The Board
of County Commissioners met in regular session at 9:00 a.m. with all members
and the county clerk present.
The monthly
department head meeting was held with the following in attendance: Frank Goldsby, Public Works Administrator,
Tom Kramer, Road Foreman, Don Button, Emergency Management Coordinator; Todd
Hampton, Building Inspector; John Crosby, Fire Chief; David Ediger, EMS
Director; Sherry Thompson, Health Department Administrator; Rita Gee,
Treasurer; Lance Babcock, Sheriff; and Mary K. Sullivan, Register of Deeds.
Carl Higgs
made the motion to approve the minutes of the January 15, 2002 meeting. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it
passed unanimously.
Sherry
Thompson, Health Department Administrator, reported that the senior citizens
are unhappy with WIC being administered through the health department in the
conference room that is shared by both departments. She said they would move the program back to the civic center
even though it won’t be convenient due to records that are kept at the health
department, and a nurse will have to go to the civic center to insure that
referrals for the children who need it are done. Tom Martinez, Building and Grounds Manager, attended this portion
of the meeting. He will work with Mrs.
Thompson on scheduling WIC at the civic center. Mrs. Thompson also updated the commissioners on her
department. She said they would be
participating in the Health Fair again this year.
Tom
Martinez, Building and Grounds Manager, reported that the upholstery on 400 of
the stacking chairs at the civic center have torn places. He has checked on the cost to reupholster
the chairs. The commissioners asked him to see if the seats can be replaced. He will also check the price for new
chairs. Mr. Martinez requested approval
to re-key the locks on doors at the civic center. There are 47-50 locks that need to be done. He will get three quotes for this. Discussion was held on the tree that has
roots that might be growing under the building at the civic center. He will dig down to determine if the roots
are growing under the building. It was
the consensus of the commission that if they are, the tree will have to be
removed.
John
Crosby, Fire Chief, reported that they have finally received written approval
from the FAA to move the little house from the old trailer park to the fire
station for training purposes. Approval
was given to proceed with plans to move the building. Mr. Crosby said the building would be painted so it won’t be an
eyesore. He will get two bids for
moving the building. Discussion was
held on getting some rescue equipment for the fire department. This could be paid from his equipment fund
or a lease/purchase plan. He said he
would be willing to apply for a grant to help pay for at least one-year payment
if a lease/purchase is done. Chief
Crosby explained that they don’t want to take over rescue; they just want to be
able to assist them when necessary. He
explained that there is only one set of jaws available at the present, and
there have been times when the emergency services could have used another
set. Gene Schwein made the motion to
accept the bid from Weis Fire & Safety Equipment Company, Inc. at a cost of
$25,125. Carl Higgs seconded the motion
and it passed unanimously.
Donnie
Phelps, Bit & Spur, Gary Howard, Tractor Pullers, and Ron Smith and Dennis
Deyoe, Fair Board, talked about the possibility of adding a restroom and
concession stand at the fair grounds for use during special events. They said it would be nice if they could use
the restrooms at the ball fields but they were not able to. The estimated cost for their proposal ranges
from $22,000 to $55,000. The
commissioners explained that there are other items that will take priority for
the present. They said they would be talking
to the Grant County Recreation Director later and they would ask about the
possibility of using the restrooms. Mr.
Phelps asked if the county would participate in purchasing stock for the rodeo
again this year. Carl Higgs made the
motion to contribute $2500 toward the purchase of livestock for the rodeo to
enhance the fair. Madison Traster
seconded the motion. Following
discussion the motion passed.
Mark
Skiles, Economic Development Coordinator, presented information on a strategic
plan that will be needed as part of the process for applying for
Nonmetropolitan Business Region Status for Grant County.
Frank
Goldsby, Public Works Administrator, Tom Kramer, Road Foreman, and Pete
Clinesmith, Noxious Weed Director, met with the commissioners. Mr. Clinesmith presented a progress report
that goes to the state. The
commissioners reviewed and approved the report. Mr. Kramer reported that he went to look at the steel drum roller
and it would be a good one for the county.
Gene Schwein made the motion to approve the purchase of the Bomag steel
roller from Berry Tractor not to exceed $43,000. Carl Higgs seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mr. Goldsby requested approval to purchase a
new 10 ton jack for the shop. Carl
Higgs made the motion to approve the purchase of a jack from Grant County
Implement not to exceed $1434. Gene
Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Lynda Fort
and Ginger Anthony, Tourism Board, discussed their by-laws with the
commissioners. They would like to have
two members from the motel industry and three members from the community at
large. The commissioners said they have
no problem with this. Ms. Fort stated that they would like the board members to
be Shari Davison, Ginger Anthony, Jeff Trotman, Stan Rice, Lynda Fort, Marion
McGlohon, and Taunya Lindahl. After
their annual meeting, they will return with final recommendations to the
commissioners. Discussion was held on
the method used to pay tourism vouchers.
Carl Higgs made the motion that tourism vouchers will be routed through
the county clerk’s office instead of the chamber of commerce. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it
passed unanimously. Ms. Fort reported
on her itinerary for the month of March.
She will keep the clerk informed regarding her itinerary in the
future.
Bobbie
Lewis, Grant County Recreation Director, and Justin Huslig, Aquatics
Facilitator, met with the commissioners.
The commissioners asked Ms. Lewis about the possibility of opening the
restrooms at the ball field for tractor pulls and rodeos. Ms. Lewis explained that she has opened them
for tractor pulls the past three years and would be willing to open them for
rodeos if asked. She reported that
redoing the inside of the pool is going to cost much more than originally
thought.
Ginger
Anthony, Museum Curator, Jeff Trotman, Cheryl Deyoe, and Robin Graber,
Historical Society, reported that they need additional funding because they run
out of operating funds before the end of the year. They also said they have no money to acquire items that people
want to sell. They will bring a quote
for repairing the porch floor on the old hotel to the next meeting.
Tom
Martinez, Building and Grounds Manager, Keri Liddeke, 4-H Agent, and Greg
Soelter, Grant County Implement, talked to the commissioners about the proposed
covered arena at the fairgrounds. Mr.
Soelter will talk to an independent architect he knows to see what it would
cost to have specifications drawn up for the building.
Bids were
opened for the 1983 Jimmy. Roger Wise
bid $926. Courtney Eslick bid
$800. Tim Reeves bid $1,015. Terry Ziegler bid $431. David Wagner bid $451.01. Ron Branine bid $1,005. Kevin Ford bid $860. Carl Higgs made the motion to accept the
high bid of $1,015 from Tim Reeves.
Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Carl Higgs
made the motion to approve the low bid of $9,975 for a sharp copier and an
annual service contract in the amount of $1,200 from Southern Office Supply for
the Register of Deeds office. Gene
Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Gene
Schwein made the motion to approve the claims against the various funds of the
county. Carl Higgs seconded the motion
and it passed unanimously.
The
commissioners adjourned to meet again in regular session on February 19, 2002.
Linda McHenry, County Clerk Madison
Traster, Chairman