the safety committee’s risk management safety policy statement.  Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  Mr. Rodgers requested approval to send out a survey to county employees to determine what might be utilized for a wellness program.  The commissioners approved sending a survey to county employees.  Mr. Button gave an update on the emergency management department.

 

            Sherry Thompson, Health Department Administrator, presented her quarterly reports.  She said Douglas Campbell, County Attorney, approved the bioterrorism regionalization agreement, and it has been sent to Stevens County.  Mrs. Thompson also reported that grant criteria for a community development block grant has been sent to Great Plains Development.  Discussion was held on Mrs. Thompson’s prior request to purchase walkie-talkies.  Gene Schwein made the motion to approve the purchase of four16 channel walkie-talkies at a cost not to exceed $3,000 from Snyder Radio with the money coming from bioterrorism grant funds.  Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

            Tom Kramer, Road Foreman, and Frank Goldsby, Public Works Administrator, discussed asphalt projects for 2003.  Approval was given to solicit bids for asphalt work for this year.  Discussion was held on having part time help work at the sand pit to free full time employees for other tasks.  It was the consensus of the commissioners that this be done if it can be justified.

 

            Lance Babcock, Sheriff, presented quotes for a new vehicle for his department.  Gene Schwein made the motion to approve the best bid from Riley Ford not to exceed $22,639.  Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  Sheriff Babcock reported that he has only received one bid on a shower for the jail.  He will try to get at least one more bid for this.  Sheriff Babcock showed a letter from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation stating that in 2004, they will start charging the county for using the bureau’s computer information.  This includes driver’s license checks, outstanding warrants, etc.

 

            Madison Traster made the motion to adopt number four on the list of seals with the wording official seal of Grant County wrapping around the logo.  Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  (The seal will be round in shape instead of oval.)

 

            Julia Meier talked to the commissioners about a four-month delay she had in getting approval from the county’s health insurance carrier for knee injections.  The decision was made to send a letter to EPOCH requesting that the injections be considered in 2002 charges.

 

            Madison Traster made the motion to adopt the Grant County Bus Operation Policy.  Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to approve a 1.50% cost of living increase to full and part time county employees.  The cost of living increase will be applied to the rates of employees who started working full time for the county in 2002 at their anniversary date.  Consideration is being given to bonus pay of .25% based on employee performance evaluations at the end of the year providing there are adequate funds in the various budgets for this.  Elected officials, excluding the commissioners, will receive a 1.75% cost of living increase since they will not be considered for bonus pay at the end of the year.  Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  A copy of the approved increases is attached as a part of this record.

 

            The commissioners adjourned to meet again in regular session on February 4, 2003.

 

 

Linda McHenry, County Clerk                                      Carl Higgs, Chairman