May
2, 2006
The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session at
9:00 a.m. with all members and the Chief Deputy Clerk present.
The monthly department head meeting was held
with the following in attendance: Mary K. Sullivan, Register of Deeds; Rita
Gee, Treasurer; Jerry Jo Deckert, EMS Director; Lance Babcock, Sheriff; David
Wagner, Transfer Station Manager; Don Button, Emergency Management Coordinator;
Todd Hampton, City/County Building Official; Nancy Ramski, Civic Center
Building and Grounds Manager; John Duran, Traffic Control Supervisor/Road
Foreman; and John Crosby, Fire Chief.
Marty Long made the motion to approve the
minutes of the April 18, 2006 meeting and the claims against the various funds
of the county. Carl Higgs seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Todd Hampton, City/County Building Official met
with commissioners to discuss the possible expansion of the Law Enforcement Center and his concerns with ADA and fire code compliance. Lance Babcock,
Sheriff attended this portion of the meeting. The commissioners took the concerns
under advisement and plan to work closely in the building process. The
commissioners asked Sheriff Babcock to work with Alan Olson, Police Chief and sketch
out their ideas of the new addition and present them to Bob Forsen to draw, keeping
costs down as much as possible.
Ron Masson, Masson Productions is cooperating
with the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and 10 other entities to make a video to
help market Grant County/Ulysses and is asking all entities to donate $500 to
the project. Carl Higgs made the motion to pay $500 to the Chamber of Commerce
for this project. Marty Long seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Lynda Fort, Tourism and Gene Pflughoft, Economic
Development Director presented tourism plans for 2006. Ms Fort stated that Grant County will be well represented at the 17th Annual Kansas Sampler Festival
at Garden City. Other promotions include selling cookbooks, giving out
publications, having information on web sites to reduce costs and placing
signs.
Tom Kramer, Road Department Administrator; John
Duran, Traffic Control Supervisor/Road Foreman; and Luie Diaz, Shop Forman
presented quotes on mowers. Cornerstone Sales quotes for John Deere CX15 Rotary
Cutter costing $13,746 and for John Deere HX15 Rotary Cutter costing $11,534; and
a Hoskinson Implement quote for Rhino Flex15 Magnum costing $12,313. Loy
Anthony, local resident and sales representative from Hoskinson Implement
attended this portion of the meeting. Carl Higgs made the motion to purchase
the Rhino Flex15 Magnum mower for $12,313 upon recommendation from the Road
& Bridge Shop Foreman. Marty Long seconded the motion and it passed
unanimously. In other business Tom Kramer presented road crossing permits. Tom
Kramer and the commissioners discussed the budget for the Road & Bridge
Road Plan for 2006 due to the rising costs of asphalt.
The commissioners met with Billie Upshaw, Care
Home Administrator; Marci Stringham, Assisted Living Operator; and Care Home
Board Members Julia Traster, Larry Rumburg for lunch at the Park View Assisted
Living facility. Resolutions for a new care home building project and
establishing Western Prairie Care Home as a home for the aged were presented.
The commissioners will have the County Attorney take a look at the resolutions
and approval will be contingent upon the County Attorneys review.
Brent Walker, Grant County Recreation Director
and Dave Seibel, Grant County Recreation Board Member toured the Grant County Swimming
Pool and Weight Room with Commissioners. They explained improvements made to
the facilities and the new heater/filter system that is being updated this year.
Jerry Jo Deckert, EMS Director, met with the
commissioners. At Ms. Deckert’s request Carl Higgs made the motion to recess
into executive session for 10 minutes to discuss non-elected personnel. Marty
Long seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. After 5 minutes the
meeting continued in open session. Ms. Deckert reported the remodeling project
is complete and EMS will be hosting an open house May 20th from 2-4
pm. She requested to adjust EMS patient fee schedule based on Medicare rates.
The commissioners agreed with the request.
Lance Babcock, Sheriff presented pictures of a skeleton
and pottery found in the southeast corner of Grant County. The skeleton was
turned over to KBI and archeological experts to carbon date. The skeleton
turned out to be an American Indian woman, 45 years of age and 1000 years old.
Sheriff Babcock reported Kansas State Historical Society will return to the
site for more research. Discussion was held on a multi-jurisdictional swat
team and the benefits to the county. Sheriff Babcock requested permission to
join the team and purchase equipment and training for his employees at a cost
of $3,000 per person. The commissioners tabled the request for later
consideration. In other business, the dog leash resolution was discussed. The
commissioners decided not to take any further action at this time on the dog
leash resolution due to the costly implementation of the resolution.
Armando Sandoval with Ulysses Kids Wrestling
thanked the Commissioners, Civic Center Manager and her staff for the use of
the Civic Center for training.
Ric Dalke, Area Mental Health Center Executive
Director, Margaret Myers, Region III Director, Judy Netherlin and Larry
Rumburg, Board Members gave a report on their programs and presented their 2007
budget request. Their request remains the same as the past four years at $108,768.
The commissioners will consider the request.
Marty Long made the motion to adjourn at 4:30
p.m. to meet again in regular session on May 16, 2006. Carl Higgs seconded the
motion and it passed unanimously.
Linda McHenry, County Clerk Madison
Traster, Chairman