COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
SEPTEMBER 9, 2024
Agenda: 8:30 – Cammie Heaton – Comm. Health
8:45 – Bills
9:00 –
9:15 –
9:30 – Tony Martin
9:45 –
10:00 –
10:30 –
The Board of Stevens County Commissioners met in a regular session. Paul Kitzke, County Attorney and Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk were also present. Tron called the meeting to order. Pat moved to approve minutes from the last meeting. Joe seconded. Motion carried. Joe moved to approve the county vouchers. Pat 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 | $ 78,379.30 |
| Co. Building | $ 1,803.88 |
| Judicial District | $ 3,118.01 |
| Road & Bridge | $ 165,900.66 |
| Airport | $ 2,916.24 |
| Alcohol Treatment Fund | $ 1,894.56 |
| 911 Wireless | $ – |
| Spec Law Enforcement | $ 10.00 |
| Noxious Weed | $ 4,812.66 |
| EMS | $ 9,446.67 |
| Fire | $ 3,697.51 |
| Community Health | $ 31,025.03 |
| Comm Hlth Grants | $ 514.97 |
| Sheriff | $ 46,600.66 |
| Reg of Deed Tech | $ 333.00 |
| TOTAL: | $ 350,453.15 |
Shannon Crawford was present to observe the meeting.
Amy Jo Tharp presented the commissioners with a letter on county letterhead for the chairman, Tron Stegman, to sign. This letter is stating the Stevens County Hospital is owned and operated by Stevens County and deals with Medicare payments.
Amy Jo gave a copy of a signed invoice to the commissioners from the wellness center for vents which were installed and asked if the bill should be paid out of the building fund. The commissioners discussed the bill and checked on the purchasing policy for the county. They stated they should have received a request for the work with an estimate before work was done, as it is above the $500.00 threshold and outside of normal purchases for the department. Amy Jo said she spoke with Ross this morning on the bill, and he was unaware the work had been approved and stated he only knew of the estimate but would be unable to attend the meeting to inform the commissioners to get approval. Ross also stated he did not sign off on the bill as he had not even seen it yet. The commissioners agreed to pay the bill out of the building fund but stated the next time it will come out of the department’s budget. Amy Jo also showed a bill to the commissioners for A/C repair at the EMT building and it was approved to come out of the building fund as they were aware there were A/C issues and understood the estimated costs.
Amy Jo informed the commissioners Unifirst, the company that furnishes rugs and towels to the courthouse, has dropped off a renewal contract. She is under the impression the county did not want to stay in the contract and want to purchase their own rugs and towels with the building maintenance supervisor overseeing it. The commissioners agreed not to renew the contract with Unifirst, and the maintenance supervisor will need to purchase rugs and towels.
Tron told Amy Jo the wellness center will be turning in deposits on a biweekly basis so their expenditures will match their receipts. Amy Jo informed Tron the other issue is getting signed invoices in time to be paid and stated she instructed Jordan to only tell the department heads when she needs bills as a reminder, and after that not to pay any bills not turned in on time.
Walter Beesley came in and told the commissioners the property he had previously received permission to sell, in which the commissioners have first right of refusal, cannot be sold until they relinquish their first right of refusal due to the underwriter’s request. Tron stated if something is built on the property it eliminates the commissioners as having the first right of refusal. Paul asked the commissioners if the county is even interested in keeping the property or to allow the property to go and take off their first right of refusal.
This pertains to the property located at:
Lot Six (6) Block Three (3) of the duly filed corrected Plat of the Stevens County Industrial Addition Plat filed in Book Four (4) of Plats Page Seventeen (17) on March 23, 1999, Stevens County Register of Deeds.
Pat made a motion stating any previous decisions on the above-mentioned property is declined and the county relinquishes the first right of refusal. Joe seconded. Motion carried.
Thea Schnittker, the Deputy Register of Deeds came in and reported to the commissioners with the wind and solar companies coming in, she and Betty have more than tripled the copy work they usually do. Thea stated normally they make around 6,590 copies a year and in July and August of this year, they had made 21,777 copies. Thea asked if Betty could receive some compensation for the “unusual & excessive” time and hours spent on copies (just for the duration excessive copies are being made). Thea stated she and Betty have been in the office on the weekends working fourteen (14) hours between the two of them to get copies completed within the timeframe the requests must be filled by. The concern for herself is not being able to utilize comp time due to putting in so many hours. Joe asked if hiring a temporary person to help would be beneficial and Thea stated there would be too much training needed which is not practical as there is no time to train a new person. The commissioners agreed to compensate both Thea and Betty for their time for the extra work. The commissioners will discuss with Amy Rich to see the best way to go about compensation so no issues will arise with payroll policies.
Tony Martin, Stacey Wood, and Darren Heger were in attendance.
Tony presented the commissioners with two (2) crossing permits from Pioneer Communications to be signed. Tony said the water dock road has been completed and gave Amy Jo a bill for the work totaling $79,056.44 and stated ARPA is to pay a portion of the bill. Tony has a new contract for the landfill and asked Paul to look it over concerning the new pit.
Darren Heger said he wanted to report on the proposed change on planning and zoning for the windfarms. Darren said there were good comments and discussions, and he wanted to let the commissioners know he still recommends not making any changes.
Pat made a motion going with the planning and zonings’ recommendations on footage of 2,000 feet from residential on the windfarms. No second. Motion died for lack of a second.
Tron made a motion for the footage distance to be whichever is greater between 1,500 foot or two and a half (2 ½) feet times the tip height to a residence on a windmill. Joe seconded, no discussion. Two (2) yes and one (1) opposed. Motion carried two to one, with commissioner Pat Hall being the dissent.
Tony said eight (8) more miles of chip seal on the Hooker/Moscow Road to Seward (County Road 2 and D) still needs to be done. They have been doing approximately two (2) miles per day. There was discussion of building a road by the old KDI plant in the east industrial division. It was decided at this time no road will be built, but possibly in the future.
Warren Willis came in and asked the commissioners what the process is to formally protest the changes the commissioners made on the distance of the tip height to residential the commissioners just made a motion on. Warren said there is no protest on the planning and zoning changes but was curious on how to protest what the commissioners motioned.
Amy Rich was asked to come in to discuss the best way to compensate the Register of Deeds employees. Amy said she suggests for Betty, who is salaried, to add the hours at the agreed rate for copy work that is after normal business hours to her normal salary and do a transfer just for the copy work amount from the copy fund to the salary fund. When asked about comp time, Amy disclosed that if an employee has not used accumulated comp time, the unused balance is paid out after a one (1) month period. It was agreed Thea could choose if she would like to alternate between getting paid normally for extra hours on copy work after normal business hours (which could potentially generate overtime) and utilizing some comp time other days, which would potentially avoid overtime. This extra compensation for both ladies will only be for the duration of the time these copies are requested.
Tron said he spoke with Johnny Denton about some concrete or asphalt work at the hospital and asked if the county was responsible.
Ted Heaton came in and said he is still down one (1) vehicle and is working on getting a new one to replace Deputy Shuck’s. Ted stated he is possibly going to look at different types of vehicles for the sheriff department instead of pickups and stated he is considering a type of SUV.
Added and Abated Orders were reviewed and approved by commissioners and given to the County Treasurer; for tax year 2006 numbers 135-137 total valuation removed 665 and tax assessed -$45.64, with valuation added in tax year 2006 numbers 138-140 a valuation of 665 and a relief assessment of $45.64. Total valuation of 0 and total tax assessed $0.00.
Attest: Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk
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Tron Stegman, Chairman