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            The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session at 9:30 a.m. with all members and the County Clerk present.

 

            Madison Traster made the motion to appoint Carl Higgs as Chairman for 2004. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to approve items 2 – 15 on the organizational agenda. Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The items include: commissioners meeting dates will be the 1st Tuesday of every month beginning at 9:00 a.m. and the 3rd Tuesday of every month beginning at 9:30 a.m.; the official depositories for the county will be the Grant County Bank, Western State Bank, and the Bank of Ulysses; the official newspaper for the county will be the Ulysses News; the treasurer is given authority to invest county funds to the best interest of the county; to appoint the clerk as Chief Purchasing Agent, Federal & State Withholding Tax Agent, Social Security Agent, Kansas Public Employees Retirement System Agent and Insurance Agent for the county; to appoint Frank Goldsby as Public Works Administrator; to appoint Ramon Clinesmith as Noxious Weed Director; to appoint Ronald Lofland Transfer Station Manager; to appoint Nancy Ramski as Building and Grounds Manager; to appoint Sherill Thompson as Health Department Administrator; to appoint Dr. Johnson as County Health Officer; to appoint Don Button as Emergency Management Coordinator; to appoint Sean Gooding as Emergency Medical Services Director; and to appoint John Crosby as Fire Chief.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to leave the mileage reimbursement at 31 cents per mile when using personal vehicles for county business. Madison Traster seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

            Madison Traster made the motion to approve item 17 of the organizational agenda. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Item 17 appoints the following administrative heads for approving claims against the various funds of the county: Lance

Babcock for sheriff’s department and juvenile justice; Sean Gooding for ambulance; John Crosby for fire department; Frank Goldsby, for road department; Ramon Clinesmith for noxious weed; Ronald Lofland for transfer station; Tom Fuhrmann for appraiser; Mary K. Sullivan for register of deeds regular and technology funds; Rita Gee for treasurer and treasurer special funds; Douglas Campbell for attorney; Don Button for emergency management; Sherill Thompson for health department; Nancy Ramski for park maintenance; Harold DuPree for airport; and Linda McHenry for all other funds.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to appoint Madison Traster as Grant County’s representative to weather modification. Carl Higgs seconded the motion and it passed.

 

Gene Schwein made the motion to make the following board appointments: reappoint James Myers to the Western Prairie Care Home Board; reappoint Isidro Alcala and Mollie Beard to the Board on Aging, appoint Dewey Middleton to fill the unexpired term of Raymond Fort on the Board on Aging, and appoint Dale Cole to replace Ione Shore whose term expires on the Board on Aging; appoint Tony Cavasos to replace Ron Smith on the Fair Board and reappoint Daron Cowan, Kevin Shapland, Katrina Benyshek, Christa Moyer and Dennis Deyoe to the Fair Board; and to reappoint Art Trevino and Larry Rumburg as the county’s mental health representatives.

 

 

 

Gene Schwein made motion to approve the minutes of the January 6, 2004 meeting and the claims against the various funds of the county. Madison Traster seconded the motion. Following clarification of several vouchers, the motion passed unanimously.

 

            Cheri Hoppenstedt, local citizen, reported on an accident she had at the intersection with the signal light on milepost road. She wondered if something could be done to slow traffic down and help encourage it to stop. The commissioners said they would talk to the sheriff and the road department regarding the problem. The commissioners also said they can put some rumble strips on the road to help with the problem.

 

            David Gill, VALIC, gave a proposal for his company’s 457-retirement plan. The commissioners will consider his proposal.

 

            Lance Babcock, Sheriff, met with the commissioners. They discussed the problem with vehicles not stopping at marked intersections in the county. The sheriff acknowledged that there is a problem with this and his department will try to help encourage people to stop at stop signs. In other business, Sheriff Babcock informed the commissioners that Douglas Campbell, County Attorney, has offered diversion funds to purchase new office chairs for the sheriff’s department. Pick up bids were opened. Riley Ford bid $24,491 for a Ford; Riley Chevrolet bid $24,900 for a Chevrolet; and Burtis Motors bid $23,937 for a Dodge and $24,241 for a Ford. Madison Traster made the motion to accept the best bid from Riley Ford at a cost not to exceed $24,491. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

            Frank Goldsby, Public Works Administrator, and Tom Kramer, Road Foreman, met with the commissioners. Discussion was held on purchasing a snowplow that would attach to a truck for use during snowstorms. Approval was given to purchase the snowplow. Discussion was held on the intersection on Milepost Road that was talked about earlier in the day. Mr. Kramer said they could put rumble strips at the intersection. He will try to get it done as soon as possible.

 

            Dennis Deyoe, Fair Board, and Donnie Phelps, Bit & Spur, discussed the Fair Board helping with the cost for livestock for the rodeo again this year. It was agreed that this would be done. Discussion was also held on having a free rodeo again but asking for donations to help with the cost for improvements to the rodeo grounds. The commissioners agreed that the county would pay for the material to replace a fence between the rodeo grounds and the softball fields.

 

            Sean Gooding, Emergency Medical Services Director, asked if the county would contribute to the schooling for an employee to pursue his paramedic certification. The commissioners said they would do the same as in the past and pay the tuition for the paramedic portion if the employee signs an agreement to work for the county for 3 years, but the county will not pay the entire cost to obtain an associate’s degree. The commissioners said the county would pay the tuition for Sean to complete his IC classes too. Mr. Gooding said he has been approached by the care home to see if the ambulance department would contract with the care home to transport nursing home patients when needed. He said it would be necessary to have a van with a wheel chair lift. More investigation will be done regarding this. Mr. Gooding talked to the commissioners about the rescue section of the emergency services. He asked about the possibility of purchasing a new vehicle for rescue. There is a demonstrator vehicle available at a cost of $82,000. The same model would list for $100,000 new. If allowed to purchase the new rescue vehicle the old one can be used for a “dirty” ambulance to be used when hazardous materials are involved. The commissioners authorized Mr. Gooding to do some more investigation regarding a rescue vehicle. Following discussion, the decision was made to offer the EMS Director a salary increase to $58,000/year. If Mr. Gooding accepts the offer it will be effective the next pay period.

 

            Gene Schwein made the motion to approve a 1.9% cost of living increase for all full time county employees who have worked a year for the county. Employees who started working for the county in 2003 will receive the cost of living increase at their anniversary date. The increase excludes the county commissioners and the county attorney. Madison Traster seconded the motion. Following discussion the motion passed unanimously. A copy of the new pay rates is attached as a part of this record.

 

            Madison Traster made the motion to allow David Gill with VALIC to contact county employees regarding a 457-plan. Gene Schwein seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

            The commissioners adjourned to meet again in regular session on February 3, 2004

 

Linda McHenry, County Clerk                                      Carl Higgs, Chairman