COMMISSIONERS PROCEEDINGS
MARCH 30, 2020

 

Agenda:          9:00 AM                                  COVID-19

 

The Board of County Commissioners met in special session with Commissioners Tron Stegman and Pat Hall present. Also present were; Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk; via zoom.com; Joe Thompson, County Commissioner; Paul Kitzke, County Attorney; RoGlenda Coulter, Hugoton Hermes; Paula Rowden, Community Health.  Tron called the meeting to order.

 

This session was public by way of www.zoom.com conference to comply with state regulations. There were several people in attendance on the line:  Jayme Muncy, Alisha Owens, Amy Rich, Kenneth Sullivan, Ricky Tharp, Rodney Kelling, Tony Martin, Kelsee Burnett and several others.

 

Those who attended in person were:  Sheriff Ted Heaton, Susan Schulte (PIO), Thea Schnittker and Ross Sullivan.

 

Tron asked Paula to give an update on the virus situation.  Paula said exposure is the key and staying home is pertinent except for essential business or gain.  Entering into a building where someone had been and has tested positive isn’t the concern, the concern is when a person is within six (6) feet of a person for an amount of ten (10) minutes or longer.

 

Discussion about essential employees within the county was brought up.  Thea said the Register of Deeds office is essential at this time and they need to allow people to enter to do research.  She said they are escorting a person who has made an appointment with their office and will do screening on the individual.  Joe said he felt like there are offices that will not have essential work that can wait the two weeks during this stay at home order.

 

Paula said essential businesses are those that are needed to keep the community going such as grocery stores, physicians, county employees, city employees, restaurants and banks because all of those have an essential role to keep utilities on, food available and regular daily activities to keep communities running.  She suggested if an office is going to allow someone inside the building, they need to write up a protocol of what can be done to protect the employee and the individual.

 

Tron said the department heads will need to discuss and decide what is essential at this time and bring those ideas up at the next meeting on Wednesday.

 

Paul Kitzke stated title search is essential because there are dates when items are due and they have to coordinate with the Clerk of the District Court to make sure there are no judgements or liens on properties that need to be recorded.

 

Kelsee Burnett, Clerk of the District Court said no public access is allowed in that office.  She stated if someone is looking for certain documents or court orders/proceedings she can do the search and e-mail, fax or send copies to whoever is needing them.

 

Alisha Owens with the Hugoton Chamber of Commerce informed that she has her work phone transferred to her home/cell and is working from home.

 

Amy Jo Tharp inquired with the commissioners how they are going to handle pay for employees who voluntarily stay home and those who are sent home by their supervisor. Pat Hall said his concern with paying employees who are home is that some employees will find it unfair to have to work, while others stay at home.

 

Kelsee said the State is paying administrative leave pay to the district court office staff, regardless, because it’s already worked into the budget so there is no money lost there.

 

Tron said they would discuss more on employee pay at Wednesday’s special meeting.

 

By motion, the Board adjourned.

 

Attest: Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk

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Tron Stegman, Chairman