COMMISSIONERS PROCEEDINGS
JANUARY 21, 2019
Agenda: 8:30 – Bills
9:00 – Open
9:30 – Tony Martin with Kim Harper & Keith Rome – Non-profit gas line
10:00 – Brendan Geisick with Gilmore Solutions – Contract
10:30 – Open
The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session with Tron Stegman and Joe D. Thompson present. Also present were Paul Kitzke, County Attorney; Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk and RoGlenda Coulter with the Hugoton Hermes. Tron called the meeting to order. Joe moved to approve the minutes of the last meeting. Tron seconded. Motion carried. Joe moved to approve the county vouchers. Tron seconded. Motion carried. The Clerk was instructed to draw warrants on the Treasurer chargeable to the various funds of the county for the following amounts:
| General | $ 209,765.17 |
| Road & Bridge | $ 138,816.62 |
| Airport | $ 1,661.55 |
| Fair Appropriation | $ 44,350.00 |
| Noxious Weed | $ 3,763.69 |
| EMS | $ 6,989.73 |
| Fire | $ 4,608.74 |
| Insurance Agency | $ 134,731.00 |
| Community Health | $ 19,714.92 |
| Diversion | $ 283.59 |
| Sheriff | $ 37,539.16 |
| Employee P/R Misc W/H | $ 40.72 |
| 911 | $ 109.22 |
| Services for the Elderly | $ 90,907.50 |
| Employee Benefits | $ 54,181.00 |
| Extension | $ 70,000.00 |
| Library Appropriations | $ 75,060.00 |
| Library Emp Benefits | $ 28,106.50 |
| Alcohol Diversion Fund | $ 250.00 |
| Airport Grants | $ 71,608.04 |
| $ 992,487.15 |
Joe Thompson made a motion to accept Wally Beesley on the Foundation Board when Greg Bond turns in his resignation (Greg moved out of county). Tron seconded. Motion carried.
Rodney Kelling came in and told the commissioners he is interested in a seven (7) county task force for wild land fires with the surrounding counties: Morton, Stevens, Stanton, Grant, Kearney, Haskell and Hamilton. This would eliminate one (1) county using all of their fire trucks for a wild grass fire and leaving the rest of their county unattended. Surrounding counties would come in with a truck and some firefighters to assist, if they can be spared. He said right now it is just being conversed and not set into motion. He wanted to let the commissioners know that a meeting will be in Ulysses on the 31st of January if they want to attend to hear more about this task force agreement. Paul Kitzke told Rodney to send him a copy of any agreement for review before it is signed.
Paul gave the commissioners papers for review on county land up for bid.
Tony Martin with Road and Bridge was in attendance.
Kim Harper and Keith Rome came in to discuss a non-profit gas line for farmers on the western side of Stevens County. These farmers are having issues getting a good and secure source of gas for operations. Keith said they spoke with Tony about some of the roads they would have to cross or easements being encroached. He said Tony confirmed some of the roads are not being used and most are two-track roads. They understand the county requires concrete caps and encased in steel. They would like to know if that can be modified, if the contractor can go deeper, if they could use polly instead of steel and if it would still need to be capped with concrete.
Tony said Black Hills have their lines seven feet (7’) deep with concrete cap, but will have more pressure on it than what Kim and Keith are going for. Kim said the largest the line will be is three inches (3”) and most of the line is only two inch (2”) line.
Tony said he would like them cased because if it blows it will reduce the blow to outside the roadway so no roads have to be closed down for repairs. Tony told the commissioners that as long as the line is cased with polly and is deeper in the ground, he would consider their gas line crossing some roadways.
Joe told Kim and Keith he would like to see all the property owners give right of way to the line instead of them relying solely on the county easements and roads.
Tony asked Kim if their line would be on the “One-Call” list and was reassured it would be.
Paul told Keith and Kim to get all of the paperwork done with land owners and bring it in so there can be one easement instead of multiple.
Elaine Rowden came in and discussed the Wellness Center’s computer issues that have happened recently. She said the computer technician that originally set up the software and programming had been fired. Most of the setup was done incorrectly and has caused problems, not only with her system but other business’s as well. She had to call Curtis Crawford with Alert Alarm to come in and work with the software company to get the system up and running again. Paul told Elaine to send the e-mails and information to him in reference to the system failure being part of the IT company’s issue. Because it was done wrong and they should help pay some of the costs to get it straightened out.
Tony Martin said he will be attending a Southwest Kansas Highway Official meeting in Garden City on February 14th for discussions on road openings and closings. He feels it would benefit him to gain some more information on these issues and be more informed on the legalities.
Tony told the commissioners that two (2) of his guys are down due to medical reasons. He does not know when they will be able to return to work so they will probably need some time donated to them.
Joe asked if the road issue south of town has been discussed any further and if there is any outcome to what Tony found out. Tony said at this time the county will not have to create a road. He told the owners to put up signs stating “Private Drive” and “No Trespassing.”
Tony told the commissioners that to date, the county has acquired 250 loads of dirt from the construction of the Casey’s convenience store at the south end of Main.
Brendan Geisick with Gilmore Solutions came in with two (2) different contracts to be signed, contingent on which contract the commissioners approved for the IT contract. One contract was inclusive of all the departments the county pays for IT support (courthouse and Community Health) and the other contract will include the Wellness Center’s computers as well. The commissioners had Paul Kitzke go over the contracts while they discussed the importance of security and IT help for not just the courthouse and Community Health but to include the Wellness Center.
Joe made a motion to accept the contract of $4,250.00 per month which includes the Wellness Center. Tron seconded. Motion carried.
Paula Rowden came in to express her thanks on her behalf and her employees for the increase in pay. She also informed the commissioners the Opioid grant was given with an amount of $60,000.00 which will be divided up for hospital, extension, USD 210 and the Community Health department in support of education on opioids.
Paula told the commissioners the coalition grant of $5,000.00 was given for feasibility of cost, rating and adding additional infrastructures to help the Community Health department not have to use county or local funding.
Paula said she had approximately $18,000.00 left in 2018 funds and would like to encumber $2,000.00 to pay for tree trimming that needs to be taken care of. She also stated the back of the building needs to have some repairs done because the rain tends to leak inside. The commissioners told Paula they would take her encumbrance letter and discuss it later when they are ready to entertain encumbrances.
Joe told Paula to get an estimate to repair the back of the building and if it’s over $5,000.00 then she would need to get at least two (2) bids. He informed her she wouldn’t need to encumber funds for the repairs as it is building and would come out of the building fund.
Amy Tharp informed the commissioners the Library had sent a letter stating Rhonda Ray has served her four (4) year term on the board and it will be up in April of this year. The Library has requested to have Rhonda Ray serve another four (4) year term on the board.
Joe made a motion to accept Rhonda Ray on the Library Board for another four (4) year term beginning April, 2019. Tron seconded, motion carried.
Vernon Anderson left the commissioners with a letter requesting reimbursement with the 2018 left over funds for a computer he purchased to do his Planning and Zoning work for the county. The commissioners directed Amy Tharp to reimburse Vernon for his computer contingent upon an encumbrance letter.
Tron instructed Amy Tharp to inform the county departments to have their encumbrance letters to her or the commissioners by February 4th, 2019.
The commissioners are also requesting 2020 budgets due to the County Clerk by the April 1, 2019 commissioner meeting so they have at least two (2) meetings to discuss budgets before they are due to the auditors on May 1, 2019.
Abatement Orders for tax year 2018, number 100-109, were reviewed and approved by commissioners and given to the County Treasurer; total value removed is 52,753 and relief assessment is $7,826.41.
By motion, the Board adjourned.
Attest: Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk
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Tron Stegman, Chairman