BOARD OF McPHERSON COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
JUNE 21, 2005
REGULAR MEETING
10:00 A.M.
ALL PRESENT
Three
changes were made to the 1:00 p.m. (Budget Hearings) agenda item. Changes were as follows: 1) Linda Paul,
Register of Deeds to 1:30 p.m. 2) Robin Becker, Unified Courts to 2:00 p.m. and
3) add Susan Meng, County Clerk at 3:00 p.m.
Commissioner Patrick made a motion to approve the agenda as
amended. Commissioner Terry
seconded. All voted aye.
Several people spoke during Public
Input Session at 10:00 a.m. regarding their concerns about wind farms in this
area. They were under the impression
that the County was in the process of allowing wind farming in McPherson
County. Dave and Martha Hilley, Deb
Colle, Kathy Malm, Tim Duran, Larry Weibert and Julie Young, all rural
McPherson County landowners, spoke against wind farms. The Commissioners explained that, at this
point, the County is simply looking at the possibility of a future need for
planning and zoning regulations concerning wind farms.
Barry Stocking, the County’s
contracted computer technician, joined the meeting at 10:30 a.m. with a request
to purchase Forms Print Software through Komtek Systems Corp. of Arizona. The software would be used on the AS400 in
the Courthouse and would allow departments to design forms unique to their
needs as well as eventually be used to print Accounts Payable and Payroll
checks. Cost would be $5,000 for
purchase and installation plus $1,000 for pdf files and a $200 annual
maintenance fee. After discussion,
Commissioner Terry made a motion to approve the purchase as requested provided
there are sufficient funds in the budget.
Commissioner Patrick seconded. All
voted aye.
Fern Hess, Health Department
Director, joined the meeting at 10:40 a.m. to request approval to write off
uncollectible debts in the amount of $855.
These are accounts that have had no payment activity for twelve
consecutive months preceding March 31, 2005.
Commissioner Patrick made a motion to approve the bad debt write-off as
presented in the amount of $855. Commissioner
Terry seconded. All
voted aye.
Commissioner Terry made a motion
to approve the minutes of June 13 and 14, 2005 as presented. Commissioner Patrick seconded. All voted aye.
Commissioner Terry made a motion
to approve the payroll of June 24, 2005.
Commissioner Patrick seconded. All
voted aye.
Commissioner Patrick made a motion
to approve the abates of June 17, 2005.
Commissioner Terry seconded.
All voted aye.
A letter was
received from Craig Simons, County Administrator of Harvey County, KS
requesting that the McPherson County Commission approve a letter of support for
an application to have the Newton Service Area declared a medically underserved
area, this would allow Health Ministries to apply for status as a Federally
Qualified Community Health Center and they could then serve
uninsured/under-insured clients as well as Medicaid and Medicare clients in the
southern townships in McPherson County.
Commissioner Patrick made a motion to have the Chairman sign the letter
as presented. Commissioner Terry
seconded. All voted aye.
Mr. Rick Lanman,
McPherson Airport Manager, joined the meeting at 10:50 a.m. to request the
Chairman’s signature on a Grant Agreement from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) for a project application dated May 9, 2005 for a grant of
federal funds. The grant will be used
to construct a connecting Taxiway A-1 (Phase 2) and to rehabilitate the
northern section of Taxiway A (Phase 2).
Total maximum amount of the grant is $503,138 with a 5% match. The City has verified that they are holding
funds to cover the match. The City
voted to sign the agreement at their meeting June 20, 2005 and the County
Counselor has reviewed the grant agreement.
Commissioner Patrick made a motion to have the Chairman sign the
agreement as presented. Commissioner
Terry seconded. All voted aye.
Dave Bohnenblust, Public Works Director, joined the
meeting at 11:05 a.m. and gave the Commissioners an update on ongoing road
projects, he then requested ten minutes, from 11:09 to 11:19 a.m. in executive
session to discuss non-elected personnel.
Commissioner Terry made motion to go into executive session as
requested. Commissioner Patrick
seconded. All voted aye. The Commissioners returned to open session at
11:19 a.m. No action was taken during
executive session. Mr. Bohnenblust
requested to advertise for a vacant position in the engineering
department. Commissioner Patrick made a
motion to approve the request.
Commissioner Terry seconded. All voted aye.
Chad Bahr, Planning and Zoning Administrator, joined the
meeting at 11:20 a.m. for an update on possible regulations for wind farm
stations. Until and/or if regulations
are written, individual cases can be dealt with as Conditional Use Permits;
however, present tower regulations would not cover wind farm towers.
Dillard Webster, Emergency Management/Communications
Director, joined the meeting at 10:30 a.m. and requested ten minutes, from
11:30 to 11:40 a.m., in executive session to discuss non-elected personnel in
his department. Commissioner Terry made
a motion to go into executive session as requested. Commissioner Patrick seconded.
All voted aye. The
Commissioners returned to open session at 11:40 a.m. No action was taken during executive session.
At 11:50 the Commissioners recessed and at 1:00 p.m.
Chairman Schroeder and Commissioner Terry reconvened for budget hearings from
Prairie View, Unified Courts, Register of Deeds, Noxious Weeds and County
Clerk. No action was taken during the
budget hearings. At 3:30 p.m.
Commissioner Terry made a motion to adjourn.
Chairman Schroeder seconded. All voted aye.
Commission Minutes taken by Irene R. Goering.
Don
L. Schroeder, Chairman
Duane
J. Patrick, Vice-Chairman
Harris
G. Terry, Commissioner
Attest: County Clerk
Susan
R. Meng