Minutes, September 6, 2011

ELLSWORTH COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

                                                                                 

MINUTES

 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

 

The Board of Ellsworth County Commissioners convened this 6^th day of September 2011 at the Ellsworth County Courthouse. 

 

                                                            Members Present:

                                                            Albert W. Oller, 1^st District Commissioner

                                                            Kermit Rush, 2^nd District Commissioner

                                                            Terry L. Kueser, 3^rd District Commissioner                

                                                                                                           

OPENING BUSINESS:

 

Chairman Kueser called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

 

Commissioner Rush moved to approve the Agenda as printed.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Commissioner Rush moved to approve the Minutes of August 29, 2011.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

 

Sheriff Tracy Ploutz reviewed the recent correspondence from the electrical engineers wanting to know how we wished to proceed with the project.  The Commissioners asked the County Clerk to respond asking that they do the specs, preparing of the documents, specs, advertising and recommendations on the bidders.  For this service, it is understood that there will be an approximate charge of 15% of the project cost.

 

Mark Parsons, Parsons Funeral Home, discussed the recent resolution passed that limited the cost to take care of a unclaimed body to $500.  He has talked with Larry Foster, the other funeral home in the area, and they both felt they could not do it for that cost but agreed that it could be done for $1,800.  Since the State has mandated that the county is responsible for such costs, Commissioner Rush moved to rescind Resolution 2011-R-08.  Commissioner Kueser seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.  The County Clerk will have a new resolution next week for passage reflecting the agreed charges.

 

Brent Van Buren, Kansas Highway Patrolman, prepared a power point presentation on how the new state digital radio communications will work or not work with the local enities.  Others attending the presentation were Rod Rees, EMS Director, Roy Folk, LEPC Chairman, Dave Smith, Ellsworth City Police Chief, Ellsworth Officer Verle Willey and Wilson Officer, Bob Doepp. The county, cities, and firemen radios have been recently updated by Motorola, however, because they are analog, they cannot communicate with the state who is on a digital system.  The new phones received can be made compatible with the state's system through software at an approximate cost of $700 per phone.  Presently, we are talking about 60-70 phones throughout the county.  Many of those present expressed their concern about not being able to communicate with the Highway Patrol and felt the clock had been turned back as far as communications was concerned.  The Commissioners asked Mr. VanBuren if he would chair a committee of all those involved and come back with a specific amount that would need to be spent in order restore the communication between the enities.  Mr. VanBuren agreed to serve in that capacity. 

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

The Commissioners received a call from the Russell County Commissioners accepting their offer to share the services of Keith Haberer, Russell County Emergency Management Director effective October 1, 2011 until December 31, 2011.  A contract will be forthcoming for signature.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Commissioner Rush moved to approve the August payroll in the amount of $186,164.65.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Commissioner Rush moved to approve the August accounts payable for $242,954.62 and pre-written warrants in the amount of $14,191.31 for a total of $257,145.93.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

Chairman Kueser adjourned the meeting at 12:30 p.m.

 

 

___________________________________

Janet L. Andrews, Ellsworth County Clerk