COMMISSIONERS PROCEEDINGS
JANUARY 27, 2020
Agenda: 8:30 – Bills
8:45 – Ross Sullivan – Contracts
9:00 – Paula Rowden – Non-elected personnel
9:30 – Tony Martin – Road & Bridge
10:00 – Hugoton Sr Center – 3-door fridge
10:30 – Angela Eichman – County Appraiser
The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session with all members present. Also present were Paul Kitzke, County Attorney and Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk. Tron called the meeting to order. Joe moved to approve the minutes of the last meeting. Pat seconded. Motion carried. Pat moved to approve the county vouchers. Joe 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 | $ 105,821.61 |
| Road & Bridge | $ 152,954.13 |
| Airport | $ 3,415.42 |
| Noxious Weed | $ 7,059.10 |
| EMS | $ 11,680.12 |
| Fire | $ 8,166.80 |
| Community Health | $ 21,913.25 |
| Sheriff | $ 70,836.23 |
| Employee P/R Misc W/H | $ 4,470.32 |
| Diversion | $ 1,722.84 |
| County Building | $ 250.00 |
| WEKANDO | $ 500.00 |
| 911 Wireless | $ 111.88 |
| Library Empl Benefits | $ 15,642.50 |
| TOTAL: | $ 404,544.20 |
Ross Sullivan came in and presented the commissioners with contracts involving Trane for the HVAC system and KONE for the elevator. The commissioners agreed to the KONE contract but have asked Ross to negotiate with Trane on the HVAC contract.
Pat instructed to pay KONE annually instead of quarterly or monthly as the cost is cheaper due to discounts.
Vernon Anderson with Planning and Zoning stopped in to let the commissioners know he is sending out the permit information to contractors in the area.
Rodney Kelling came in and told the commissioners he will be leaving Sunday with the Freightliner ambulance for repairs in Iowa and should be able to return Wednesday. The box attachment was under warranty so there will be no cost for the repair.
Rodney said when the encumbrances take place, he would like to roll over leftover funds to the equipment fund.
The commissioners discussed encumbrances and instructed Amy Jo Tharp to inform the department heads all encumbrances will need to be turned in by the next commissioner meeting on February 10th, no later than 10:30 am.
The commissioners discussed the optional benefit through Liberty and decided to no longer offer that option to employees.
Paula Rowden with the Community Health Department came in and requested a five minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel.
Pat made a motion to go into executive session with Paula Rowden to discuss non-elected personnel for five (5) minutes. Joe seconded. Executive session began at 9:04 am and concluded at 9:09 am with no action taken.
Tron made a motion to go into executive session with Paula Rowden to discuss non-elected personnel for five (5) minutes. Joe seconded. Executive session began at 9:09 am and concluded at 9:14 am.
Tron made a motion to give Community Health employee Cammie Heaton a $1.50 per hour raise. Pat seconded. Joe opposed. Vote two to one, motion carried.
Sheriff Ted Heaton came in and told the commissioners he ordered a truck from Ghumm’s. The K-9 pickup is at 98,000 miles and he wants to trade before 100,000 miles. The commissioners asked Ted to bring in bid sheets, even though there is only one car dealer in Stevens County. They further discussed how to do bids on county vehicles. Decision was made to have more than one bid from more than one dealership. They suggested, to have a better idea of costs, requesting bids from Seward County, Grant County, Morton County and Haskell County dealers since they surround Stevens County.
Joe told Ted he noticed there were four (4) deputies that were not eligible to receive COLA and asked if it’s because Ted set a salary cap for his department. Ted said at this time there is a cap on the deputies and since he had given them a raise in 2018 they had met the cap. Ted said he will look and possibly readjust the cap for deputies in the next three to five (3-5) years.
Tony Martin with Road and Bridge came in along with Rick Hansen from the Freedom Pipeline. Tony passed out the right-of-way permit constructed by Freedom Pipeline with some reservations as it asks for Road and Bridge Administrator and County Clerk’s signatures approving the permit. Tony feels the commissioners should sign or just Freedom Pipeline sign, as it discusses where they are laying the pipeline along a section of Road 21. Tony and Pat stated they are unsure if the minutes from 1897 mean that same road as is now or if they meant the 21st road constructed or what the actual verbiage meant.
Paul said he would visit with Freedom Pipeline’s attorney and see what can be changed on the permit as far as the approvals and some of the verbiage to reflect Freedom Pipeline is responsible for the install. This would make Freedom Pipeline liable instead of the county if it is determined the section of Road 21 does not have a right-of-way because it was never a road. The permit should also state Freedom is responsible for the pipeline and how it’s put in.
Tony said with the valuation changing due to a large abatement within the county he knows Road and Bridge’s budget will be less than anticipated. He said he plans to use some funds out of the Special Highway account and pay for rock with it instead of the Road and Bridge fund.
Karen Rich, Barbara Beeks and Nichole Kinser from the Hugoton Senior Citizens Center were in attendance to discuss their three (3) door refrigerator. They presented the commissioners with bids from US Foods and Ben E. Keith. They said the repair costs are too great compared to a new unit.
Bids are as follows:
- US Foods – Reach-in-Freezer Model #2997286 $5,543.07
- Ben E. Keith – Reach-in-Freezer Model #MXCF-72FD $4,949.00
- Ben E. Keith – Reach-in-Freezer Model #3F $7,274.90
Pat made a motion to take Ben E. Keith freezer model #MXCF-72FD in the amount of $4,949.00. Joe seconded. Discussion ensued over where the two (2) door refrigerator was purchased and motion was rescinded by Pat.
Discussion of the refrigerator ensued on which company the county purchased the recent two (2) door refrigerator from and suggested they should probably use the same company.
Joe made a motion to accept the lowest bid for the refrigerator which was Ben E. Keith Model #MXCF-72FD in the amount of $4,949.00, as it is also the same company the recent refrigerator was purchased from. Pat seconded. Motion carried.
Adrian Howie, superintendent of USD 210 was present.
Angela Eichman the county appraiser was in attendance to discuss the appraisal issues for Stevens County. Angela said she had finished appraising seventeen percent (17%) of Stevens County and will continue until all is appraised. She informed the commissioners it will take about another year or two (2) at least to get through all the appraisals. She said next year she will have a better idea of values for Stevens County and said William is working on the commercial and agriculture so water will be updated and there will be a difference.
Values overall will bring in some protests and she wanted the commissioners to be aware and able to have the knowledge about the appraised values within Stevens County.
Angela said the large abated value could have been figured in November’s property valuation however due to lack of response, it was hard to know for sure when several said it had to be calculated in and others said it was not necessary.
Adrian asked if the school district would have to pay any of that revenue back. He was told they would not be responsible for paying anything back as those taxes were already received, just to be aware the taxes received this year might not be as much as anticipated. He said the school tried to go by the figures the county clerk sent out back in June for the foreseen issue. He asked Angela if she had an idea for next years value, if it will be up or down. Angela said she would know more in a month or two (2).
Joe made a motion to go into a thirty (30) minute executive session with Angela Eichman over matters affecting private institutions and public individuals. Pat seconded. Executive session began at 10:45 am and concluded at 11:15 am, with no action taken.
Tron made a motion to go into executive session for fifteen (15) minutes with Angela Eichman over matters affecting private institutions and public individuals. Pat seconded. Executive session began at 11:18 am and concluded at 11:32 am, with no action taken.
Ted Heaton came back with the bid information on the K-9 pickup he is trading in.
Ghumm’s 2020 F-150 $52,405.00
Less Trade $21,000.00–
$31,405.00
Pat made a motion to accept the amount of the 2020 Ford F-150 from Ghumm’s with the trade-in for a total payment of $31,405.00. Joe seconded. Motion carried.
There was a discussion about hospital board between the commissioners. Two candidates were discussed for the position.
Tron made a motion to have Shannon Crawford on the hospital board. Joe seconded. Motion carried.
Added and Abatement Orders for tax year 2019 number 191 thru 193 were reviewed and approved by commissioners and given to the County Treasurer; total valuation added 4640 and tax assessed $699.35. Total valuation abated 8,665,904 and total tax abated $1,306,133.72.
By motion, the Board adjourned.
Attest: Amy Jo Tharp, County Clerk
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Tron Stegman, Chairman