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: Tom Kramer, Road Foreman; Ron Lofland, Transfer Station Manager; Don Button, Emergency Management Coordinator; Todd Hampton, City/County Building Official; John Crosby, Fire Chief; Sherry Thompson, Health Department Administrator; Rita Gee, Treasurer; Lance Babcock, Sheriff; Nancy Ramski, Civic Center Building and Grounds Manager; Sean Gooding, Emergency Medical Service Director; and Tom Fuhrmann, Appraiser.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to approve the minutes of the May 20, 2003 meeting and the claims against the various funds of the county. Madison Traster seconded the motion. Following clarification of several bills, the motion passed unanimously.

 

            Tom Kramer, Road Foreman, presented information on planting grass at the old airport trailer park. Approval was given to proceed with this. The courthouse general fund will pay for the grass seed. Mr. Kramer also received approval to investigate the cost for a new four-wheel drive ¾ ton pick up with a crew cab that would be used by the surveyor.

 

            Judy Alig, Janet Stewart, Cindy Borthwick, Bill Hall, and Ric Dalke, Communities in Schools, presented their 2004 budget request. The request remains the same as in the past at $10,000. No decision was made on the request at this time.

 

            Mark Hinde, Southwest Developmental Services, Inc. President, Mary Gleason, and Sharon Hixson, Russell Child Development Center, presented their 2004 budget request. Their budgets are based on people served. SDSI requested $46,250 and RCDC requested $28,500. The requests will be considered along with all other budget requests.

 

            Sarah Steele, Gilmore and Bell, was present for the bond sale for general obligation bonds for the Library project. Gene Schwein made the motion to accept the bid from Pioneer Electric for $200,000 with zero percent interest for the bonds. Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Madison Traster made the motion to adopt Resolution 03-04 authorizing and directing the issuance, sale and delivery of $200,000 principal amount of general obligation library bonds, series 2003, of Grant County, Kansas. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

Anita Mason, RRISK, presented a request for support for the RRISK program in order to apply for a grant from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation. The commissioners agreed to sign a letter of support for the RRISK program.

 

Don Button, Emergency Management Coordinator, gave an update on sirens. He explained that he had budgeted for a new siren this year, and for $8,000 less; he could update two sirens with battery backup instead of replacing one siren. Gene Schwein made the motion to upgrade two sirens with battery backup at a cost not to exceed $9,987.60. Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mr. Button presented information on shutters for the emergency operation center windows in the basement of the courthouse. An estimated cost is around $300 per window. He will get more information on these. The next item discussed was the state and federal exercise the county will be participating in on June 19. The final item discussed was the emergency management budget for next year.

 

Rita Gee, Treasurer, discussed her budget for 2004. She asked that if the commissioners decide to cut the budget she submits, they call her in to discuss it before the cut is finalized.

 

Dennis Deyoe, Fair Board, presented their 2004 budget request. Their request is for $56,025 that is a decrease from this year’s budget of $65,000.

 

Sherry Thompson, Health Department Administrator, presented an update on her department. Budget concerns were discussed. Mrs. Thompson reported that many health departments are charging a $10 administration fee for immunizations while Grant County charges $5.00. She said she would prefer not to increase the fee but that is one area that could help with the budget. Mrs. Thompson told the commissioners she needs new storage shelves for medical records. The possibility of putting off moving the health department until the county’s economy is better was discussed. Mrs. Thompson said their present site is adequate for the health department, and that she has no problem with staying there. The commissioners will talk to the Board on Aging about this.

 

Ronnie Lofland, Transfer Station Manager, presented a quote from Terracon for groundwater testing at the landfill. Madison Traster made the motion to accept Terracon’s bid of $3,600 for sampling the wells at the landfill. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mr. Lofland explained that he has not been able to get a bid from anyone except Terracon for engineering the C/D pit closure. Madison Traster made the motion to accept the quote from Terracon for $11,200 up to and not to exceed $11,900 for engineering the closure of the old construction demolition pit. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mr. Lofland reported that the landfill in Liberal is increasing their rates effective January 1, 2004. The commissioners asked Mr. Lofland to put together a price increase proposal for rates at the transfer station.

 

Madison Traster made the motion to contribute $150 toward the fees for Virginia Kepley to attend the summer workshop “Connecting Your Classroom to Kansas Agriculture” sponsored by the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

The commissioners adjourned to meet again in regular session on June 17, 2003.

 

 

Linda McHenry, County Clerk                                        Carl Higgs, Chairman