COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
APRIL 10, 2023
Agenda: 8:30 – Bills
9:00 – Glenn Kerbs – Kerbs Lawfirm
9:30 – Patrick Hughes – Adams Jones Law
10:00 – Trish Voth – Foulston Siefkin
10:30 – Dream First Bank
The Board of Stevens County Commissioners met in regular session. Paul Kitzke, County Attorney and Amy Tharp, County Clerk were also present. Pat called the meeting to order. Tron moved to approve the minutes of the last meeting. Joe seconded. Motion carried. Joe moved to approve the county vouchers. Tron seconded. Motion carried. The County Clerk was instructed to draw warrants on the Treasurer chargeable to the various funds of the county for the following amounts:
| General | $ 81,012.88 |
| Judicial District | $ – |
| Road & Bridge | $ 71,135.11 |
| Airport | $ 3,215.91 |
| Library | $ 85,742.50 |
| Noxious Weed | $ 2,875.30 |
| EMS | $ 8,197.88 |
| Fire | $ 13,220.71 |
| Community Health | $ 15,528.49 |
| LATCF | $ – |
| Sheriff | $ 43,260.03 |
| Fire Bequest | $ – |
| Emp P/R Misc W/H | $ 1,100.00 |
| TOTAL: | $ 325,288.81 |
Ted Heaton and TJ Steers came in and stated the KBI is doing an investigation and Ted is waiting for the outcome before he takes any measures.
Pat stated there is a flood program and told Amy Jo to get the county signed up for that insurance.
Rodney Kelling came in and introduced a resolution for the commissioners to sign terminating Stevens County from the local disaster emergency resulting from COVID.
Pat made a motion to accept Resolution 23-03 Terminating the Local Disaster Emergency for Stevens County. Joe seconded. Motion carried.
Rodney said he would like the commissioner’s permission to look for a new command truck and would like to have a special made truck bed box made to be installed on the pickup. Joe agreed and Pat stated not to make it too fancy. Rodney said he is looking for someone to install lights and a radio box on the new pickup when he gets one. Tron asked if the truck bed box can be pulled off and used on another vehicle in the future. Rodney said he did not know but would investigate it. Rodney said he is planning on bidding out the old pickup or trading it in and would like to take the mini tanker at Moscow and the old ambulance out for bids or donate the mini tanker to the museum. Rodney said they had a Black Hills training, and thirty-eight (38) firefighters were in attendance and participated in several simulations which was very beneficial.
Tony Martin came in and said the Road and Bridge department will start their four (4), ten (10) hour days beginning May 1st. Tony said he will be at a Planning and Zoning conference from April 25-27th and a Road and Bridge conference May 14-17th. The Road and Bridge Department has started to get their equipment and asphalt plant ready for when the weather warms up to begin the roadwork. On Sunday, April 9th, Tony said the 911 dispatcher called and said the flashing lights on the Hooker/Moscow Road on 2nd Street (Road 20 and Road D) were off, so Tony contacted the City of Hugoton and Pioneer Electric for repairs. The lights were down from around 8:00PM through 11:00PM. Tony suggested it might be worth looking at getting solar lights there. The flashing light issue was logged with dispatch and KDOT.
Tony said he will be looking at purchasing a new road grader this year as one (1) went down and will cost around $30,000.00 for repairs. The other road graders are pushing over the allotted hours and the Road and Bridge Equipment Fund has enough to cover one (1) grader.
The commissioners invited Trina Young down and presented her with a watch for thirty (30) years of service with the Stevens County Sheriff’s Department. Lupe Don Juan was in attendance.
Cammie Heaton came in and said she was at a governor’s conference when the auditors were down. She stated there is much work to be done with the budget and grants to get a complete record of what is received in grants and spent. Cammie said there are some issues with the Trane system causing some rooms to get too hot while other rooms are cold. She said Ross came in and could not fix the system to change the temperatures on the computer, the commissioners told Cammie to have Ross call Trane and get it fixed and it should not cost as they were there just last year to fix the same issues. Cammie said she is trying to get the community coming back to the health department for vaccines, WIC, general issues instead of just COVID. Cammie also told the commissioners she spoke with some people at other community health departments, and they use a system called Temp Stick for the vaccine monitoring system and they are only $417 each, she and other staff will download an app where they can see the temperatures of the vaccine refrigerators without having to come in or have a monthly fee and is cost effective. Cammie said she has been trying to revalidate the community health department to get Medicare and so far, has hit some brick walls. Cammie said Richard Everett the BT Coordinator is looking at retiring sooner than planned and she feels Anna Rome might be a good potential person for the job if she is interested in it.
The commissioners reviewed an anonymous letter regarding the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.
Joe made a motion to go into executive session over non-elected personnel for ten (10) minutes. Tron seconded. The executive session began at 9:30AM and ended at 9:40AM. No action taken.
Kayla Janko with Cimarron Basin Community Corrections came in and told the commissioners she brought in the Fiscal Year 2024 Comprehensive Plan for Cimarron Basin for signatures approving the plan. The commissioners asked if the amount requested from the county was going up or staying the same. Kayla said the request has no change but would like to discuss assistance with funding the purchase of vehicles. She said the vehicles they currently have are 2011-2014 with many highway miles on them and more money has been used on repairs. The commissioners said they will discuss with the auditors what the county can do to help.
The commissioners discussed the Community Health Department’s deficit and decided to carry the cash basis violation which occurred on fiscal year 2022 and, see how 2023 will look on the budget.
The commissioners discussed the transfers and decided to transfer the total funds from 2022 into the County Equipment Fund for 2023.
Discussion about the AA building and if the county will help with utilities and Pat said the City of Hugoton Council meeting is tonight. The commissioners said they will wait to see if the City of Hugoton will help with utilities before they decide.
The commissioners discussed the property on Optima Road just South of 11th Street in Hugoton stating the property is to be for AG use only and not selling equipment. It was stated the City of Hugoton is not going to deal with it and is up to the county.
Tony Martin came back in and said he received a call from Eric Cox about fill sand. The commissioners and Tony decided fill sand would be $80.00 per load and no hauling by the county.
By motion, the Board adjourned.
Attest: Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk
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Pat Hall, Chairman