Minutes, May 20, 2013

 

ELLSWORTH COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

                                                                                 

MINUTES

 

May 20, 2013

 

The Board of Ellsworth County Commissioners convened this 20^th day of May 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 Rush called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

 

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the Agenda with an addition. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the Minutes of May 13, 2013.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

Billy Kryger was in attendance but did not wish to address the Commissioners.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

 

Pat Murray, Executive Director of Central Kansas Mental Health, and Clara McCoy, Board Member, presented their budget request for 2014 of $22,360 an increase of 4% or $860.  Mrs. Murray will be retiring this year with 41 years of service with the organization.  She discussed what she thought was the future of the organization which would include more integration with other health organizations and agencies.

 

Phil Hamilton, a property owner in Thomas Township, asked if the Commissioners could help him with a problem that he cannot get the township to address.  There is a ditch in front of his residence that holds water at all times.  There is a culvert but it is plugged and the water does not drain.  He has called the township and left messages but they have not been returned.  He is unable to mow the ditch and has concerns about the health hazard of constantly standing water.  Since the Commissioners do not have any authority over the township, they suggested he check with the Health Department to see if there might be a sanitary code violation and they can pursue that with the township.

 

Commissioner Kueser moved to go into executive session for consultation with the County Attorney, Joe Shepack, for matters that would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship from 10:10 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.  The Commissioners returned to open session at 10:30 a.m. and no action was taken.

 

Teresa Shute, Noxious Weed-Landfill Supervisor, reported she had attended a meeting with KDHE and that they are changing the rules for post closure of landfills.  Now every year the Landfill Supervisor will have to file a report showing all the costs associated with closing the landfill.  This would include closing all pits, fencing, monitoring wells, maintaining roads and etc.   Every five years the plan would have to be reviewed by an engineering firm.  She is hoping the State will provide some forms or templates for these reports.  Regarding recycling, they got the trailer back from Wilson this morning and they are filled with articles that are not acceptable in fact; it was a health hazard to those emptying the bins.  This has been a continuous problem and she would like to deny Wilson the trailers for a couple of months until she can be assured the problems have been solved.  The Commissioners agreed it was her call.

 

Ronda Kasiska, Health Supervisor, needs to purchase three new computers.  She has one bid and is expecting another today.  The bid she has is from NMGI for $2,650 plus an installation charge of $1,500.  The computers would come from her capital outlay fund and the installation charge from her regular budget.  The Commissioners approved the purchase of the computers but left it up to her upon receiving the other bid to make the choice.  Mrs. Kasiska reported she had visited with Mr. Hamilton and has a call in to the Salina-Saline County Health Department.  Later in the day, Mrs. Kasiska called and reported she had accepted the bid from NMGI for the purchase of the computers.

 

Fred Abercrombie, Architect, discussed the problem with the air-conditioners with the new windows.  As of now, all the horizontal air-conditions will not be able to be used.  We will have to go with vertical ones.  There are four horizontal ones and the rest of the window air-conditioners in the building are already vertical ones.   The Commissioners could either purchase the four additional ones needed or, since those presently is use have been here for quite a while, purchase ten new air-conditioners all the same brand.  That would leave one spare in case one should go out.  The Commissioners asked that Rick Kempke attend the meeting next week to give them some pricing.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the 2013 Position Salary Schedule.  Commissioner Oller seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the donation of sick days to Penny VonLehle.  Commissioner Rush seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

  

Commissioner Oller moved to approve an ad for the 2013 Ellsworth County Independent Report Progress Edition in the amount of $174.95.  Commissioner Rush seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-0.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

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

 

 

_________________________________________

Janet L. Andrews

Ellsworth County Clerk