Minutes, January 30, 2012

ELLSWORTH COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

                                                                                 

MINUTES

 

JANUARY 30, 2012

 

The Board of Ellsworth County Commissioners convened this 30^th day of January 2012 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 Oller called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

 

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

 

Commissioner Rush moved to approve the Minutes of January 23, 2012. Commissioner Kueser seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Billy Kryger, Pastor of the Smoky Hill Baptist Church in Ellsworth, was in attendance but did not wish to address the Commissioners.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

 

Sylvia McNeal, Lesta May, Nancy Shute and Diane O'Connor, representing the Ellsworth County Council of Unit Affairs, met with the Commissioners to request funding for the Open Class Fair.  They requested the same as last year, $600.  Commissioner Kueser moved to provide $600 for the 2012 Open Class Fair.  Commissioner Rush seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Teresa Shute, Noxious Weed-Landfill Supervisor, asked the Commissioner to approve and sign the Annual Noxious Weed report.  The report was approved by signatures.  Since the entire landfill site is now approved for cells, a fence needs to be built on the east side and across the Road & Bridge mixing strip.  They will probably need at least one mile, 4-wire fence.  The Commissioner asked that she discuss the fencing and where the gates would be with Mr. Nondorf and the Mr. Gourley, who rents a portion of the land and then get some quotes on building the fence.  Mrs. Shute has found out from the state that since the whole areas has now been permitted that Cell C can be extended to the north instead of digging a completely new pit.

 

Roderic Rees, EMS Director, reported that he was going to purchase three more mobile radios.  The old ones cannot be ungraded.  The cost would be $1,500 per phone.  The new ambulance is here but not in service yet as they are waiting for the licensing.  They were thinking about taking the old ambulance to Holyrood, however, they do not have enough room in the fire station for it.  The suggestion is to equip the Holyrood Fire Chief's vehicle and then when it is used for an EMS run, Holyrood would bill $20 per run.  The Commissioners agreed the proposal was acceptable to them; however, a written agreement needs to be entered into by both parties spelling out the particulars.  Mr. Rees will place the old ambulance on Purple Wave.  Upon the request of Mr. Rees, Commissioner Kueser moved to go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel from 10:08 a.m. until 10:18 a.m.  Commissioner Rush seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.  The Commissioners returned to open session at 10:18 a.m.   It was noted that Derek Walters, Paramedic, had tenured his resignation as he was accepting employment elsewhere.  Mr. Rees also inquired about purchasing a new computer for the billing clerk.  The Commissioners asked that he talked with the Appraiser's office as they had recently purchase a new one.

 

Via a telephone conference, the Commissioners talked with Carl Miller, Appraiser, about their appearance before the Senate and House on Senate Bill 317 and House Bill 2264 on Wednesday.  The County Clerk and Mr. Miller will come up with information on the impact on Ellsworth County if the bills should pass.

 

Jo Funk, Sanitarian with the Salina-Saline County Health Department, discussed with the Commissioners three complaints she had at the Lakeview development on septic problems.  Two of the complaints were taken care of; however, one is still a problem.  The Sanitary Code states there is to be one septic system for each dwelling and it has to have the capacity to handle the number of people living in that dwelling.  On this one site, the owner built another building after being permitted and hooked the new building on to the present septic system.  Then, he moved in his mother-in-law into the new building.  He is not compliant with the sanitary code but the septic system he has in place is permitted for eight people and therefore sufficient.  Saline County, being zoned, has a conditional permit for such problems that arise, but Ellsworth County is not zoned and so the non-compliant issue has to be decided by the Board of County Commissioners.  The Commissioners asked that Mrs. Funk draw up a conditional use permit for the property stating that once the second building is vacated, it cannot be occupied by anyone else without a second septic system being installed making it complaint to the Ellsworth County Sanitary Code.  Mrs. Funk went over a few changes made to the new Ellsworth Sanitary Code before it is sent to KDHE.  Some of those changes were a definition for "inoperable vehicles", added for Lakeview three acres or three lots for building, Smoky Hill Village, holding tanks for new home for four lots or less and hookup to rural water.  Also, she addressed a concern when visiting local people on the committee of the new requirement of 10 acres for building.  After a brief discussion, the Commissioners change the acreage to 5 acres.  Mrs. Funk will make the necessary changes and bring the document back for final approval and signing.

OLD BUSINESS:

 

There were no old business items.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Commissioner Oller moved to approve Abatement 82 in the amount of $183.98 and Added Tax 83 for $34.90.  Commissioner Kueser seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Commissioner Rush moved to approve Resolution 12R03, A Resolution Setting Compensation for Ellsworth County Employees for 2012.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Commissioner Rush moved to approve the January payroll in the amount of $162,822.31.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

Chairman Oller adjourned the meeting at 12:20 p.m.

 

 

_______________________________________

Janet L. Andrews, Ellsworth County Clerk