COMMISSIONERS PROCEEDINGS
AUGUST 19, 2019
Agenda: 8:30 – Bills
9:00 – Phillip Willis – Landfill
9:30 – Tony Martin – Road & Bridge
The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session. Also present were Paul Kitzke, County Attorney; Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk and Ruthie Winget with the Hugoton Hermes. Tron called the meeting to order. Pat moved to approve the minutes of the last meeting. Joe seconded. Motion carried. Joe moved to approve the county vouchers. Pat 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 | $ 73,897.27 |
| Road & Bridge | $ 235,124.12 |
| Airport | $ 1,661.55 |
| Noxious Weed | $ 3,394.36 |
| EMS | $ 6,117.75 |
| Fire | $ 2,606.09 |
| Community Health | $ 28,933.37 |
| Sheriff | $ 37,273.64 |
| Employee P/R Misc W/H | $ 69.16 |
| Airport Grant | $ 514.00 |
| Diversion | $ 148.50 |
| 911 Wireless | $ 111.78 |
| Alcohol Treatment | $ 250.00 |
| $ 390,101.59 |
Joe Thompson asked Paul Kitzke to get statutes on how to reorganize airport boards to comply with auditing and accounting procedures but still leave the board in control.
Discussion was brought up to have Gilmore Solutions take care of the county courthouse phone system and it was decided to wait at this time.
The commissioners discussed having Ross Sullivan (courthouse maintenance) train on the courthouse heat and air system so he could run the program if Susan is gone and something goes wrong.
The commissioners asked to receive two (2) separate sealed bids. One (1) bid should be for tree removal and the other bid should be for stump removal. They request all sealed bids need to be in the commissioners meeting to be opened by 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 3. They instructed the Hugoton Hermes run the ad in the paper two (2) times.
Philip Willis came in with numbers on the cost of getting permits and the land ready for a new landfill which is approximately $96,000.00. He said it can be done in three (3) stages, one (1) per year. The county owns approximately three hundred (300) acres for the new landfill. Pat asked how much of the current landfill was left to use and how long it will last. Phillip said it took nineteen (19) years for three (3) holes to get full and the landfill still has a fourth (4th) hole yet to be used.
Tron asked if there were any possible issues with the type of land for the landfill and Phillip assured the commissioners that if it was too sandy the bottom of the hole would have clay put in it that comes out of the digging.
Pat made a motion to pursue the landfill expansion in three (3) stages. Joe seconded. Motion carried.
The commissioners decided to have Phillip send anyone that needs to dispose of concrete or needs crushed concrete to the local company that now does that. The county started because no one else did at the time and a company in Stevens county now does concrete.
Pat asked Joe how the airport board meeting went and if they were opposed to having the clerk and treasurer’s office take care of checks and receipts. Joe said the airport board seemed to be in agreement with that motion. The commissioners decided to start that process January 1, 2020 and will have a motion in place closer to that time. Pat asked Joe if a part-time employee at the airport would be as beneficial as a full-time employee. Joe said he wasn’t sure about that because of the employee needing to be on-call at all hours.
Discussion came up about the fire extinguishers in the courthouse and who inspects them. Curtis Crawford with Alert Alarm was doing that and has since turned that job over to CF Services. Amy Jo Tharp was instructed to look into any contract for CF Services to make sure the extinguishers will be routinely inspected.
Rodney Kelling came in and told the commissioners he is working with the Hugoton Police Department and the Stevens County Hospital on new radios in hopes of receiving a volume discount. Right now, the estimated cost is $55,000.00. He said the entities are going to work together to try and get some help funding from the Foundation and Parsons Trust. The antenna and the top and a cable will need to be changed as well to help with some of the issues of bad reception. Snyder will not take trade-ins but will help with ideas for selling the current radios.
Rodney said a demo ambulance was brought in for him to look at and it’s an F-50, four (4) wheel drive, diesel with an approximate selling price of $220,000.00. Rodney said he could probably find one at a more reasonable cost. He said the freightliner would go to Moscow. He also told the commissioners it has over 200,000 miles and is twenty-six (26) years old. Pat asked what would become of Moscow’s current ambulance and Rodney told him he could get a $1,000.00 trade-in on it and Pat suggested it be bid out to see if more could be brought in on it.
The commissioners inquired about the volunteers for EMS and the fire department. Rodney said right now the only EMT classes are in Garden City two (2) times a week for four (4) months. Not very many people are willing to make that drive. He said many people want to be on the fire department they just don’t want to put the work in.
Tony Martin with Road and Bridge came in and said they have finished the three (3) miles on the Sunbelt Feeders road. He told the commissioners the 2013 road grader went down and it’s another broken transmission. Tony said the warranty ran out on hours but not years and he has a deal with Murphy and John Deere where the county will pay one third (1/3) of the repair cost.
Tony said they are now working on dirt roads and playing catch up before corn harvest. He said the culvert on 6th street will hopefully be started next month. Joe asked what that normally runs. Tony said the cost of supplies and labor is around $2,500 per culvert.
Joe expressed his feelings about wanting to do something for the county instead of cutting budgets and being a naysayer. He said after speaking with some younger people, he feels it would be beneficial for the citizens and a nice change if there would be a walking area around Lake Russell with some benches. Pat said the water is just run off from the city and is not good. Joe asked if there was a way to clean the water enough to make it nice not necessarily nice for swimming.
Sheriff Ted Heaton came in and Joe asked if he received any information from the KACP on coroner issues. Ted said he has not received that e-mail but would look into it. Joe said the SW Kansas area is looking for ways to get a forensic coroner in the area to hopefully, cut costs on expenses instead of transporting to Kansas City. Ted said he would be in agreement if the coroner could be used as an expert witness at trials.
The commissioners questioned Ted and Paul about the work that Cimarron Basin does for the community and if giving $4,000.00 to $5,000.00 should be considered to help. Paul and Ted both stated the work they do is greatly appreciated and Bobby Bonner is a great asset to the Cimarron Basin group. Paul did inform the commissioners the state is supposed to be funding them, but he isn’t sure if it is enough for costs. Joe said Seward County gave $65,000.00 to Cimarron Basin and instructed Amy Jo Tharp to find out if it was a one (1) time appropriation or if it is ongoing.
Discussion came up about the Wellness Center’s computer issues and cameras. There are many contributing factors for the issues and Amy Jo Tharp is instructed to contact Gilmore Solutions to see if they got anywhere with the Wellness Center’s issues and what needs to be done to get it running smoothly.
More discussion came about to give county employees a discount to the Wellness Center and beautifying the pond area.
By motion, the Board adjourned.
Attest: Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk
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Tron Stegman, Chairman