[00:00:02]
[ Regular Meeting 5:30 p.m. Call to Order Chair Scott Carr Pledge of Allegiance Invocation Cody Berntsen, Liberal Ministerial Alliance Citizen Comments ]
THES COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING.WE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, OUR PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO APPLY FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS? ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
OKAY, WE HAVE CODY APPLICATION.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CODY BURNSON FROM NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH HERE IN LIBERAL, AND I AM GONNA PRAY.
GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE HAD THESE PAST COUPLE DAYS THAT WE HAVE HELPED ONE ANOTHER PICK UP FROM THE STORM THAT RECENTLY PASSED THROUGH.
AND I JUST CONTINUE TO THANK YOU FOR THE RAIN THAT WE HAVE HAD.
AND I PRAY TONIGHT IN THIS MEETING, GOD, THAT THE BUSINESS WOULD GO WELL AND THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THIS BUSINESS ALL BE FOR THE BENEFIT AND BETTERMENT OF SEWARD COUNTY, THAT IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF US, GOD, AS WE SEEK TO, UH, WORK TOWARDS BETTERING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TONIGHT.
AND JESUS NAME, WE PRAY MAY AMEN.
[1. Approve Agenda: Additions or Deletions]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPROVE THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS? UH, YEP.
COMMISSIONER CARR, I NEED TO ADD THE AGENDA.
UM, I NEED TO ADD A PERSONNEL EXECUTIVE SESSION, PLEASE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN A, AN AGENDA, UM, FOR OVERTIME IN MY DEPARTMENT FOR OVERTIME.
COMMISSIONER CAR? SHE IS ON THE AGENDA.
NO, I, IF I'M WANNA MAKE IT LIKE EIGHT A, A, A AND B I MOVE THAT WE ADD, WE'LL DO SIX A.
I MOVE THAT WE ADD SIX A TO BE OVERTIME FOR THE TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT AND ALSO UNDER EXECUTIVE SESSION B FOR MATTERS OF PERSONNEL.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT TO AMEND THE AGENDA WITH THE OVERTIME IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
AND THEN ITEM 14 B, EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PERSONNEL NON-ELECTED.
AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HELM.
AND OH, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS THE ADDITIONS WERE MADE.
I, I SECOND THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.
AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER.
SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS TO APPROVE, STEVE.
[2. Consent Agenda Minutes June 5, 2023 Regular Meeting June 13, 2023 Town Hall Meeting Payroll June 12, 2023 - Sage $14,334.08 Regular $433,391.05 Vouchers $311,968.04 Abates and Escapes A=$2,568.96 E=$0.00 Crossing Permits None Requisitions Req. 1 $3,375.78 (SH) ]
THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HELM SHALL HAVE RIGHT, RIGHT HANDS TO APPROVE.
[3. New Employees]
THREE.I AM NOT SEEING ANY PRESENT IF WE HAVE ANY NEW EMPLOYEES THAT I'M NOT RECOGNIZING.
CAN YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND? NONE.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER.
BEFORE WE GO TO THAT, I NEED TO BACK UP.
ARE WE GONNA DO CITIZENS' COMMENTS? OKAY.
WE NEED TO DO CITIZENS' COMMENTS WITH, IF THERE ARE ANY OF YOU THAT ARE HERE THIS EVENING FOR CITIZENS' COMMENTS.
NOW IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE ARE HERE FOR THIS MEETING OR FOR THE WORK SESSION LATER ON.
UM, UM, FOR THE, UH, HIGHWAY OF OKAY.
THEN YOU, THIS WOULD BE YOUR TIME TO COME UP, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE FRANCINE HAS SOMETHING THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS NOW, OR DID YOU WANNA ADDRESS YOURS AT THE WORK SESSION THIS EVENING? THINK I THE WORK SESSION.
[00:05:01]
FORWARD.UM, DO I NEED TO FACE THIS WAY, THAT WAY OR? YEAH, IF YOU WANNA ADDRESS THE COMMERS AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UM, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THEM AND WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR.
I'M, I LIVE ON 1281 CHARLES STREET HERE IN LIBERAL.
BEEN A CITIZEN SINCE I WAS, UH, PROBABLY I TURNED FOUR WHEN I WAS, WHEN, WHEN I WAS BROUGHT HERE I WAS RAISED.
UM, WE HAVE LAND, I HAVE LAND OUT THERE ON COUNTY ROAD SIX AND HIGHWAY 54.
THE, THE LOT, UH, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE, UM, UH, MYSELF AND SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE HERE.
UM, EITHER OPENING ROAD SIX, WE, THAT, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE OUR, OUR MAIN ISSUE WAS ROAD SIX BEING CLOSED.
UM, WE'RE BEING TOLD PERMANENTLY, UH, SORRY, I'M KIND OF NERVOUS.
BUT, UH, THE MAIN REASON IS SAFETY.
OUR SAFETY WE'RE BASICALLY THROWN OUT INTO A CORNER WAS ONLY ONE WAY IN ONE WAY OUT.
WE USED TO HAVE COUNTY ROAD SIX, AS SOON AS YOU JUMP THE TRACKS OFF OF HIGHWAY 54 TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO OUR LAND RIGHT THERE ON, ON COUNTY ROAD SIX.
AND ALSO FOR THEM IT WOULD, THEY USED TO HAVE TWO, WELL, TWO WAY, TWO WAYS IN, TWO WAYS OUT.
NOW IT'S ONLY JUST ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
AND MY BIGGEST CONCERN, OUR CONCERN WAS FIRE, FIRE SAFETY.
I SPOKE TO THE FIRE CHIEF AND IT WASN'T HIM.
IT WAS THE OTHER GENTLEMAN OUT HERE ON, I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME.
I WISH I WOULD'VE REMEMBERED HIS NAME, BUT JOHN ST.
AND FROM THE LAST TIME WE HAD A MEETING WITH KDOT OUT HERE ON 15TH STREET, THEY TOLD US THAT THE, THE ALL EMERGENCY CREWS, IN CASE THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY, THEY KNEW EXACTLY HOW TO RESPOND, HOW TO GET OUT THERE.
THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE SIXTH, JUNE 6TH.
ONE OF THE POWER LINES CAME DOWN, CAUGHT FIRE ON THE FIELD.
THE WHOLE, ALL THE FIELDS OUT THERE ARE GREEN.
IT WAS WET AND IT STILL CAUGHT ON FIRE.
THE MAIN CONCERN IS, IF, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR WEATHER OUT HERE, CRAZY WEATHER.
IF IT WAS DRY AND WINDY AND THAT FIRE CROSSED THAT ROAD, WHICH IS ROAD L CROSSED INTO GUS, UH, LAND, HE WOULD'VE BEEN JEOPARDIZED.
OUR SHOP WOULD'VE BEEN JEOPARDIZED.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN JEOPARDIZED WITH ONLY ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
AGAIN, I HAD THE FIRE CHIEF WHEN HE GOT THERE.
NO, HE NOT, NOT NOT THAT NIGHT.
I SPOKE TO HIM TO SEE IF HE COULD COME OUT HERE AND HELP US OUT, OR THAT GENTLEMAN.
HE SAID HE WAS COMING FROM KI WHERE THE FIRE WAS AT.
YOU DID NOT KNOW HOW TO GET TO THE FIRE.
HE TRIED TO GET IN THROUGH HIGHWAY 54 AND AND ROAD SIX.
HE HAD TO GET, GET BACK OUT, GO EAST, JUMP THE TRACKS.
BY THE TIME HE GOT THERE, THE, THE OTHER GENTLEMAN WERE THERE ALREADY TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO.
BUT THEY WERE WAITING FOR, FOR THE CHIEF, I GUESS.
BUT HOW MUCH TIME DID HE NOT SPEND WASTE TRYING TO GET TO, TO THE EMERGENCY PLACE? SO THAT'S OUR MAIN CONCERN THAT WE'RE GETTING THROWN INTO A CORNER.
AND I UNDERSTAND KDOT WAS TELLING US THAT LAST TIME WE HAD THAT MEETING WAS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I HAVE A BUSINESS OUT THERE, SEMI-TRUCKS.
WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE HAD OUR, OUR BUSINESS FOR ABOUT GOING ON 12 YEARS AND IT'S STARTING TO AFFECT US ALSO.
AND WHERE, WHERE WITH AGRICULTURE, WE DON'T GET PAID FOR THE MILES AND HAVING TO GO PUT IN THOSE EXTRA MILES, HAVING TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND TOWN AND THEN JUST TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD.
SO THAT'S STARTING TO AFFECT OUR, OUR POCKETS ALSO.
AND THEN THAT BUSINESS, ME AND MY FATHER OWN IT.
WE'VE OWNED IT FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS ALREADY.
BUT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IS OUR SAFETY.
IF WE CAN GET A, SOME KIND OF ACCESS ROAD, SOMETHING AN ACCESS ROAD OR TUCKER ROAD TO BE OPENED BACK UP, YOU KNOW, TUCKER ROAD GOES EAST AND WEST, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WE, WE REALLY NEED SOME HELP.
GOD FORBID, THANKFULLY I DIDN'T GET STUCK IN MY SEMI, I WAS IN MY SEMI WHEN I GOT STUCK, BUT I DID NOT GET STUCK IN THEIR WAY, IN THEIR PATH AWAY IF, IF I WOULD'VE GOTTEN STUCK.
SO THEY CAN'T GET TO WORK, THEY CAN'T GET ANYWHERE.
THEY CAN'T GET INTO, INTO, OUT, IN, IN, IN THE DIRT ROADS WHEN IT'S WET.
AND ESPECIALLY IF I WAS STUCK, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED.
[00:10:01]
THAT'S MAINLY OUR CONCERN.SO WE AS A BOARD, WE'LL GET TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND TALK WITH THE, WITH KDOT AND SEE WHAT KIND OF SOLUTION WE CAN COME UP.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THEM AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE ANYTHING HAPPEN.
BUT WE HAVE IS THIS RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL OR, UM, I'VE BEEN ALL DIFFERENT.
IS IT MIXED? IT'S MIXED, YEAH.
YEAH, GIVE US SOME TIME AND TO SEE WHAT WE CAN MAKE HAPPEN AND, OKAY.
AND I HAVE SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS OUT HERE, MOM, THAT I'M SURE THEY WANNA GIVE YOU SOME, SOME INPUT.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY.
MY DAD IS IVAN FLORES AND HE LIVES OUT AT 12 5 42 WHEAT WOOD CIRCLE IN LIBERAL.
WE ALSO HAVE CONCERNS CUZ WE HAVE LOTS READY AND TO BE BUILT ON.
WE WE'RE READY TO BUILD HOUSES ON THEM.
WE PLAN ON BUILDING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, BUT THE MAIN CONCERN IS INITIALLY TO EVEN GET OUR HOUSE OUT THERE.
THAT'S RIGHT THERE THAT HE LIVES IN.
WE COULDN'T BE OUT THERE UNLESS THERE WAS TWO ENTRANCES OR AND EXITS.
SO OUR CONCERN IS HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THAT? IF WE WE'RE BUILDING HOUSES, CAN WE STILL BUILD HOUSES OR WHAT? I GUESS SAME CONCERN AS ABEL.
WE NEED TO GET ANOTHER WAY INTO THE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME ACCESS? YES.
WE HAVE LOTS READY TO BUILD ON AND WE, THAT'S, WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE, WHERE WE SHOULD GO FROM THIS POINT.
THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING, ARE WE RESIDENTIAL? ARE WE COMMERCIAL? RESIDENTIAL OVER THERE.
WE'LL GET WITH PLANNING AND ZONING ALSO.
JASMINE, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT IT OR SORRY, PUT YOU, IT'S OKAY.
I'M THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER FOR, UM, K A L SOUTHWEST REGION.
UM, I'M JUST HERE TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
WE DO, UM, WE'VE HEARD THEIR CONCERNS.
UM, WE HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS COMING UP IN JULY THE 18TH AND 19TH.
UM, WE'LL HAVE A SPANISH ONLY MEETING FOR THOSE THAT SPEAK ONLY SPANISH, THE 18TH OF JULY FROM FIVE TO SEVEN.
AND WE HAVE A MEETING JULY 19TH FOR, UM, ENGLISH.
UM, I, SO I ENCOURAGE ALL THESE FOLKS OUT HERE THAT HAVE THE CONCERN FOR THAT COUNTY ROAD CLOSURE, UM, TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CONCEPTS THAT WE WILL BE PRESENTING, UM, AND SOME CONCEPTS, UH HA THEY HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF REOPENING, UM, OR GIVING ACCESS TO COUNTY ROAD SIX AGAIN.
BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS.
WE CAN'T, UM, MAKE THOSE, THOSE DECISIONS FOR THEM.
SO PLEASE, I, UM, ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU GUYS OUT IN THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.
WILL, I'LL WILL, UM, POST INFORMATION ON FACEBOOK, ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, I'LL GET WITH ROBERT TO SEND OUT INFORMATION ON THE NEWSPAPER.
I'LL TRY TO ADVERTISE THIS AS BEST AS I CAN, BUT JUST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT TO, TO ADJUST THEIR CONCERNS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? FROM FIVE TO SEVEN? UM, UM,
[00:15:09]
UM, BY CHANCE WILL YOU BE MEETING WITH OUR COMMISSION BEFORE? YES.WE'LL HAVE A LOCAL OFFICIALS MEETING, UM, THE 18TH.
AND, UM, I WILL SEND OUT INFORMATION ON THAT PRETTY SOON.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY CONCERNS, COMMENTS, UPDATES ON OUR CONSTRUCTION.
IS IT'LL BE NICE WHEN IT'S DONE.
ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON THE
[4. Southwest Medical Center Update]
AGENDA.SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER UPDATE.
UM, WE HAVE A TAG TEAM THAT WE, UH, AMBER AND I HAVE DEVELOPED, AND ANYTIME WE COME AND TALK TO ANYBODY, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, GONE WITH THIS FORMAT.
AND SO I, I'M DENNIS, SANDRA, I'M THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER.
AND, UH, TYPICALLY WHAT I WILL DO IS INDICATE WHERE WE ARE WITH REGARD TO OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING.
AND THEN I TURN THIS OVER TO AMBER AND SHE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH REPORT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE HOSPITAL OPERATIONALLY AND ALSO, UH, WITH THE DOCTORS, ET CETERA.
SO, UH, AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, UH, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, FOR THE HOSPITAL.
IT'LL BE FROM PROBABLY A THREE TO FIVE YEAR TYPE OF PLAN.
AND WHAT WE'RE WE HAVE DONE THUS FAR IS, UH, ENTRUSTED AMBER TO WORK WITH HER, UH, STAFF INTERNALLY AND IDENTIFY INTERNAL ISSUES OR, UH, UH, NOT NECESSARILY ISSUES, BUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND THEY HAVE DONE SO AND THEY'VE WORKED ON THAT.
AND THAT ALSO GIVES HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO KINDA GET HER HER FEET WET.
SHE'S A NEW CEO AND SHE ALSO HAS SOME NEW PEOPLE WITH HER STAFF OR WITH HER ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM.
SO ALLOW HER TO KIND OF GET ROLLING SO THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR US TO JUMP IN WITH THE BOARD AND WHAT HAVE YOU, SHE'S A LITTLE, A LITTLE MORE, UH, SEASONED IF YOU WILL.
BUT SAYING THAT OUR INTENTION IS TO, UH, AS THE BOARD IS CONCERNED, HAVE A RETREAT AND ALSO IDENTIFY, UH, ITEMS FROM THE, ALL THE TYPES OF, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THUS FAR.
AND OVER THE YEAR, WE'LL, WE ARE DEVELOPING A, WHAT I WILL CALL A SCORECARD AND THEREFORE ITEMIZING SHOWING THE, THE, WHAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE FOR OUR IMPROVEMENTS, OUR NEEDS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN ALSO WHO'S IDENTIFIED WITH THEM.
AND FROM THAT POINT, UH, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS THAT WILL BE ALONG WITH THAT LINE AND, UH, TIMELINES.
AND I'M JUST GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO AMBER AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M AMBER WILLIAMS, THE CURRENT CEO AT SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER.
UM, PIGGYBACKING OFF DENNIS, UH, WE HAVE STARTED THE INTERNAL PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, MEANING MYSELF AND THE OTHER ADMIN, ADMIN MEMBERS OF THE ADMIN TEAM ARE WORKING WITH FRONTLINE, UH, STAFF, ASKING THEM.
AND, AND OUR FIRST FOCUS IS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF STAFF.
SO WE HAVE TASKED THEM WITH OUT OF THE BOX IDEAS FOR US.
WE ASKED THEM TO PLEASE THINK OF SOME IDEAS ON WHAT WOULD RECRUIT AND RETAIN STAFF.
WE ACTUALLY GOT 45 IDEAS FROM STAFF.
SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE VERY, VERY CREATIVE.
UM, SOME ARE DOABLE, SOME AREN'T.
UH, WE DID FIND ABOUT FIVE OR SIX THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT LOW HANGING FRUIT.
WE'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED THOSE RELATED TO SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL FOR NIGHT SHIFT AND WEEKEND SHIFT WORKERS, SOME PTO, UH, CHANGES TO OUR PTO POLICY.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE IDENTIFIED FIVE OF THE 45 AS OUR FIRST, UM, GO AROUND OF THINGS WE FEEL ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS.
NUMBER ONE BEING SALARIES, UH, BENEFITS, UM, UM, THE, THE HIRING PROCESS.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET THE INTERNAL STUFF DONE SO THAT WHEN WE MEET WITH A COMBINATION WITH US AND THE BOARD, UM, THEY'RE GONNA MORE FOCUS ON THINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
AND WE'LL PULL ALL OF THAT TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A THREE TO FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE HOSPITAL.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS, UH, THINGS GOING ON AT THE HOSPITAL, ONE THING I WANTED TO BRING TO YOU GUYS' ATTENTION BECAUSE LEGAL COUNSEL HAS ASKED US TO, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE WE'RE NOT COMMON DOING.
SO WHEN THE TOWER WAS BUILT IN 91, 92,
[00:20:01]
WE DISCOVERED YEARS LATER, WAY BEFORE MY TIME THAT THE WINDOWS IN THERE WERE PUT IN WRONG.SO THEY WENT AFTER THE COMPANY, THE COMPANY HAD FILED BANKRUPTCY AND WE GOT A SETTLEMENT OF LIKE $600.
AND INSTEAD OF FIXING THE THAT AND PUTTING ADDITIONAL MONEY IN TO FIX 'EM PROPERLY, THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO SEAL THOSE WINDOWS AND KEEP THEM FROM LEAKING AND IT'S NOT WORKING.
AND SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF MOISTURE PROBLEMS. AND SO WE HAVE TAKEN THE STEP TO, UH, WE HAD A STUDY DONE ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
ALL THOSE WINDOWS HAVE TO COME OUT AND BE REPLACED WITH NEW WINDOWS PUT IN PROPERLY.
UM, WE STARTED THE 21 DAY BID PROCESS YESTERDAY ON THE 22ND DAY.
THERE ARE ABOUT TWO TO THREE COMPANIES IN A 750 MILE RADIUS THAT CAN EVEN PUT THAT KIND OF A WINDOW SYSTEM IN.
AND SO WHAT WE WILL DO IS ONCE WE HAVE THE BIDS, WE'LL GO TO THE BOARD TO GET APPROVAL.
WE'LL THEN GO TO THE FOUNDATION BECAUSE IT'S MONEY THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE FOUNDATION TO FIX THOSE AND WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FIX THEM WITH THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL BRING IT TO YOU GUYS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW KIND OF WHAT IT'S GONNA, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY A LITTLE UNDER $2 MILLION TO FIX IT.
SO YEAH, SO ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST KIND OF A, A HEADS UP FOR YOU GUYS THAT WE WON'T BE USING.
OPERATION MONEY WON'T BASK ANY MONEY FROM THE COUNTY.
WE, WE GET TWO CHECKS OR SO A YEAR FROM THE FOUNDATION, UM, FOR, UH, BRICK AND MORTAR REPAIRS OF THE HOSPITAL.
THIS WOULD FALL IN THAT CATEGORY TO GET THEM FIXED, BUT IT'S JUST GONNA CONTINUE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. AND SO FAR WE HAVEN'T FOUND MOLD, BUT WE DON'T SURE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE FIND BY KEEP PUSHING IT OFF.
SO IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE ARE, WE'RE ACTIVELY STARTING.
SO, UM, SO SO IS IT THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR THEN THAT'S FILED BANKRUPTCY OR IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS? IT WAS THE WINDOW COMPANY AND THIS WAS YEARS AGO.
WOULDN'T THAT FALL BACK ON THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR? YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, CJ.
I'M NOT, I MEAN THIS HAS BEEN, THEY THEY WERE OVERSEEING THE JOB.
THEY MAY BE OUTTA BUSINESS TOO, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
BUT YEAH, WE DO, WE DO HAVE THE BIDS OUT AND I'LL MARK'S THE ONE OVER THAT WORKING ON THAT PROJECT RIGHT NOW, COWAN.
SO I'LL HAVE HIM KIND OF GO BACK AND DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, ONE BIG THING I HAVE, DENNIS AND I HAVE DONE A LOT OF MEETINGS WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE BIGGEST THING WE'RE HEARING IS WHEN'S THE CANCER CENTER ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE HOSPITAL GONNA OPEN BACK UP? IT'S BEEN CLOSED.
CENTRAL CARE CANCER CENTER OUT GARDEN CITY IS WHO UH, LEASE THAT SPACE FROM US AND WE'RE RUNNING THAT CANCER CENTER AND THEY CAN'T GET HELP.
SO WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO DO IS WE ARE GOING TO REBRAND IT AS OURS.
THEY'RE GONNA HELP TRAIN NURSES TO DO THE CHEMOTHERAPY UP THERE.
THEY'RE GIVING US ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT AND THEY'RE CANCELING THEIR LEASE, WHICH IS, THAT'S FINE, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA TURN IT INTO AN INFUSION AREA BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN OUTPATIENT INFUSION AND YOU COME TO THE HOSPITAL, DEPENDING ON HOW BUSY WE ARE AND WHERE WE CAN FIND A PLACE TO PUT YOU, YOU COULD SIT A WHILE AND WAIT TO HAVE YOUR INFUSION DONE.
THIS WOULD GIVE US A MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EIGHT TO FOUR 30 TIMEFRAME WHERE PEOPLE COULD ALSO GO TO ONE LOCATION TO HAVE INFUSIONS DONE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, AS FAR AS OPERATIONS, YOU KNOW, WE, THE VOLUMES ARE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
OUR BIGGEST THING IS CONTRACT LABOR.
WE'RE USING IT IN A LOT OF AREAS ON THE PATIENT CARE SIDE, BUT IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO LIBERAL, IT'S NATIONWIDE.
BUT WE HAVE SEEN THE RATES FOR AGENCY STAFF DROP.
AND SO WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME, UH, STAFF COME BACK THAT HAD GONE OUT TO DO AGENCY AS WELL AS WE'VE HIRED A FEW ADDITIONAL NURSES.
SO IS IT GONNA TAKE SOME TIME? ABSOLUTELY.
BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME, SOME ACTUAL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES BEING HIRED AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN START REDUCING THAT CONTRACT LABOR CUZ IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OVERVIEW, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY AROUND OWNING SOUTHWEST CENTER, SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER, OWNING THE CANCER CENTER AND TAKING ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND HELPING OUR CITIZENS HERE.
I HAVE WALKED, WALKED THROUGH WITH MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOSE TREATMENTS AND IT'S LONG AND IT'S AR ARDUOUS AND IT TIRES THEM OUT.
SO THANK YOU FOR UM, HAVING THAT.
BUT I ALSO, I REMEMBER YOU AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR VETERANS, HOW MANY VETERANS, UM, AND TRY TO TALK TO SENATOR MORAN, UM, ABOUT TRYING TO GET A PLACE FOR OUR VETERANS TO COME SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO DODGE CITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR ME WITH FOR THAT? WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYWHERE WITH THAT YET.
[00:25:01]
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO IT.THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THAT WE OPENED THAT VA CLINIC IN THE 15TH STREET CLINIC AND THEN THE VA CLOSED IT.
SO IT'S KIND, SO PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO DRIVE TO DODGE OR WICHITA AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMEWHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SEE PATIENTS IF THEY CAN EVEN TO DO LIKE BENEFIT PHYSICALS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THE, SO BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE CONTRACTED WITH THE VA SO WE CAN SEE THEIR PATIENTS AND VA WILL PAY IF WE HAVE TO PUT PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL, ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS CAN SEE 'EM.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE VA PREFERS VETERANS TO SEE MM-HMM.
I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO COME UP, UPDATE US.
SO I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THIS AND KEEP YOU GUYS IN THE LOOP OF COURSE.
DOES THE COVID MONEY STILL SKEW THE BALANCE SHEET? SO YEAH, THE COVID MONEY IS STILL SITTING AS A LIABILITY ON THE BALANCE SHEET.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, TURNED IN ALL OF OUR PAPERWORK FOR THE AUDIT PART OF THAT, WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO MAKE A DECISION WHETHER WE HAVE TO SEND IT BACK OR NOT.
WE, I AS CFO AT THE TIME, CHOSE NOT TO SPEND THAT MONEY JUST IN CASE WE HAD TO SEND IT BACK.
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING IT RELIEVED AND ARE HAVING TO TRY AND COME UP WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THEY WERE GIVEN.
SO YEAH, IT'S STILL SITTING AS A BALANCE SHEET DOES LIABILITY.
ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
[5. Bids for Translucent Panels - Windows]
FIVE, BID FOR TRANSLUCENT PANEL WINDOWS LINDA JOHNSON.UM, WE HAD, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BID.
WE HAD A BID OPENING ON JUNE 13TH, 2023 AND THE TIME WAS OPENED AT 2:00 PM AT THE SEWARD COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.
WE HAD ONE BID THAT COME IN AND THAT WAS FOR S CH CONCEPT.
AND UM, IT COME IN FOR $240,172.
AND THE FUNDING FOR THIS, IT COMES OUT OF THE ARPA GRANT.
UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS, SOME OF YOU, I KNOW CJ KNOWS, BUT THE REST OF YOU ARE NEW.
UH, WHAT IT WAS IS WE'VE HAD LEAKS IN THE ACTIVITY CENTER FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.
WE'VE TRIED EVERYTHING WE COULD THINK OF TO FIX THAT, UH, BUT WE COULD NEVER GET IT FIXED.
AND SO ONE DAY I HAD A GENTLEMAN CALL ME AND HE WAS HERE WITH THE LIBRARY AND HERE ARE THE ONES THAT INSTALLED THESE WINDOWS BACK IN 1988 AND HE WANTED TO KNOW IF HE COULD COME OUT AND DO AN INSPECTION AND FOR FREE.
AND SO WE SAID, SURE, COME ON OUT.
SO HE CAME OUT AND HE EXPLAINED TO US THAT SOME OF THE WINDOWS ARE CRACKED FROM HELL DAMAGE.
ALL THE METAL TRIM AROUND IT ARE JUST DETERIORATED AND ALL THE CAULKING AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, IT'S JUST WORE OUT, HE SAID.
AND UH, SO THAT'S WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT DOING SOMETHING WITH IT.
BUT FOR $240,000, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO COME UP WITH TAXPAYERS THAT HAVE TO PAY THAT.
SO WHEN THE ARPA GRANT COME OUT, I THOUGHT WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE TO FIX THESE WINDOWS AND WE CAN FINALLY GET SOME CEILING TILE AND KEEP IT WITHOUT GETTING WET EVERY TIME IT RAINS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS COME ABOUT.
SO I'M JUST PUTTING, BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO YOU GUYS TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE IT THIS EVENING.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT GM CN ARCHITECTS, UM, DREW UP THE BID SPECS FOR US FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
UM, WHEN THE BID CAME IN, KENT HAMLIN AND ALBERT GALLEGOS IN PLANNING AND ZONING, UH, DID SEND THE BID DOCUMENTS TO G M C N FOR FURTHER REVIEW.
THEY DID ASSURE US THAT, THAT THEY DID FOLLOW THE BID SPECS.
IT DID MEET WHAT THEY ASKED FOR.
UM, IN THE ARPA FUNDS, YOU GUYS HAD PUT ASIDE $200,000.
SO THIS CAME IN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED.
HOWEVER, YOU HAD BUDGETED IN ARPA FUNDS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE FLOOR AND IT CAME IN AT $38,000.
SO YOU, YOU STILL HAVE THAT CUSHION IN THERE FOR THE OVERAGE ON THIS.
[00:30:02]
AND SO MS. JOHNSON, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING BEFORE US AND UM, OUR ADMINISTRATOR DID UPDATE US UP ON SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND UM, THINGS TO OVERCOME AND SOME BARRIERS TO OVERCOME.SO WE WERE AWARE OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE ACTIVITY CENTER AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOME THINGS.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE, WE ARE AWARE OF IT AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SET THE BID FROM FCH CONCEPTS FOR THE AMOUNT OF 240,172 TO REPLACE THE COW WALL WINDOWS.
I SECOND OUT OF THE ARPA FUNDS.
OKAY, I GOT A MOTION TO SET THE BID FROM S CH CONCEPTS FOR THE AMOUNT OF 2 41 72 AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS TO APPROVE.
[6. Southwest Kansas County Treasurer Association Conference.]
ITEM NUMBER SIX, SOUTHWEST KANSAS COUNTY TREASURER ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.UH, UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I'D FORMALLY WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF FOR THOSE OF YOU KNOW ME, BUT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ME.
THIS IS A TIME THAT I RARELY SPEAK ABOUT BECAUSE I'M A HUMBLE PERSON, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE MYSELF.
MY HUSBAND RICK AND I HAVE BEEN SEWARD COUNTY RESIDENTS OUR ENTIRE LIVES.
WE HAVE HAD OUR BUSINESS HERE FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS.
I AM A SOUTHEASTERN HEIGHTS GRADUATE.
I HAVE STRONG CONSERVATIVE VALUES AND I BELIEVE IT'S EITHER RIGHT OR WRONG AND A HANDSHAKE WILL SEAL A DEAL.
TODAY I HOLD A CERTIFICATE FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CERTI CERTIFIED PUBLIC BOOKKEEPERS.
I AM WORKING ON MY DEGREE TO HAVE A GOAL OF HOLDING A CERTIFICATION FOR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY WITH THE CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS.
IN 2021 I TOOK A GRANT WRITING CLASS IN K STATE.
I HAVE WROTE SIX GRANTS THUS FAR IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE BETTER OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I AM A PART OF.
I HAVE WORKED FOR SEAWARD COUNTY FOR NINE YEARS AND I HAVE BEEN IN THE TREASURER'S OFFICE ALL OF THOSE YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN AN EASTERN STAR FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF TRINITY FAITH CHURCH FOR 14 YEARS.
I HAVE TAKEN CHURCH CAMP YOUTH FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
I TEACH BIBLE AND I AM A MENTOR TO FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS AT CHURCH WITH A CLASS OF RANGING FROM 12 TO 18 KIDS ON WEDNESDAYS.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE QUILTING GUILD AND THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, SEWARD COUNTY REPUBLICAN TREASURER FOR TWO YEARS.
AND TODAY I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE I HAVE NEVER MISSED THE CHANCE TO VOTE.
I HAVE BEEN WITH THE CUB SCOUT PAC 43 FOR FIVE YEARS AND A COMMITTEE ON THE FOUR YEARS AND THE TREASURER FOR TWO YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH WILD WEST DISTRICT FOR FOUR YEARS AND THIS YEAR I'M A PROJECT LEADER.
I AM CURRENTLY ON THE CASE STATE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR COUNCIL.
I'M A SEAWARD COUNTY FAIR BOARD ASSOCIATION MEMBER AND I'VE BEEN ON THAT BOARD FOR THREE YEARS AND I JUST TOOK A TERM FOR THREE THIS YEAR AS THE TREASURER FOR THAT ORGANIZATION.
I AM YOUR STEWART COUNTY TREASURER.
SO HELLO, LET'S DIVE INTO THE AGENDA THAT I'M GONNA BRING IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM THAT I HAVE IS WITH THE SOUTHWEST KANSAS COUNTY TREASURER ASSOCIATION.
IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I AM ABLE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE SEAWARD COUNTY WILL BE HOSTING THE SOUTHWEST KANSAS COUNTY TREASURES ASSOCIATION.
THIS GROUP IS AFFILIATED WITH THE KANSAS COUNTY TREASURER ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS DIVIDED INTO DISTRICTS.
SOUTHWEST IS ONE DISTRICT APPROXIMATELY IN ATTENDANCE IS 60 PEOPLE WHO WILL VISITING WILL BE VISITING OUR GREAT COUNTY OF SEWARD COUNTY.
WE WILL BE HOSTING AN ALL DAY AFFAIR WITH 17 COUNTIES ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023.
GUEST SPEAKERS WILL INCLUDE THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND IN ATTENDANCE THEY WILL BE THERE.
AND, AND WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER GUEST SPEAKER THAT WE HAVEN'T PICKED YET.
IT HAS BEEN 21 YEARS SINCE SEWARD COUNTY HAD THE HONOR OF HOSTING THE SOUTHWEST KANSAS TREASURER'S ASSOCIATION AND MY OFFICE IS DELIGHTED TO PUT ON THIS EVENT FOR THE ASSOCIATION.
SO WITH FURTHER ADO, I HAVE THE PLEASURE TO LETTING THE PUBLIC AND YOU GUYS KNOW THAT ON SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2023, THIS WARD COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED IN ORDER TO HOST THIS EVENT.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, MA'AM.
[00:35:02]
MARY SIX.DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE HOSTING THAT AT OR WHAT ASSISTANCE YOU'RE GONNA NEED FROM THE COUNTY AND THAT? SO WE, UM, INITIALLY WERE THINKING OF HAVING IT IN THIS ROOM HERE, BUT IT JUST WILL NOT HOUSE THAT MANY PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ACTIVITY CENTER OR THE COLLEGE.
SO YOU'LL JUST LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ASSISTANCE NEEDED FROM ADMINISTRATION.
SO FAR I THINK OUR OFFICE WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE MOST OF IT WITH ALL OF US IN THERE, KIND OF DIVIDING UP THE RULES AND EVERYTHING, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT.
BUT IF NEED BE, WE WILL LET YOU KNOW.
AND I STARTED TO SAY CHAIRMAN CARR, USUALLY THEY HAVE THE CHAIRMAN OPEN AND SAY A FEW WORDS OF THOSE.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ITEM SIX A OVERTON.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT UM, I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE'S GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS, BUT OVER TIME IS A BIG ISSUE IN MY DEPARTMENT AND UM, I'M TRYING TO CUT THAT DOWN 75% THIS YEAR.
AND WE'VE COME UP WITH SEVERAL IDEAS OF HOW TO DO THAT.
BUT THE MAIN THING AFTER LOOKING AT ALL OF THE TIME SHEETS IS THAT OVER TIME IS HAPPENING BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX.
SO WE ARE SET TO OPEN FROM EIGHT TO FIVE EVERY DAY.
THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING IS THAT THE GIRLS ARE CROSS TRAINED AND SO THEY HAVE TWO DRAWERS THAT THEY HAVE TO COUNT DOWN.
WHEN THEY HAVE TO COUNT DOWN THOSE TWO DRAWERS.
WE, PEOPLE KNOW THAT IF THEY'RE NOT IN THAT OFFICE, THAT WE, THE FRONT DOORS DON'T LOCK TILL FIVE, THAT SOMETIMES THEY COME IN TO DO THEIR BUSINESS, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR.
BUT THE STATE OF KANSAS SHUTS DOWN THEIR HELPLINE AT FOUR 30.
SO OUR GIRLS ARE HAVING TO STAY 5 15, 5 30, 6 O'CLOCK.
AND SO MOST OF OUR OVERTIME IS COMING BETWEEN THAT TIME.
SO AFTER SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, WE FEEL LOCKING OUR DOOR AT 4 45 IS SUFFICED.
IF YOU ARE IN OUR OFFICE, WE WILL HELP YOU AND WE WILL GET YOU OUT THE DOOR.
AND OF COURSE THE END OF THE MONTH AND THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH IS ALWAYS GONNA BE IFFY BECAUSE THERE'S A LINE OF PEOPLE.
BUT SOME OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS TAKE 30 TO 40 MINUTES TO FINISH.
AND IF WE HAVE A MISTAKE OR WHAT THEY CALL IN VITA, WHICH IS THE, UM, STATE OF KANSAS IS NOW LINKED TO ALL OF THE STATES.
AND IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THAT, WE CAN'T CALL THE STATE OF KANSAS TO REMOVE THAT ISSUE.
WE JUST HAVE TO SAY COME BACK TOMORROW.
AND SO THAT'S EVEN A INCONVENIENCE FOR THE CUSTOMER.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IF WE CLOSE OUR DOORS AT 4 45 AND LOCK THEM, BUT THAT WOULD STOP HER OVERTIME PRIMARILY BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO THAT, THIS IS THE, THIS IS WHERE THE SITUATION'S GONNA HAVE TO GO TO.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE HOUR AND A HALF TO TWO HOUR LUNCHES, WHICH IS NOT A CONVENIENCE TO ANYBODY IN SWARD COUNTY TO COME INTO, WHICH IS THEN GOING TO TOTALLY MESS UP ROTATION AND MAKING SURE THAT SOMEBODY'S THERE AT ALL TIMES TO HELP THE CUSTOMERS.
AND SO JUST LOCKING OUR DOOR AT 4 45, I FEEL, AND THE OUT OFFICE AS WELL FEELS THAT THIS IS SUFFICE ENOUGH AND LET'S SEE HOW IT GOES.
IF IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S WORKING OUT, THEN LET'S COME BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND DO IT AGAIN, SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO.
BUT THAT IS OUR THOUGHTS ON CLOSING AND LOCKING THE DOORS IN OUR OFFICE AT 4 45.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU TRYING IT BECAUSE I SAID IF SOMETHING, IF IT DOESN'T WORK, YOU MAY COME IN AND CHANGE IT.
YOU MAY EVEN HAVE TO MOVE IT TO FOUR 30.
SO SOME DEPARTMENTS DO STOP TAKING TRANSACTIONS AT FOUR 30 WHEN A GIRL, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE HIRED, THEY'RE HIRED FROM EIGHT TO FIVE, BUT THEY'RE NOT LEAVING THAT OFFICE TILL EIGHT TILL 5 15, 5 30.
SO TWO DAYS OF LEAVING AT FIVE 30 HAS ALREADY GOT ONE HOUR.
AND SO IF I DON'T DO, I FEEL LIKE IF I DON'T DO THIS IN ORDER TO CUT OVERTIME AND TO GET THEM ON THEIR WAY TO DO WHATEVER THEY WISH TO DO AFTER WORK, IT'S NOT GONNA BE PROFITABLE FOR ANYBODY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY EASY AND THEY'RE AT THE DOOR AND THEY CALL IN AND SAY, I'M ON MY WAY, CAN YOU, YOU KNOW, I'M COMING FROM KISMET, CAN YOU HOLD THE DOOR? YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA OBLIGE TO THEM AND LET THEM IN THE DOOR.
BUT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO, I THINK RIGHT NOW THIS IS THE BEST SOLUTION THAT WE HAVE TO THIS.
I HAVE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALSO I HAVE A QUESTION.
[00:40:01]
YEARS.IF, IF I SAY THAT THE BANK CLOSES AT FIVE O'CLOCK AND I CLOSE THAT BANK AT 4 45, WE GONNA HAVE SOME CHALLENGES, SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO I WAS THINKING, UM, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THE FOUR DAY WORK WEEK THAT MAY NOT WORK FOR THIS DEPARTMENT, BUT CAN YOU STAGGER THOSE, UM, LIKE A MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WHERE YOU'RE WORKING FROM SEVEN 30 TO FOUR 30 AND THEN I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOUR SCHEDULES BETTER THAN I DO WHEN THE BUSIEST TIME, UM, FOR, BECAUSE WHAT COULD, YOU COULD EVEN CLOSE YOUR DOOR AT 4 45 AND IT MAY TAKE AN HOUR TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.
SO YOU'RE STILL HAVING CHALLENGES WITH, UM, OVERTIME.
SO IS IT THE POSSIBILITY OF BACKING THAT TIME UP FROM SEVEN 30 TO FOUR 30? AND THEN I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING SOME SCENARIOS OUT THERE DOING A FOUR DAY WORK WEEK JUST FOR THE TREASURER'S OFFICE OR HAVE A TIME WHEN YOU OPEN EARLY, UH, AND JUST STAGGER THOSE, STAGGER THOSE TIMES SO YOU'RE NOT RUNNING INTO OVERTIME.
IS THAT POSSIBLE? SO PERSE, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN THEY WERE IN THE OLD BUILDING, THEY DID DO THAT AND I DID, WE DID TALK ABOUT THAT.
DO WE WANNA DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR THE SUMMER? THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WITH THAT IS WE ARE, WE WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THAT FRONT DOOR UNLOCKING AT SEVEN 30 AND THE SAFETY OF MY GIRLS IF MAYBE ONLY HAVING TWO OR THREE IN THE OFFICE.
AND THAT'S WHERE I DREW THE LINE AND SAID, YOUR SAFETY IS UP UP MY MOST IMPORTANCE.
AND HAVING YOU HERE WITH ALL THAT MONEY AND ALL OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS BY YOURSELF AND IN THE BUILDING BY YOURSELF FOR 30 MINUTES, A LOT CAN HAPPEN.
AND I WASN'T WILLING TO DO THAT.
AND THEY UNDERSTOOD WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
SO IF THAT WAS THE CASE, I'M SURE WE COULD PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR THEM TO COME IN AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE SAFE.
BECAUSE AGAIN, AS A BANKER MM-HMM.
WE, WE, WE HAD A, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A PROPOSAL ONE LAST YEAR.
UH, ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES BROUGHT A PROPOSAL TO US ABOUT THE FACT OF OPENING UP EARLY AND AND COMING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT OPENING UP BEFORE EIGHT O'CLOCK, IF YOU OPEN UP AT SEVEN 30, MOST PEOPLE HAVE TO BE TO WORK BY EIGHT O'CLOCK ANYWAY.
AND SO COMING IN AT SEVEN 30 REALLY PROBABLY DOESN'T GIVE 'EM ENOUGH TIME.
IF IT TAKES 15 TO 20 MINUTES OR 30 MINUTES TO DO SOMETHING, THEN THE, THE PROBLEM IS PEOPLE CAN'T REALLY COME IN ON THAT 30 MINUTES BEFORE EIGHT O'CLOCK.
CUZ IF THEY GO TO WORK THEN MOST OF THE TIME THEY CAN'T GET THEIR BUSINESS DONE, UH, BY EIGHT O'CLOCK AND GET TO WORK BY EIGHT O'CLOCK.
SO I MEAN THAT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS A GOOD THOUGHT.
BUT UH, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON THAT UH, I HAD BALKED AT THE, YOU KNOW, OPENING UP AT SEVEN 30 JUST BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T THINK THAT IT WOULD, UH, WOULD HELP THE PEOPLE TRYING TO COME IN EARLY AND STILL NEEDING TO GET TO WORK AT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
AND I'D HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
THE OTHER SITUATION ON THAT IS, IS SCHOOL'S OUT.
SO PARENTS WOULD DROP THEIR KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL AT SEVEN 30 AND COME DO THEIR BUSINESS.
SO THAT WOULD SEEM OKAY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
THAT'S WHEN THE HIGHEST POINT IS BECAUSE THEY'VE PICKED UP THE KIDS AND NOW THEY'RE COMING IN TO DO THEIR BUSINESS.
AND SO FOR THE SUMMERTIME THAT I WAS LIKE, I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT THAT WOULD WORK, EVEN DOING THE SEVEN 30 BECAUSE THEY'RE AT HOME, THEY'RE NOT TAKING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL AND SO THEY'RE NOT OUT AND ABOUT TO DO THEIR BUSINESS AT SEVEN 30.
UM, ALL OF THE GIRLS IN THE OFFICE GAVE ME THEIR FEEDBACK AND I FELT LIKE TOGETHER WE FELT 15 MINUTES WAS SUFFICE TO JUST START COUNTING DOWN.
AND IF THAT GIRL HAS A CUSTOMER AT THERE AND SAYS, I HAVE SOMETHING TO DO, I NEED TO TRANSFER YOU TO THIS PERSON, WE LET 'EM DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW YOU HAVE A LIFE AFTER WORK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NORMAL.
SO I THINK, I DON'T THINK THE SEVEN 30 TO FOUR 30 WAS GONNA WORK FOR US RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE IN THE WINTERTIME WHEN SCHOOL STARTS, I THINK IT PROBABLY COULD, BUT I DON'T THINK RIGHT NOW IN THE SUMMERTIME IT WOULD NOW IF IT'S RIGHT BEFORE HOLIDAY.
CUZ THEY ALL WANNA COME GET THEIR BOATS REGISTERED AND THEIR CARS TAGGED BEFORE THEY HEAD OUT, YOU KNOW, TO DO THEIR UM, RV STUFF.
BUT I DON'T THINK RIGHT NOW THAT THAT WOULD WORK FOR US.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STAGGERING DURING THE SUMMER OR JUST THIS IS A PERMANENT TO CLOSE EVERY DAY AT 4 45? I THINK LOCKING THE DOORS AT 4 45 IS SUFFICE ENOUGH.
15 MINUTES FOR THEM TO COUNT DOWN AND THE LATEST THAT THEY'D HAVE TO BE IS FIVE 10.
BUT DON'T YOU THINK EVEN STAGGERING THE HOURS, YOU'RE NOT IN INCRE YOU'RE NOT BENEFITING ANYTHING BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE ADDING THE HOURS IN THE MORNING.
I MEAN YOU STILL HAVE TO BALANCE OUT AFTER, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE NOT WORKING AND SO DURING TAX TIME OR THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH OR THE END OF THE MONTH, IT TAKES A GIRL QUITE A WHILE TO BALANCE THOSE TWO DRAWERS CUZ IT'S NOT ONE DRAWER, IT'S TWO DRAWERS.
[00:45:01]
A GOOD 10, 15 MINUTES AND PRAY TO GOD THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG THAT YOU DID TO FIX ANYTHING.SO YOU HOPE THAT IT GETS THROUGH AND YOU CAN GET DONE.
SO YEAH, THERE IS, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY BENEFIT TO IT.
SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY JUST EDUCATING OUR PUBLIC THAT WE'RE CLOSING 15 MINUTES EARLY AND THERE'LL BE A LITTLE LEARNING CURVE, BUT THEN IT'LL WORK.
I THINK SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, DEPARTMENTS ON THAT FLOOR THAT STOP BUSINESS AT CERTAIN TIMES AS WELL.
UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPEN TO, IF WE NEED TO STAY A A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA BRING THE OVERTIME DOWN TO 75%.
AND SO IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE NEEDING TO STAY OPEN LONGER OR LEAVE THE DOORS UNLOCKED AT TILL FIVE ON THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH OR THE END OF THE MONTH WHEN WE'RE BUSY, I'M OPEN TO THAT.
I'M NOT GONNA BE LIKE, NO, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TOMORROW.
BUT JUST TO GET IT TO, UM, REGULATED UNDER CONTROL, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THESE CHANGES.
WELL MARY, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE LOOKED INTO THAT AND YOU YOUR'RE TRYING TO SAVE THE COUNTY THAT ACCESS.
STEVE, CAN I ASK, CAN I ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS? SURE.
BUT FOR MARY ABOUT MORE PERCENTAGES.
UM, AND I KNOW IT'S JUST NORMAL NOT BUYING OR SELLING A VEHICLE, BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE RENEWALS ARE DONE ONLINE? SO I WOULD, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY 35% IS DONE ONLINE.
UM, BECAUSE IF YOUR INSURANCE IS NOT UP TO DATE, OR LET'S SAY YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY PUT A A ZERO AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN O IT'S NOT GONNA COME OVER ON THE, UM, THE INSURANCE CHECK WHENEVER THE, THE PULL THAT EVERY MONTH.
AND SO THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO RENEW.
SO WE HAVE, UM, A SMALL PERCENTAGES OF CAR RENEWALS ONLINE.
UM, ANY, ANY LIEN RELEASES, ANY UM, ADDRESS CHANGES, ANY, UM, TITLE AND REGISTRATIONS HAS TO BE DONE IN HOUSE.
BUT FOR ME IT'S BEEN PAINLESS FOR YEARS.
EVEN CHANGING INSURANCES, I DON'T KNOW, I DIDN'T, IT JUST CAME UP WITH A MINOR INSURANCE, BUT YOU THINK MAYBE WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF BROCHURE INSTRUCTION SHEET OR SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE COME IN LATE OR WHATEVER YOU CAN FOR A RENEWAL.
SO WHAT, GIVE THEM THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO IT FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME.
SO WHENEVER THEY SEND OUT THEIR RENEWALS, THEY SEND THEM OUT 60 DAYS PRIOR TO RENEWAL AND EVERY, ALL THE INFORMATION ON IS ON THERE.
YOUR PIN NUMBER WHERE YOU CAN GO TO, THEY CAN ALSO GO TO THE SEWARD COUNTY KANSAS WEBSITE AND THEY CAN RENEW THROUGH THERE AS WELL.
UM, SO ON THE RENEWAL FORM, IT TELLS YOU WHERE YOU CAN RENEW AT AND IF YOU, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE APP, I CAN AND RENEW THERE AS WELL.
BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW, YOU HA YOUR INSURANCE HAS TO BE UP TO DATE.
SO LET'S SAY YOUR CHILD IS IN OLATHE GOING TO COLLEGE AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE THEIR TAG NUMBER, BUT THEY JUST SWITCHED TAGS TO THAT COUNTY.
THERE COULD BE A MILLION REASONS WHY IT'S NOT PULLING UP.
AND SOMETIMES THAT'S AN ISSUE.
UM, OR SOMETIMES THEY JUST WANNA COME IN AND SEE, SEE US FACE TO FACE AND SOMETIMES THEY WANNA PAY, YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU GET PAID A SERVICE CHARGE AS WELL DOING THAT.
UM, AND THEY DON'T WANNA PAY THAT THERE PAYING WITH THEIR CREDIT CARD.
I I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I MEAN, IF WE COULD GET A FEW MORE OF PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY DO IT ONLINE, IT'S RELIEVES NOT GONNA, IT'S NOT GONNA HELP THE HOURS, BUT IT'S GONNA HELP.
WELL, RENEWABLES DON'T TAKE HARDLY ANY TIME AT ALL.
WHAT TAKES TIME IS THE TITLE AND REGISTRATION.
AND IF YOU'RE COMING IN WITH A RENEWABLE, YOU'RE USUALLY IN AND OUT UNLESS YOU COME IN AND WE'VE RENEWED THE WRONG CAR OR YOU FORGOT TO ADD YOUR WILDLIFE AND PARK PERMIT OR YOUR INSURANCE ISN'T PULLING UP.
OR THE NAME OF THE CAR IS NOT UNDER YOUR NAME AND YOU'RE RENEWING AND YOUR INSURANCE ISN'T UNDER THE SAME NAME.
AND SO WE'VE GOT A MESS RIGHT THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SEND YOU PROBABLY BACK ANYWAYS TO FIX YOUR INSURANCE ISSUE.
UM, BUT I THINK, I THINK THAT KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE DOES A GOOD, UM, OUTREACH TO LET THEM KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS ONLINE AND, AND ACTUALLY TELLS THEM TO.
AND FOR 2020 WAS THE MAIN CAUSE OF PEOPLE DOING THAT.
THEY REALLY PUSHED THAT IN 2020 TO RENEW YOUR CARS ONLINE.
[00:50:02]
I THINK YOU'VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK.I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE MARY'S REQUEST TO CLOSE YOUR DOORS AT 4 45.
HAVE A MOTION TO CHANGE OURS TO 4 45 FOR TREASURER'S DEPARTMENT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT.
EVEN THOUGH MY QUESTION WAS HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE THAT WE NOTIFY THE PUBLIC? SO, UM, I HAPPENED TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC ABOUT SEPTEMBER 27TH, AND THEN I'LL ALSO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE IN FACT, UM, UNTIL JULY 1ST.
SO I'LL NOTIFY PER PAPER AND PER WEBSITE THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE THAT EFFECTIVE TO JULY 1ST.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT JUST DROPPING THIS ON THEM.
YOU'LL LET THE PAPER RUN ADD THE PAPER.
BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO GONNA NOTIFY ABOUT THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER AS WELL.
[7. Change in Vehicle Envelopes]
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, CHANGE IN VEHICLE ENVELOPES.OH, WE'RE JUST FULL OF STUFF TONIGHT,
SO, UM, I, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE, BUT SINCE 2020 THERE HAS BEEN A VERY HARD TIME WITH ENVELOPES.
AND SO KANSAS, UM, HAS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, UM, I'VE BEEN GOING TO CONVENTIONS AND STUFF AND THEY'VE BEEN SAYING THAT THIS LITTLE ENVELOPE HERE HAS BEEN HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER TO GET.
IN 2021 WE ORDERED THEM AND THEN WE WERE TOLD THAT, UM, IT WAS GONNA GET HARDER TO GET 2022 CAME AND WE WERE LUCKY TO GET 'EM.
AND SO WE STARTED LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS OF DOING, UM, SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE, WE VOICED LOOKED AROUND SEEING WHAT OTHER COUNTIES WERE DOING, YOU KNOW, IF WE GOT THIS IN A DIFFERENT COLOR, IF WE DID LIKE A PASTEL COLOR, WOULD THAT BE EASIER? WOULD LAW ENFORCEMENT CARE IF WE CHANGE IT WITH THE CITIZENS OF SEAWARD COUNTY CARE? WELL, WE HAD SOME, UM, FEEDBACK ON THAT.
AND THEN IN 2023 IT WAS A MIRACLE WORKER THAT WE EVEN GOT THE LAST BUNCH.
SO WHENEVER I CALLED TO ORDER THIS COMING, 20 23, 20 24, HE SAID HE CANNOT GUARANTEE WE ORDER 25 THOUSANDS OF THESE, UM, A YEAR, UM, THAT WE, HE CANNOT.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS MANUFACTURER THAT WE USE, UM, THEY PRINT THEM ALL OFF AND THEY WOULD STORE THEM FOR US.
SO THEY WOULD PRINT ALL 25,000 BOX 'EM UP AND HE WOULD, HE WOULD STORE IT FOR US.
SO THIS YEAR, UM, TALKING TO HIM, UM, I WAS PRETTY MUCH TO THE POINT AND I, I DON'T WANNA MAKE THE DECISION ON MY OWN BECAUSE I ALSO WANNA KNOW WHAT THE CITIZENS FELT.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA KNOW HOW THE GIRLS FELT, UM, AND HOW THE FEEDBACK WAS GONNA BE TOWARD THE OFFICE.
AND SO, UM, A LOT OF THEM WANTED TO KEEP THIS AND NOT GO TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO.
BUT, UM, BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND NOT KNOWING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THESE, WE WENT AHEAD AND SWITCHED THE REGISTRATION ENVELOPES.
SO, UM, IN AUGUST WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE SEEING THESE GOING OUT.
UM, WE HAVE TWO BOXES, WHICH STILL HAS KITTY MINE'S NAME BECAUSE WE'RE STILL USING THOSE.
AND SO WE SHOULD BE GOOD UNTIL AUGUST WITH THESE.
AND THEN WE'RE SWITCHING OVER TO THESE.
AND SO WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER TO THESE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LOT MORE INFORMATION ON THEM THAT, UM, WAS NOT ON THE SMALLER ONES ALSO, UM, I FELT LIKE IT WAS MORE COST EFFECTIVE AS WELL.
AND SO CHANGING THAT, UM, I'M ALSO HAVING THEM SHIPPED TO US IN BULK, SO THEY'RE BEING PRINTED OFF AND THEN WE JUST INHOUSE THEM AND STORM IN THE BASEMENT.
SO WE'RE SAVING, UM, $2,500 A YEAR, UH, DOING THAT.
SO THAT IS JUST KIND OF A PUBLIC UPDATE.
PHYSICALLY FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
[8. Outstanding Checks]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, OUTSTANDING CHECKS MARY ROSE.
OKAY, SO WHEN I TOOK OFFICE IN JANUARY OF 2023, THERE WAS A TOTAL OF $160,000 IN OUTSTANDING CHECKS DATING FROM 2012 TO 2022.
MYSELF AND THE DEPUTY HAS WORKED TO CLEAR THIS UP AND WE HAVE DONE THIS BY RESEARCHING, NOTIFYING AND REISSUING CHECKS TO CUSTOMERS LETTERS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THAT ATTACHMENT STARTED GOING OUT INTO FEBRUARY OF 2023.
THEY'RE GIVING THEIR RECIPIENTS A TIMELINE TO CONTACT US.
WE USED OUR RESOURCES IN OUR OFFICE BY KNOWING THE INDIVIDUAL AND PERSONALLY CALLING, TRYING TO CONTA CONTACT HIM OR HER FOR THEM TO COME IN BY EITHER EMAIL
[00:55:01]
MEL OR WORD OF MOUTH.WE LET THE DATE MOVE ON PAST 14 DAYS, WHICH WAS STATED IN THE LETTER AS OF TODAY, A CHECK IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,658 AND 10 CENTS MUST BE CUT AND GO TO THE KANSAS SECRETARY OF TREASURER.
THIS IS GONNA GO WITH AN, AN EXCEL SHEET AND IT IS ALSO GOING TO BE AS UNCLAIMED FUNDS.
ALSO, IT IS REQUESTED THAT THE AMOUNT OF $13,177 AND 59 CENTS BE SENT BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THAT IS MONEY THAT WE DO NOT KNOW ADDRESSES OF OR WHOSE IT IS.
SIMPLY PUT, THERE WAS AN INFORMATION, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION TO GIVE THIS MONEY TO THE SECRETARY OF TREASURER FOR US TO FIND THE RIGHTFUL OWNER UNDER THE ADVISEMENT AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR ACCOUNTING FIRM, THIS MONEY IS TO BE PUT BACK INTO THE JOURNAL FUND AS INCOME.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMISSION THAT FARGO TOWNSHIP HAS AN OUTSTANDING CHECKS DATING BACK 2016 TO CURRENT YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,712 AND 51 CENTS.
THESE DISTRIBUTION CHECKS ARE TAXPAYER MONEY THAT HAS BEEN NOT CASHED.
THE ENTITY SUBMITS A BUDGET TO THE COUNTY CLERK IN WHICH THESE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED PER THE ACCOUNTANT, THE CLERK, THE TREASURER, AND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
I HAVE ALL CONTACTED THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED.
I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO OUR ACCOUNTANT AND LEGAL IN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
AS OF DATE, THE AMOUNT IS HOLDING AS OUTSTANDING ON OUR BOOKS OF $4,712 AND 51 CENTS.
AND I'M COMING TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND TO THE PUBLIC NOTIFYING YOU OF THIS SITUATION.
SO I AM REQUESTING THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE A CHECK TO BE CUT FOR $19,658 AND 10 CENTS TO BE SENT TO THE KANSAS TREASURER, WHICH WOULD GO WITH THE EXCEL SHEETS AND THE DIGITAL FILE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SEND TO THEM AS WELL.
AND THEN AJE WILL BE DONE FROM MY OFFICE TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE IN THE AMOUNT OF 13,000 177 59.
SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THOSE TWO NUMBERS, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT WOULD BE $6,840 AND 51 CENTS.
SO DOES IT GO TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE OR TO THE STATE TREASURER'S OFFICE? IT, IT GOES TO THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
CUZ IN OUR NOTES IT SAYS SECRETARY OF STATE.
NO, IT'S GONNA GO AS UNCLAIMED FUNDS.
OKAY, SO FARGO TOWNSHIP, ARE YOU GONNA CANCEL THOSE CHECKS? I CANNOT CANCEL THOSE CHECKS BECAUSE THAT IS A TAX DISTRIBUTION THAT IS COMING IN.
THEY ARE SUBMITTING THAT IT IS GOING INTO THEIR PROPERTY TAXES FOR THOSE TAX PAPER PEOPLE TO PAY.
AND I HAVE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE CHECKS TO THEM.
AND SHE HAS, SHE HAS VISITED WITH ME.
AND I HAVE VISITED WITH THE, WITH THE TREASURER, THE TREASURER OF FARGO.
AND WE AREN'T GETTING ANYWHERE.
IT'S, AND SHE, SO I DON'T KNOW, DO WE HAVE, DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, MAKE SOMEONE ELSE THE TREASURER OF FARGO TOWNSHIP? SO I SPOKE TO LINDA BILLINGS TODAY BECAUSE SHE IS THEIR ACCOUNTANT AND SHE'S THE ONE THAT COMPLETES THEIR BUDGET FOR THEM.
SHE'S GOING TO HAVE A VISIT WITH THEM BECAUSE I TALKED TO HER TODAY.
SHE SAID THAT SHE HAS DIRECTED THEM TO ASK FOR THAT MONEY AND TO LEVY THOSE TAXES FOR THEIR BUDGET.
THEY DO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY EACH YEAR, AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THEIR BUDGET, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
UM, LINDA DID SAY SHE WOULD REACH BACK OUT TO DIANE AND LET HER KNOW A, SHE NEEDS TO CASH THE CHECKS, WHICH THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE GOOD NOW, SO SHE'S GONNA NEED TO CONTACT THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.
SO I HAVE THOSE, ALL OF THOSE CHECKS AND I'M, I AM WILLING, I HAVE TALKED TO THOSE, UM, PEOPLE AND I HAVE SAID, IF YOU GO OPEN UP A CHECKING ACCOUNT, I WILL WRITE YOU A CHECK FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT TO GET THOSE OFF OF MY BOOKS.
AND YOU GO DEPOSIT THAT IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ROCK ON WITH YOUR DAY.
AND I HAVE GOT NOWHERE WITH THAT.
AND SO MY WHOLE OBJECTIVE IS TO GET IT OFF MY BOOKS AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S FAIR TO THE TAXPAYERS TO TAKE THEIR MONEY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, DISTRIBUTE IT OUT TO THESE ENTITIES AND THEY'RE NOT CASHING
[01:00:01]
IT.AND THAT FUNDS IS FOR THE CEMETERIES AND FOR ANOTHER, UM, FOR THE ROAD I BELIEVE THAT IS OUT THERE.
SO, I MEAN, THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT COULD BE USED AND IT COULD BE USED FOR THE FARGO CEMETERY AND IT COULD BE USED, IT MAY BE ABLE TO USE, BE USED FOR THE CEMETERY OUT HERE ON, ON BLUEBELL ROAD.
ONE THING ABOUT, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO EXPEDIATE THIS? WELL, I DON'T THINK, CAN WE REPLACE THE TREASURE? I, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS REPLACING THE TREASURER OF, UH, A TOWNSHIP, I DON'T KNOW, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THE IMPEACHMENT PROCESS,
UH, NEVER BEEN PRESENTED WITH THAT QUESTION AS FAR AS, UM, IT'S A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION.
UM, I, I MEAN WE CAN'T MAKE ANYBODY CASH A CHECK, I SUPPOSE, BUT I THINK THAT THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IS IT'S BRINGING IT OUT INTO KIND OF THE LIGHT, UH, WITH YOU, UH, MARY BRINGING THAT UP AND PERHAPS JUST THE POLITICAL PROCESS, UH, WITH PEOPLE KNOWING THAT THERE ARE THESE FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR IMPROVEMENT IN FARGO AND THE FARGO TOWNSHIP WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO THAT.
SO, UH, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THEY'RE WELL AWARE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IT, OR AT LEAST IT, IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS FAR AS THE ACCOUNT, THEIR ACCOUNTANT'S INVOLVED.
AND, UH, AND SO I'D SAY, LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN THE NEAR, VERY NEAR FUTURE.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW, UH, HOW A TOWNSHIP SECRETARY IS REMOVED BECAUSE THEY'RE ELECTED BY, YOU KNOW, THE RESPECTIVE TOWNSHIP.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION IS, BUT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE ELECTION IS FOR THAT.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE DONE ON, ON THIS DEAL IS IF YOU'D COME BACK TO US IN A MONTH, SEE IF, SEE IF WE, SEE IF WE GET ANY, ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED BY YOU BRINGING IT OUT TODAY.
SEE IF WE GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED TO KEEP IT FRESH IN HER MIND.
IF, IF I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO COME BACK AND REPORT EITHER WAY, IF WE, IF WE GET, IF YOU GET IT SOLVED, THEN THAT'S GREAT.
COME BACK AND TELL US IT'S SOLVED.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT IT SOLVED YET, THEN COME BACK AND TELL US IT'S NOT SOLVED AND THEN, AND THEN WE'LL ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
WE'LL ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT THAT TIME THEN.
SO, I, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION TOO, LINDA WAS GONNA REACH OUT TO THEM, BUT DIANE HARVEY IS THE TREASURER, BUT NANCY LAUDER BACK.
SO LINDA WAS GONNA REACH OUT TO HER AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAD REACHED OUT TO I HAVE, I HAVE REACHED OUT TOAND EVERY SINGLE PERSON.
UM, I HAVE VERBALLY REACHED OUT AND I HAVE, UM, ALSO SENT A LETTERS OUT.
SO IT WASN'T THAT, IT WASN'T DUE DILIGENCE.
I, I F I, WE JUST, I WORD OF MOUTH AS WELL, TRYING TO SAY, HEY, COME TO MY OFFICE.
LET'S TRY TO GET THIS RESOLVED.
SO IT WAS SEVERAL CORRESPONDENCE THAT WENT OUT, UM, FOR THEM TO REACH OUT.
AND IT, I DID CONTACT LINDA, UM, I, AND I CONTACT LINDA ALSO.
I DID HAVE YOU TALKED TO? YES.
AND SO I HAVE CONTACTED ALMOST EVERYONE THAT IS INVOLVED WITH THIS FARGO TOWNSHIP ON PAPER.
I, SO ON THAT, I KNOW NANCY LAUDER BACK PERSONALLY.
SO I WILL REACH OUT TO HER AND SEE, UM, IF I GET IN CONTACT WITH HER.
WHAT IS THE, WHAT YOU TELL HER.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR, IF THEY HAVE A CHECK-IN ACCOUNT NOW OR NOT, THAT'S BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR, THEIR GROUP.
BUT I AM A HUNDRED PERCENT ABLE TO WRITE THEM A CHECK FOR THE FULL AMOUNT.
AND SHE'S ABLE TO COME GET THAT.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK THAT SHE, YOU KNOW, GET THAT, DON'T HOLD ONTO IT BECAUSE THESE ARE FROM 2012.
UM, GO TAKE THAT TO THE BANK AND GET THAT DEPOSITED.
AND THEN EVERY, EVERY, THERE'S GONNA BE SIX A YEAR THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET.
SO THE NEXT ONE COMING UP IS GONNA BE IN OCTOBER, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IN DECEMBER.
SO THEY HAVE KNOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN SINCE SET IN STONE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME THAT THESE CHECKS ARE GONNA COME.
AND WHETHER THEY'RE A LOT OR A LITTLE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
IT WAS ALLOCATED IN YOUR BUDGET AND IT'S BEING TAKEN FROM YOUR PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA ALLOCATED FOR THAT STUFF.
SO I THINK JUST MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THEY WANNA COME TO MY OFFICE AND PICK PERSONALLY PICK THEIR CHECKUP, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
WELL, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO CUT A SPATIAL CHECK IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,658 AND 10 CENTS TO BE SENT TO THE KANSAS SECRETARY OF STATE WITH, WELL, SECRETARY OF STATE, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE TREASURER.
AND WITH THE CHECK CAME OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND, ALONG WITH A HARD COPY OF THE EXCEL SHEET AND A DIGITAL SENT TO THE UNCLAIMED FUNDS DIVISION.
AND ALSO A GENERAL ENTRY WILL BE
[01:05:01]
DONE TO MOVE THE $13,177 AND 59 CENTS TO THE GENERAL INCOME FUND.WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WETSTEIN TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL CHECK IN THE AMOUNT OF 19,658 10 CENTS TO BE SENT TO THE KANSAS TREASURER COMING OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND, ALONG WITH A HARD COPY OF THE EXCEL SHEET DIGITAL SENT TO THE UNCLAIMED FUNDS DIVISION.
AND THE JOURNAL ENTRY WILL BE DONE TO MOVE THE 13,000 1 77 59 TO GENERAL INCOME SHOW.
AND YOU WILL COME BACK AND SEE US IN A MONTH.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO READ THAT WHOLE RESUME AGAIN.
WELL, I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU KNOW ME, BUT YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT I DO.
WHAT WAS YOUR MAIDEN NAME? IT WAS PON.
[9. Seward County Maintenance Program]
ITEM NUMBER NINE, SEWER COUNTY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.MY NAME IS NEIL COFFEE AND I'M HERE TO REPORT TO YOU ON YOUR MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.
JUST TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THIS.
AT THE COMMISSIONER'S STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION THAT WAS HELD IN MARCH, YOU DECIDED TO TAKE ON A PROJECT THAT WOULD IMP IMPLEMENT A STANDARDIZED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM ACROSS THE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENTS.
NOW, FOLLOWING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING, AN EMAIL WAS SENT TO THE, TO ASKING EIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO ATTEND A MEETING TO BE HELD ON MARCH 29TH.
PURPOSE OF THAT MEETING WAS TO REVIEW THEIR MAINTENANCE PROCESSES, ALONG WITH ANY MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT WERE BEING USED TO MANAGE THEIR MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS. THIS HELPED US ESTABLISH THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE COUNTY MAINTENANCE PROCESSES.
THE DATA WAS COMPILED ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS, AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE THEN QUERIED AS TO THEIR NEEDS.
SO A SCOPE OF WORK DOCUMENT COULD BE DEVELOPED TO SEND TO VENDORS.
THREE VENDORS WERE THEN INVITED TO PRESENT TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
THOSE VENDORS INCLUDED G WORKS, UPKEEP AND WORK.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE CHOSEN TO PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS ON MAY 12TH, AND ALL THREE VENDORS DID PRESENT TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AFTER THOSE PRESENTATIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT HEADS DISCUSSED THE PROPOSED PRODUCTS AND MADE A FINAL DETERMINATION ON THE SCOPE OF WORK TO BE INCLUDED IN AN R F P A RE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO BE SENT TO ALL THREE BEN VENDORS.
AFTER THE, THE R F P WAS THEN ISSUED TO THE THREE VENDORS WITH A RETURN DEADLINE OF JUNE 9TH, 2023.
AND THEN AN R F P EVALUATION WAS PERFORMED, AND I PROVIDED THAT FORM TO YOU, WHICH WE'LL NOW REVIEW.
SO, VERY QUICKLY, FROM AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STANDPOINT, UPON REVIEW OF THOSE PROPOSALS, IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE AWARD THE CONTRACT TO G WORKS FOR THE COSTS AS OUTLINED BELOW.
NOW, I'VE REVIEWED ALL OF THE PROPOSALS MAKING CERTAIN THAT THEY COMPLIED WITH THE SCOPE OF WORK DOCUMENT, AND ALL THREE APPEAR TO BE COMPLIANT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UPKEEP WAS AN ELUSIVE TARGET, NOT ONLY WHAT THEIR COSTING, BUT THEIR IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULING APPROACH AS WELL.
ALL THREE VENDORS HAVE SET OUT A COMPREHENSIVE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
HOWEVER, THE SCHEDULES, IN MY OPINION, ARE VERY OPTIMISTIC, AND WE SHOULD NOT RELY ON THOSE TIMELINES.
REALISTICALLY, IF WE HAVE A FUNCTIONING PROGRAM BY THE END OF 2023, I WOULD BE VERY PLEASED TO QUICKLY WALK THROUGH THE COST SUMMARY.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE VENDOR AND, AND THE, AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT VENDOR.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, THE SETUP COST FOR G WORKS WOULD BE $30,835.
AND THEN UPKEEP HAD A PER USER FEE.
THE ANNUAL RECURRING COST FOR G WORKS WOULD BE $19,942 AND 50 CENTS.
I DID MAKE A NOTE IN THERE THAT FOR YEAR ONE, THAT THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE PRORATED BY BY, BASED ON WHEN WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT, OUR WORK QUEUE HAD AN ANNUAL REOCCURRING COST OF $28,250.
AND ONCE AGAIN, UPKEEP HAD A PER USER FEE.
SO THE TOTAL FIRST YEAR COST FOR G WORKS WOULD BE $50,770, 777 AND 50 CENTS.
THE FIRST YEAR COST FOR OUR WORK QUEUE WOULD BE 28,002 50.
AND UPKEEP HAD THAT PER USER FEE.
DID PROVIDE YOU SOME, SOME TIMELINES DOWN BELOW.
[01:10:01]
APPEARED TO BE FAIRLY CONSISTENT.BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL HAVE THIS THING UP AND RUNNING, UH, PROBABLY BY THE END OF Q3 AND BE GETTING SOME TRACTION.
Q4 UPKEEP WAS, UPKEEP DID NOT GIVE US A GOOD IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE.
THEY DIDN'T GIVE US ANY STRATEGIES ON HOW THEY WERE GOING TO DO THAT.
SO THAT GIVES YOU A LOOK AT WHAT THE RFP CAME BACK AND HOW THAT LOOKED IN YOUR PACKETS.
I THINK YOU WERE PROVIDED THE ACTUAL PROPOSALS.
AND SO THOSE ARE WHAT WE USE TO EXTRACT THIS INFORMATION TO COME UP WITH THESE COSTS.
I WOULD WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? YOU SAID THE FIRST YEAR FINANCIAL IMPACT IS HOW MUCH? FOR WHICH, FOR WHICH VENDOR? WELL, FOR G WORKS.
FOR G WORKS, THE FIRST YEAR WOULD BE $50,777 AND 50 CENTS.
IN THE, IN THE FINANCIAL IMPACT HERE SAYS 40,000 806 25.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? UH, I'M NOT SURE.
I'M NOT SURE WHY YOUR NUMBER SAYS THAT.
I, I, SO THAT, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT WAS AN INCORRECT NUMBER.
SO HOW, HOW I CAME UP WITH THE 50 PRO, WITH THE 50,000 WAS THE PRO-RATED NUMBER.
AND THAT, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT IN JULY.
SO WE HAVE A SIX MONTH PRO PRORATED PERIOD.
WHY IS THAT HALF PRICE? IT'S CLOSE
SO YEAR TWO AND ON WOULD BE $19,000 A YEAR.
THAT IS WHAT THE PROPOSAL STATES ALMOST 20.
LOCKED IN FOR HOW MANY YEARS? SO IT GOES ON IN PERPETUITY AS NEAR AS I CAN TELL FROM THE AGREEMENT, I DID NOT SEE ANY MECHANISM FOR RAISING THAT COST.
I'M CERTAIN THAT THERE WILL BE, BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANY.
AND IT CAN BE TERMINATED IF WE DON'T LIKE IT.
I MEAN, WITHIN A YEAR AS I UNDERSTAND.
SO COMMISSIONERS, IF, IF YOU APPROVE THE G WORKS, I WOULD JUST ASK, GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THEIR CONTRACT DOCUMENT.
UH, YOU'D APPROVE IT SUBJECT TO MY REVIEW.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE OKAY WITH CASH BASIS.
YOU KNOW, I GOTTA SET THROUGH THE PRESENTATIONS WITH NIL ON ALL THREE VENDORS.
THE OTHER TWO UPKEEP, I WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT, I, I WORKED, EH, G WORKS WAS A LOT MORE ADAPTABLE, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.
SO THE THING I THINK WE ALL LIKED WAS THE WAY THE GIS SYSTEMS TIED INTO ALL THE WORK PROCESSES GOING AROUND THE COUNTY.
SO WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THAT.
FROM A G WORKS PERSPECTIVE, I WORK Q ALSO HAS THAT SAME ABILITY, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T COME ACROSS AS, AS AS WELL DEVELOPED.
SO, SO ALL THE, ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE SATISFIED WITH THIS PROGRAM.
HAVE WE, HAVE WE CHECKED WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS OR WAS THIS JUST A, UH, A CHECKING, I MEAN, COMING UP WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS BEST AND WE'RE GONNA VOTE FOR IT.
SO LET ME PROVIDE THE ANSWER IN THIS WAY.
I HAVE SENT OUT THE PROPOSALS TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, INVITING QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND GOT NONE.
I THEN SENT THE RFP EVALUATION FORM THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU, INVITING QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND RECEIVED NONE.
SO I, I AM ASSUMING BASED ON THE FEEDBACK IN THE PRESENTATIONS THAT THAT G WORKS WOULD BE THEIR CHOICE VENDOR.
I KNOW WHAT THE YEAH, WE HAVE SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS IN THE ROOM THAT MIGHT BE WILLING TO SPEAK TO IT.
TO ME, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AT THE PRESENTATIONS DID LIKE GENE WORK BETTER THAN THE OTHER TWO.
SO WELL ALSO WE CAN TIE UP OUR, SOME OF OUR SAFETY PROGRAM CHECKLIST.
SO, SO ONE NICE THING, ONE, ONE REALLY NICE THING ABOUT ALL THESE VENDORS IS THE INSPECTION FORMS ARE CUSTOMIZABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUSHING SO MUCH FOR THE INSPECTIONS, PRE-TRIP, POST-TRIP, UH, DAILY INSPECTIONS OF EQUIPMENT.
SO IT'S CUSTOMIZABLE BY DEPARTMENT AND THEN THEY CAN USE THEIR IPADS OR THEIR CELL PHONES TO GO AHEAD AND ACTIVATE THOSE INSPECTIONS.
COMMISSIONER WETSTEIN, UM, NOT EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD WAS INVOLVED BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GREG RICE THAT'S OVER LIKE THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
BUT OF THE EIGHT DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT WERE INVOLVED, WE ALL KIND OF GAVE A, A WRAP UP AFTER WE SAW ALL THE DEMOS TO KIND OF RANK WHERE WE FELT THE COMPANIES WERE.
BUT AT THAT TIME, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE COST.
AND SO, UM, NEIL PUT IN THE EFFORT TO DO THE RFP AND GET ALL OF THAT BACK, BUT THEY RANKED HIM THAT DAY AND IT WAS G WORK, THEN I WORK AND THEN, UM, UP Q.
[01:15:01]
OR WE READY FOR A MOTION? YES, I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONTRACT WITH GWAR, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF, FOR THE FIRST YEAR, $50,777 AND 50 CENTS TO BE POSSIBLY PRORATED OUT.AND WITH, UH, THE COST OF BEING ON YEAR TWO AND FORWARD WOULD BE 19,000 942 50 FOR THE NEW SEWARD COUNTY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND COMMISSIONERS THAT FIRST YEAR, IT WILL NEED TO COME OUT OF SPECIAL PROJECTS TO COME OUT OF FOR THE FIRST YEAR TO COME OUTTA SPECIAL PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STEIN THAT'S CON CONTINGENT ON NATHAN APPROVING THE CONTRACT.
THEN A MOTION, I I HAVE A QUESTION THEN.
CAN THE COMMISSIONERS RECEIVE RECEIVED AT SOME POINT SOME REPORTS AS TO HOW THIS IS BEING IMPLEMENTED AND HOW WELL IT'S BEING USED IMPLEMENTED? YEAH, I'M SURE.
OH, I'M WANTING TO REQUEST IT BECAUSE HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A REPORT ON THAT, STEVE? WELL THAT'S FAR AS, I MEAN, IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GET IT IMPLEMENTED, BUT ONCE IT GETS IMPLEMENTED, I THINK WE NEED TO ORDERLY.
I'M SURE IT WORKS GOOD, BUT UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETE BUY-IN FROM ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, IT'S JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF SOFTWARE.
DO YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME INFORMATION BY THREE MONTHS OR DO YOU THINK WE'D OUGHT TO GIVE THE FIRST ONE SIX MONTHS? NO, I THINK IT'S FIRST REPORT BY, LET'S, LET'S PUT IT AT THE END OF Q3.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY APPROPRIATE AND WE SHOULD HAVE SOME POSITIVE THINGS TO REPORT BY THAT TIME.
SO NEIL, DO YOU THINK IT'S GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED AND WILL BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK BY QUARTER THREE? I THINK BASED ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES THAT I'M SEEING WITHIN HERE, WE'LL HAVE SOME REPORTABLES BY THE END OF Q3.
SO IT WON'T BE FULLY FUNCTIONAL AT THAT, AT THAT TIME, BUT WE'LL HAVE OUR FEET ON THE GROUND AND BE, HAVE HAVING SOME TRACTION.
SO WE HAD THE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WETSTEIN AND WE HAVE THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FOUR SHOW OF RIGHT TO PROOF FIVE FIVE AND OH PASSES.
WE, QUICK QUESTION FOR COUNSEL.
THE, UH, THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE VENDORS WAS THEY KNEW IT WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL TONIGHT.
AND CERTAINLY I YOU NEED TIME TO REVIEW THAT.
WHAT SHOULD MY FEEDBACK BE TO THE VENDORS BASED ON YOUR DESIRE TO REVIEW THE CONTRACT? JUST LET THEM KNOW JUST FOR DNA, FOR THE PURPOSES OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S COMPLIANT WITH CASH BASIS LAW.
I'M NOT GONNA DEAL ON THE DEAL, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT IT COMPLIES WITH KANSAS STATUTE.
REGARDING THE TERM OF AN AGREEMENT NOT BINDING THE NEXT COMMISSION.
CUZ GENERALLY THE GENERAL RULE IS, IS YOU CAN ONLY HAVE A CONTRACT FOR A TERM OF A YEAR.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THE CORRECT LANGUAGE AS FAR AS WHAT WE CALL CASH BASIS AND BUDGETING.
SO WHAT TIMELINE SHOULD I SAY TELL WE'RE LOOKING AT SAY A WEEK.
[10. Demolition of Red Cross Building]
ITEM NUMBER 10, DEMOTION OF RED CROSS BUILDING.SO WE DID PUT ASK, THROW A QUESTION IN REAL QUICK.
I JUST WROTE THIS DOWN BEFORE I FORGET.
SO ON BACK TO MARY ROSE, SHE SAID THAT SHE'S WORKED ON GRANT WRITINGS MM-HMM.
SO COULD SHE, COULD SHE BE HER GRANT WRITER? GOOD QUESTION.
SO, SO I HAVE, UM, I DID TAKE, UM, A CLASS THROUGH K K STATE FOR THAT.
AND THE GRANTS THAT I HAVE WROTE ARE FOR ORGANIZATIONS IN SEWARD COUNTY THAT I HAVE DONE.
UM, GRANT WRITING, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE GRANT, TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF WORK.
IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE GRANT AND HOW MUCH WORK IT WOULD BE THAT I COULD, YOU KNOW, ATTRIBUTE TO THAT.
BUT I AM ALWAYS OPEN FOR ANY OF MY RESOURCES THAT I CAN ASSIST SEWARD COUNTY, I WANT YOU GUYS AS A COMMISSION TO KNOW THAT.
BUT IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THE GRANT LOOKS LIKE.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA TAKE THREE TO FOUR WEEKS AND THAT'S A FULL-TIME JOB MM-HMM.
AND WHEN I SAY SMALL, LIKE $10,000 OR LESS, I'M ABLE TO DO THAT, UM, DEPENDING
[01:20:01]
ON WHAT IS REQUESTED UPON.SO, ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, I'M OPEN EARS AND, UM, OPEN HEART TO YOU SO, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN HELP YOU TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY AND USE MY TALENTS, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I JUST CAUGHT THAT LITTLE TIDBIT AND I WROTE IT DOWN AND I THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD UTILIZE IT.
SO, UM, YEAH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, GIVE ME A HOLLER.
LET ME LOOK AT IT AND I CAN TELL YOU YAY OR NAY I, YOU KNOW, CAN HELP YOU OR NOT.
BUT, UM, SOME OF THOSE GRANTS ARE A LOT OF TIME, ESPECIALLY LIKE YOU HAVE TO ADMINISTER.
AND BEING IN A, IN THE POSITION THAT I'M AT, I STILL HAVE TO MANAGE MY DEPARTMENT AND, AND THE TAXES OF SEAWARD COUNTY.
BUT, UM, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP IF, IF NEED BE.
UM, SO WE DID PUT BIDS OUT FOR THE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF THE RED CROSS BUILDING, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 3 0 1 EAST FIFTH STREET HERE IN LIBERAL.
UM, THE RED CROSS BUILDING HAS BEEN UNOCCUPIED, UM, FOR SOME TIME NOW, AND IT IS UNINHABITABLE.
UM, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REQUESTED THAT WE, UM, DEMOLISH AND REMOVE THE BUILDING.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAD FOUR BIDS THAT CAME IN FOR THAT JENNINGS TRENCH, TRENCHING AND BACKHOE, H MH, ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION, M AND S DEMOLITION AND THEN UPTIME, L L C.
ALL BIDS WERE REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THE SPECIFICATIONS WERE MET.
UM, IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU APPROVE THE BID SUBMITTED BY M AND S CONSTRUCTION FOR $11,500 TO COME FROM COUNTY BUILDING FUNDS FUND 2 55.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BID SUBMITTED BY M AND S CONSTRUCTION TO DI DO DEMOLITION ON THE RED CROSS BUILDING ON THIRD STREET.
3 0 1 EAST FIFTH STREET AND THE COST OF $11,500 TO COME FROM COUNTY BUILDING FUNDS FUND 2 55.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WETSTEIN FOR THE DEMOTION REMOVAL OF THE RED CROSS BUILDING LOCATED 3 0 1 EAST FIFTH STREET FOR THE AMOUNT OF 11,500 FROM M AND S CONSTRUCTION TO COME FROM BUILDING FUND, FUND FUND.
2 55 SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CARR.
GOT APPROVAL RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL.
FIVE AND OH, THAT CAN BE ITEM NUMBER 11, CHECKED OFF PURCHASE ON THE CARD POLICY.
DO YOU KNOW THE X ESTIMATED TIME OF TO DO THE WORK? UH, THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
NO AM AND ASK DON GET RIGHT ON IT.
IT AND IT'LL GET GONE PRETTY QUICK.
WANT THEIR MONEY? AND WE WILL HAVE TO, WE DO DRIVE A CONTRACT.
LET ME, I WAS GONNA TRY TO GLANCE IN HERE TO SEE, BUT IT WILL BE DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR FOR SURE.
[11. Purchasing Card Policy]
NUMBER 11, PURCHASING CARD POLICY COMMISSIONERS.THE, UM, AS YOU KNOW, IN YOUR MARCH STRATEGIC PLANNING, YOU ASKED US TO FORM A COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE CURRENT PURCHASING CARD POLICY.
THE COMMITTEE AND THE COMMI COMMISSION LIAISONS MET, REVIEWED, DISCUSSED, AND THE ONLY RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE POLICY WERE TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT TO FOLLOW RESOLUTION 2023 DASH OH NINE IF YOU SHOULD APPROVE THAT THIS EVENING.
UM, BECAUSE THAT IS THE UPDATED PURCHASING POLICY RESOLUTION.
AND TO REMOVE THE BOIL BULLET POINT DAILY AND MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED BY FIRST BANK CARD SHOULD BE REVIEWED BY THE DEPARTMENT HEAD.
EVIDENCE OF THIS REVIEW CAN BE DOCUMENTED BY INITIALING AND DAY DATING THE REPORTS, UH, WE WERE NOTIFIED BY FIRST BANK CARD THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER MAILING OUT THOSE REPORTS.
UM, AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE REQUIRED TO RECONCILE MONTHLY TO THE STATEMENT AND THEY'RE SIGNING OFF ON THAT.
SO WE DID NOT FEEL THERE WAS A NEED TO HAVE THAT SENTENCE IN THE POLICY ANYMORE.
SO THOSE WERE THE ONLY TWO CHANGES.
UM, SO OTHER THAN THOSE AGREED MINOR CHANGES, UM, WE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCING THE RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS IN RELATION TO THIS POLICY.
AS THE DIRECT SUPERVISORS, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ALONG WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ISSUED ACCOUNTING CREDIT CARD, HAVE SIGNED THE AGREEMENT STATING IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO
[01:25:01]
AUDIT ANY AND ALL PURCHASES MADE WITH THE PURCHASING CARD AND THEY WILL ADDRESS ANY MISUSE BY THE EMPLOYEE PRIOR TO SUBMITTING FOR PAYMENT.WE DID HAVE A DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING AND WE WENT OVER THIS THOROUGHLY.
THE DEPARTMENT HEADS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE HELD LIABLE, NOT JUST THE EMPLOYEE.
EVERYTHING SHOULD BE IN ORDER AND DOCUMENTED BEFORE IT'S TURNED INTO THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR PAYMENT.
THE CLERK'S OFFICE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO POLICE THIS.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RETURNING IT TO THE DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR DOCUMENTATION, COLLECTING TAX, OR OVER TIPPING OR CHECKING FOR MISUSE OF THE CREDIT CARD.
ALSO, THE OFFICIAL SIGNATURE OF THE DEPARTMENT HEAD WILL BE REQUIRED ON THE PURCHASE ORDER.
NO STAMPS WILL BE ALLOWED, UM, TO BE ON THAT PURCHASE ORDER.
SO WE ARE ASKING YOU THIS EVENING TO APPROVE THE 2023 PURCHASING CARD POLICY TO BE EFFECTIVE JUNE 20TH, 2023.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2023 PURCHASING CARD POLICY TO BE EFFECTIVE JUNE THE 20TH.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WETSTEIN TO APPROVE THE 2023 PURCHASING CARD POLICY TO BE EFFECTIVE JUNE 20TH, 2023 AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT.
SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL.
[12. Revised Purchasing Policy]
OKAY.AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAD ASKED, UM, THAT A COMMITTEE BE FORMED TO REVIEW AND REVISE THE PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED PURCHASING POLICY AND GUIDELINES.
SO AGAIN, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE COMMISSION LIAISONS MET, REVIEWED, DISCUSSED AND REVISED THE NEW PURCHASING POLICY AND GUIDELINES.
AFTER THE COMMITTEE CAME UP WITH THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE NEWLY DRAFTED POLICY, IT WAS TAKEN TO A DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETING WHERE DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE ASKED TO REVIEW IT AND TO MAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS BEFORE BRINGING IT TO THE COMMISSION THIS EVENING FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
UM, SO YOU HAVE HAD THIS IN YOUR PACKETS AND HOPEFULLY HAD TIME TO REALLY REVIEW IT.
AND SO WE ARE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2023 DASH ZERO NINE A RESOLUTION, REVISING PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED PURCHASING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GUIDELINES.
AND THIS POLICY WILL BE EFFECTIVE AS WELL.
UM, JUNE 20TH, 2023 IF YOU APPROVE IT.
I DID WANNA POINT OUT WE DID CATCH, UM, TWO TYPOS, UM, BEFORE BRINGING THIS TONIGHT.
THE FIRST ONE IS ON ITEM THREE B.
ANY PURCHASE OF A SINGLE ITEM FOR A THOUSAND OR 5,000 WAS CORRECTED TO SAY ANY PURCHASE OF A SINGLE ITEM FOR 1000 BETWEEN THE AMOUNTS OF 1000 AND 5,000.
AND THEN IF YOU WILL LOOK AT FOUR, UM, E WE SKIPPED D AND SO WE DID MAKE THE CHANGE THAT D IS REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF COUNTY EQUIPMENT.
AND THEN E IS YOUR COMMODITY PURCHASES.
SO THOSE TYPOS WERE CORRECTED FOR THE DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO SIGN THIS EVENING.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2023 DASH OH NINE RESOLUTION, REVISING PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED PURCHASING POLICIES AND PROCEDURE GUIDELINES.
THIS POLICY WILL BE EFFECTIVE JUNE THE 20TH, 2023.
THE CHANGES HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE THOUGH, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WESTSIDE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2023 DASH OH NINE AT RESOLUTION.
REVISING PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED PURCHASING POLICIES AND PROCEDURE GUIDELINES.
THIS POLICY WILL BE EFFECTIVE JUNE 20TH, 2023 AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? NOT SURE.
HANDS FOR APPROVAL? STEVE? FIVE.
[13. Workforce Management Platform System]
ITEM 13.WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT PLATFORM SYSTEM.
SO COMMISSIONERS, IT WAS THE DESIRE OF YOU THE BOARD DURING YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION TO UTILIZE A FORMAL SOFTWARE TOOL THAT WOULD PROVIDE A CONSISTENT TOOL AND PROCESS FOR US TO START DOING PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL EVALUATIONS.
AGAIN, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ASKED THAT THIS TOOL WOULD TIE BACK TO GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AS WELL AS THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AS ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP AND BE QUANTIFIABLE AND MEASURABLE.
[01:30:01]
NOTIFIED THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, THAT THE CURRENT WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT PLATFORM, CIVIC HR THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IS SUNSETTING.AND SO ROSA CONLEY, OUR HR GENERALIST AND MYSELF, HAVE BEEN DEMOING AND REVIEWING OTHER PLATFORMS. UM, AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DID DILIGENTLY, WE LOOKED AT PAYCOM NEO GOV, WHICH I REALLY LIKED.
AND IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, I CAME TO YOU IN APRIL, UM, AND PRESENTED NEO GOV TO YOU AS AN OPTION.
CRITERION EDDIE PERFORMANCE NOW PERFORM YARD, U K G BAMBOO, WORKABLE AND CLEAR COMPANY.
UM, YOU HAD TASKED ME TO PRESENT THAT TOOL TO YOU AT THE APRIL 14TH MEETING IN WHICH I DID.
UM, AND AS YOU'LL REMEMBER, IT WASN'T REAL CLEAR, UM, HOW MUCH NEO WAS GONNA CHARGE US YEAR AFTER YEAR.
IT DID OFFER A LOT MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW, BUT THEY ALSO HAD A CONTINGENCY IN THERE WHERE THEY RAISE IT 5% EACH YEAR.
AND I JUST FELT LIKE, UM, WE REALLY NEEDED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS EVEN THOUGH WE REALLY LIKED THAT PLATFORM.
I, I FELT LIKE, UM, WE NEEDED TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
UM, THEY HAVE THE TALENT ACQUISITION PART, THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, PERFORMANCE AND GOALS, AS WELL AS ANALYTICS AND PLANNING.
UM, I HOPE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO LOOK IN YOUR ENTIRE PACKET FOR ALL THE FEATURES THAT IT DOES OFFER TO US.
UH, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FOR, UM, CLEAR COMPANY IS $29,557 AND 50 CENTS.
I DID ASK THEM FOR A YEAR CONTRACT BECAUSE I AM FAMILIAR WITH WORKING WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON A CASH BASIS AND WE NEED TO ONLY SIGN YEARLY CONTRACTS.
BUT I DID ASK THEM THEM TO TELL US WHAT OPTIONAL RENEWAL WOULD BE IF WE DECIDED TO KEEP IT.
AND THEY AGREED AND WROTE IN OUR AGREEMENT THAT OPTIONAL RENEWAL FOR YEARS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR, THEY WOULD OFFER THE SAME PRICE.
THERE WOULD BE NO PRICE INCREASE TO US, UM, FOR YEARS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR AS WELL.
AND SO I AM ASKING THE COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT TO APPROVE THE WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT PLATFORM.
CLEAR COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF $29,557 AND 50 CENTS TO COME FROM RESERVE FOR CLAIMS SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR 2023 UPON APPROVAL OF LEGAL COUNSEL'S REVIEW OF THE AGREEMENT AND THEN AUTHORIZED MYSELF TO SIGN SET AGREEMENT ONCE HE'S HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO GIVE HIS AUTHORIZATION ON THAT.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT PLATFORM, CLEAR COMPANY AND THE AMOUNT OF $29,557 AND 50 CENTS TO COME FROM RESERVE FOR CLAIMS SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR 2023 UPON APPROVAL OF LEGAL COUNSEL'S REVIEW OF THE AGREEMENT AND AUTHORIZED APRIL WARDEN COUNTY COMMISSION COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO SIGN SET AGREEMENT.
THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FULLER TO APPROVE THE WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT PLATFORM.
CLEAR COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT OF 29 5 57 50 TO CONFIRM RESERVE CLAIMS SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR 2023 UPON APPROVAL OF LEGAL COUNSEL'S REVIEW OF AGREEMENT AND AUTHORIZED APRIL WARDEN COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SIGNED SET AGREEMENT.
AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STEIN SHOW.
JUST WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH CUZ THIS WAS SOME LABORIOUS WORK TO GET ALL THESE THINGS DONE.
BUT I THINK WITH THIS, UM, WORKFORCE, UM, MANAGEMENT PLATFORM, IT'S JUST GONNA STREAMLINE, IT'S GONNA MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT AND YOU'LL HAVE ALL THOSE TOOLS IN FRONT OF YOU TO SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND JUST, AND JUST HELP RATE OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS TRAIN AND OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS JUST MAKE IT A SMOOTHER, UM, TRANSITION FOR THEM AND SO THEY HAVE SOMETHING THEY CAN JUST PUT THEIR HANDS ON AND PUT IT TOGETHER.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
WELL, YOU AS COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT, I JUST WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO SAY YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS PAYING OFF.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE HOW MANY THINGS GOT CHECKED OFF TONIGHT AND WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO GOOD JOB TO YOU ALL AS WELL.
[14. Executive Session a. Legal]
ITEM NUMBER 14, EXECUTIVE SESSION LEGAL.YEAH, I NEED 10 MINUTES, UH, TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL AND PENDING LITIGATION.
SO I'D REQUEST A MOTION I MOVE TO RE RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY, WHICH WOULD BE DEEMED PRIVILEGE IN THE ATTORNEY CLIENT RELATIONSHIP UNDER KSA 75 DASH 43 19 B2 FOR 10 MINUTES TO INCLUDE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND MYSELF, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS TO RECONVENE
[01:35:01]
IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS AT SEVEN 15.THE SUBJECT MATTER WILL BE, I APOLOGIZE, POTENTIAL AND PENDING LITIGATION POT, POTENTIAL IMPENDING LITIGATION.
NO ACTION TAKEN ON EXEC LEGAL EXECUTIVE SESSION.
OKAY, ITEM 14 B, GOT EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PERSONNEL NON-ELECTED.
I NEED, UM, FIVE MINUTES FOR NON-ELECTED, UM, PERSONNEL, UM, TO INCLUDE BROCK FINER AND LEGAL COUNSEL.
I MOVED TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF PERSONNEL MATTERS OF NON-ELECTED PERSONNEL UNDER KSA 75 DASH 43 19 B ONE FOR FIVE MINUTES TO INCLUDE LEGAL COUNSEL, BROCK AND MYSELF, THE COMMISSIONERS TO RECONVENE IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS AT 7 22.
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE DISCUSSION WILL BE NON-ELECTED PERSONNEL.
OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
AND THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER.
SHELL RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL.
EXECUTIVE SESSION PERSONNEL NON-ELECTED.
[15. Administration Comments]
COMMENTS.UM, COMMISSIONERS, UM, FIRST OF ALL, UM, WE, AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE HAD THE STORM ON SATURDAY.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
UH, GREG'S STANDARD EMERGENCY MANAGER IS HERE THIS EVENING.
THERE IS A NEED FOR THE STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR STORM DAMAGE ON SATURDAY.
THE MAIN PART OF THAT IS BEING, UM, THE ELECTRICAL, UM, DAMAGE THAT WE HAD.
UM, BUT I WILL, I WILL LET HIM GO INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE NOT SIGNED THAT YET.
AND SO WE DO NEED TO SIGN THAT TONIGHT.
BUT I DID WANT HIM TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WAREHOUSES IN THIS THING, SO BEAR WITH ME.
WHEREAS ON THE 17TH DAY OF JUNE, 2023, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF SEWARD COUNTY, KANSAS DECLARED THERE WAS A STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY IN SEWARD COUNTY, KANSAS, RESULTING IN POTENTIAL OR OCCURRING DISASTER IN SEWARD COUNTY, KANSAS, AND SUCH CONDITIONS.
AND JAN ENDANGERED THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF PERSONS WITHIN THE BORDERS OF SEWARD COUNTY KANSAS.
REPAIR OF ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE AFFECTING THE HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF OUR CITIZENS AND REMOVAL OF DEBRIS FROM PUBLIC PROPERTY AS A CRITICAL CONSIDERATION OF TRANSPORTATION AND HEALTH.
UH, NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED THAT, UH, SEWARD COUNTY HAS DECLARED ON JUNE 17TH, 2023 SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 60 DAYS UNLESS TERMINATED EARLIER THAT THE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ASPECTS OF ALL LOCAL DISASTER PLANS, WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SEAD COUNTY, KANSAS AND SHALL INITIATE THE RENDERING OF AID AND ASSISTANCE THERE.
UNDER THAT ANY RIGHTS OR PARISH LAWFULLY EXERCISED OR ANY ACTIONS TAKEN PURSUANT TO LOCAL DISASTER EMERGENCY PLANS SHALL CONTINUE AND HAVE FULL FORCE IN EFFECT AS AUTHORIZED BY LAW FOUR 60 DAYS UNLESS MODIFIED OR TERMINATED IN THE MANNER PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANNA CLARIFY THAT PUBLIC PROPERTY DOES NOT MEAN PROPERTY OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS.
SO THAT IS CITY, COUNTY, THAT SORT OF THING, RIGHT? UM, SO WE'RE TALKING THAT'S, UH, THE CITY'S ENGAGED IN REMOVING DEBRIS THAT'S ON THE CURB OR IN THE STREET OR WHATEVER.
AND, UM, IF THIS BECOMES A FEDERAL DISASTER, MAYBE IT WILL, UM, THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO REIMBURSE FOR THAT.
AND A PIONEER ELECTRIC OR SUNFLOWER ELECTRIC, PROBABLY IN THE ASPECT OF THAT TRANSMISSION LINE IS A, UH, UH, UH, NOT AN ELECTRICAL COMPANY, BUT A RURAL COOPERATIVE, RURAL, RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE.
SO, UH, THEY WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO RE RECOUP COSTS FOR THAT, UH, FOR THOSE REPAIRS AND OTHERS
[01:40:01]
AROUND THE COUNTY IN SOME CASES.AND ANYTHING THAT, UH, CMS WHO ALSO SERVES US HAS, WOULD ALSO FALL UNDER THAT.
SO THAT'S THE, THE, THE HIGH POINTS OF WHY WE WOULD DECLARE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE PURPOSES THEREOF.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? NO.
UM, WELL, I'D, I'D BE PLEASED IF YOU, UH, AGREED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND WE'LL GET IT SENT ON TO THE STATE, CORRECT, GREG? YEAH.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT OUR SIRENS.
UM, SEEMS LIKE IT WAS DELAYED.
IS THAT SOMETHING I KNOW, UM, YOU CAME BEFORE US A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE, THE FOUR NEW ONES.
UM, HOW IS THAT WORKING AND, AND THE TESTING PROCESS? CUZ I THINK IT WAS DELAYED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ALL THAT TRANSPIRES AND HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED? MM-HMM.
WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS OCCURRED.
AND SO WE HAD AN ISSUE AT THE DISPATCH CENTER, WHICH TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UH, HAS LEFT US WITH, UH, MAYBE A DEARTH OF RECORDS.
UH, BECAUSE THE S SPILLMAN SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE RECORDING THAT INFORMATION, WAS ALL WAS DOWN BECAUSE WE HAD A, A PORTION OF THEIR EQUIPMENT THAT LOST POWER.
AND PAM JOHNSON IS THE EXPERT ON THIS, NOT ME, UH, BUT SHE'S ENGAGED IN GETTING, UH, THIS MITIGATED SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
UH, BUT THERE WAS, THERE WAS A GLITCH THERE OF SOME SORT OF KIND THAT CREATED THAT PROBLEM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE SIRENS WERE SOUNDED AS SOON AS THEY WERE REQUESTED TO BE SOUNDED OR IF THERE WAS DELAY, FRANKLY, BECAUSE AFTER I'D MADE THAT REQUEST I COULD NOT HEAR THEM.
AND SO IT WAS, UH, A PERIOD OF TIME THERE WHERE THERE WAS UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, WHERE OR WHEN, ON THE OTHER END OF THAT SCALE IS THE SIRENS WERE SOUNDED AT THE FIRST REPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRING.
SO WE, THEY WERE SOUNDED AS SOON AS WE SAW A RO A ROTATION IN THE, IN THE CLOUDS NEAR LIBERAL.
AND THAT PROMPTED THE SIRENS TO BE SOUNDED.
NOW HAD THERE BEEN OTHER DAMAGE PRIOR TO THAT, I HONESTLY CAN'T TELL YOU BECAUSE WE KNEW WHAT WE KNEW AT THE TIME AND, UM, AND FRANKLY I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN A LOT OF GOOD NUMBER OR TIMES ON WHEN DAMAGE WAS INITIALLY OCCURRED IN TOWN.
IT, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM, I JUST WANT TO FIND OUT NO, WHAT OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE CAN HAVE SO THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE SAFE.
I WANNA THANK THE COUNTY AND WELL AS THE CITY MAYOR LAURA FOR, UM, PICKING UP ALL THOSE LIMBS AND SEND A MUTUAL AID TO PERTON.
AND THEN WE, WE HAVING OUR OWN INCIDENT HERE.
AND SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO AS COMMISSIONERS ARE, FIND WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SIRENS ARE GOING OFF OF PEOPLE THAT CAN, SO CAN HEAR THEM.
AND I DID SEE SOME, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE SHELTERS ARE.
WELL, I, I'M FROM FLORIDA, I'M USED TO HURRICANES AND, AND, UH, NOT, NOT TORNADOES AND TRYING TO GET TO A SHELTER.
UM, AND JUST I CO CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE, THE, THE MIDWEST, THE GREAT MIDWEST.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN ALERT OUR CITIZENS EVEN MORE.
AND, AND I, I'M GONNA TELL YOU, UH, I I'M NOT TAKING IT AS CRITICISM, I'M SORRY IF I COME ACROSS THAT WAY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THIS SITUATION.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE REALLY DETAILED RECORDS OF THE, OF THE RADIO TRAFFIC.
AND BECAUSE OF THE SPILLMAN SIDE BEING DOWN, WE DON'T HAVE THAT FOR THAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT.
POWER LOSS AND DISPATCH IS A REALLY CRITICAL THING.
AND LET ME GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THERE SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISPATCH.
UM, THE ONLY REASON EMERGENCY RESPONSE WORKS IN THIS COUNTY OR IN ANY COUNTY IS BECAUSE OF THE DISPATCH CENTER.
THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO EVERYTHING ELSE WORKING.
SO IF WE DON'T HAVE A A, UH, A 9 1 1 CENTER THAT'S UP AND AN OPERATIONAL, EVEN ON A REGULAR DAY, IT CREATES A DISASTER.
AND WHEN WE HAVE A CRISIS SITUATION, IT'S REALLY BAD AND, AND HARMFUL.
SO THAT SAID, I WANT TO TALK VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT SHELTERS SINCE YOU MENTIONED THAT SEWARD COUNTY HAS NO PUBLIC SHELTERS.
UM, AND THE CITY OF LIBERAL HAS NO PUBLIC SHELTERS.
[01:45:01]
PUBLIC SHELTERS.SO, AND THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL IN KANSAS.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL IN WESTERN KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO OUT, WHY NOT? UM, IF WE HAD ONE WHO'S GONNA MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAN, WHO'S GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR YOU TO GO IN THERE, THAT THERE AREN'T BAD PEOPLE IN THERE OR SOMETHING, UH, WHO'S GONNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S UNLOCKED AND OPEN AT THE 365 DAYS A YEAR, 24 7, WHO'S GONNA BE THE ONE WHO'S GONNA BE THERE 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE STORM AND UNLOCK THAT DOOR, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S SAFE AND GET, MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALL OUT SAFELY AND THEN LOCK IT ALL BACK UP.
SO NEXT, IF WE TELL PEOPLE THEY SHOULD GO TO, UM, LET'S SAY A CHURCH THAT HAS A BASEMENT AND WE SAY YOU SHOULD GO THERE, THAT'S A SHELTER AND THEY CAN HOLD 120 PEOPLE, BUT 600 PEOPLE SHOW UP.
SO WE HAVE A, A 380 PEOPLE IN THE PARKING LOT IN THEIR CARS OR WHATEVER THAT ARE IN WORSE SHAPE THAN IF THEY HAD STAYED AT HOME.
SO THE OUTCOME OF ALL THIS AND ALL OF OUR DISCUSSIONS IN, IN THIS COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST, WELL 24 YEARS THAT I KNOW OF, AND IT PROBABLY WENT ON BEFORE THAT, IS THAT THE BEST THING FOR THE CITIZENS TO DO IS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEIR SHELTER IS.
WHETHER THAT'S THEIR HOUSE IN AN INTERIOR ROOM WITHOUT WINDOWS MM-HMM.
UM, THE CHURCH, THEY GO TO THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE REALLY GOTTA BE RESPONSIBLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN PLAN OF HOW THEY'RE GONNA SHELTER.
UM, AND WHEN SHOULD YOU GO TO SHELTER? UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHEN, WHEN A, WHEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED, PART OF THAT VERBIAGE WHEN THEY ISSUE IT IS MOVE TO SHELTER.
NOW MANY PEOPLE SAY, UH, A LOT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS GONE THROUGH HERE, NEVER DID ANYTHING AT MY HOUSE.
I'M GONNA WAIT UNTIL IT'S TORNADO WARNING.
WE PROBABLY HAD 30 MINUTES, MAYBE MORE WARNING OF A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
WE'RE GONNA BE LUCKY TO HAVE TWO OR THREE MINUTES OF WARNING FOR A TORNADO.
SO WHAT ARE THE ODDS YOU'RE GONNA GET TO SAFETY IF YOU WAIT THAT LONG? AND IF YOU WANNA BE SAFE AND YOU WANT TO BE SURE YOU'RE SAFE WHEN IT'S A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING, MOVE TO SHELTER AND, UM, STAY THERE UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.
SO I GUESS MY REAL QUESTION IS IF, GOD FORBID IF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN, HAVE WE ALREADY DESIGNATED SU PLACES WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN GATHER? YES.
WHAT ARE THOSE PLACES? WELL, I'M GONNA TELL YOU THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT SHOULD BE SIMPLE, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY.
UH, THE ACTIVITY CENTER WOULD BE AN IDEAL LOCATION UNLESS IT WAS BLOWN AWAY IN THE TORNADO AND THEN WE WON'T USE IT.
UM, WE'VE GOT THE AG BUILDING.
UH, THOSE ARE COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES THAT WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR THE PURPOSE IF THEY WERE BOTH DAMAGED AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO USE THEM.
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO FOUR 80 AND THEY'RE ACCEPTABLE.
WE'VE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL CHURCHES HERE IN TOWN THAT ARE ALSO WILLING TO, UH, UH, ALLOW US TO USE THOSE FACILITIES FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS ALSO ON BOARD WITH THAT.
UH, WE HAVE OTHER BUILDINGS, COUNTY BUILDINGS WHICH ARE NOT, NOT OF THAT SIZE, BUT SMALLER, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE USED, UH, YOU KNOW, IF NECESSARY.
UM, AND MORE NEIGHBORHOOD WISE, I GUESS BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE.
SO IT'S KIND OF A DESCENDING PYRAMID OF IDEALLY THE ACTIVITY CENTER'S IN GREAT SHAPE AND WE CAN GO USE IT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW HOW THESE THINGS TURN OUT.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS AND, AND THEN WE CAN PICK THE BEST THAT WE HAVE LEFT AFTER A BAD STORM.
AND, AND THAT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE NOT PUTTING THAT OUT IN ADVANCE OF IF A TORNADO COMES, BE SURE YOU GO TO THE ACTIVITY CENTER BECAUSE IF THEY GET THERE, THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE MAD AT US CUZ WE TOLD 'EM TO GO THERE AND IT'S NOT RIGHT.
SO, UH, UH, NO WEATHER RADIOS PROBABLY WILL FUNCTION FOLLOWING A TORNADO, EVEN IF WE'VE LOST THE LOCAL TOWERS HERE.
THE TOWER FOR, THAT'S OVER IN MEAD COUNTY.
SO IT'S QUITE A DISTANCE FROM HERE.
AND THAT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY FOR CITIZENS TO GET UPDATES ON THE SITUATION, YOU KNOW, IN THE EARLY MINUTES AND HOURS AFTER A STORM, EVEN IF THE OTHER MEDIA'S NOT UP AND RUNNING.
SO WHAT I NOTICED ON SATURDAY, AND THANK YOU, UM, UM, FOR YOUR TIME, WHAT I NOTICED ON SATURDAY, WHILE THESE ALERTS ARE GOING OFF, PEOPLE ARE JUST DRIVING IN SIGHTSEEING AND GOING THROUGH AND THEY PUT OTHERS IN, IN JEOPARDY.
THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT EMS OR FIRE IS TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE AND ALL THESE VEHICLES ARE ON THE ROAD JUST KIND OF SIGHTSEEING AND SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHAT, WHAT CAN WE TELL OUR CITIZENS BECAUSE, UM, THEY'RE REALLY IMPEDING THE, THE, THE, THE, THE RESCUE OR IMPEDING SOMEBODY GETTING HELP BY BEING ON THE ROAD? WELL,
[01:50:01]
WE, WE ADVISE PEOPLE TO, UH, STAY HOME WHEN THE WEATHER'S INCLEMENT.AND, UM, AND MANY PEOPLE DO AND, AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO.
I MEAN, THE ROAD'S NOT CLOSED.
IT'S NOT ILLEGAL FOR THEM TO BE ON THE ROAD MM-HMM.
UM, IT'S A CHOICE THEY'RE MAKING AND YOU KNOW, I I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A SOLUTION THAT WE CAN, WELL, THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT, BECAUSE BRANCHES ARE FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND IT COULD HAVE JUST IMPOUNDED SURE.
THEIR, THEIR THEIR CAR AND, AND IMPEDED TRAFFIC AND A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS.
BUT I GUESS JUST, UM, SAFE, JUST SAFETY ON EVERY LEVEL.
I KNOW SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE USED TO THIS STORM AND USED TO THIS WEATHER.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, AND JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO AND HOW YOU DO IT AND JUST KEEPING US SAFE AND, AND MAKING AWARENESS.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE CERTAIN MONTHS DESIGNATED FOR SAFETY AND, YOU KNOW, THE, WITH FIRE AND TORNADOES CLOSING ALL DOORS AND GETTING AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS IN CASE YOU'RE SUCKED IN.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS ARE AWARE, PLEASE BE SAFE, STAY HOME, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY VERY, VERY GOOD ADVICE.
UH, BUT ALMOST THE VERY WORST PLACE YOU CAN BE IN A TORNADIC SITUATION OR FRANKLY, EVEN STRAIGHT WHEN STRAIGHT LINE WINDS ARE HITTING A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR OR SO.
AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT WE SAW RECENTLY MM-HMM.
WELL, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A REDNECK MENTALITY OUT HERE AND, AND MY NECK'S NOT RED.
I KNOW, BUT WE, WE'VE GOT SOME, WELL MINE PROBABLY IS, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS.
BUT, BUT WE, WE HAVE SOME REDNECK MENTALITY AND, AND, UH, YES, PEOPLE, WHEN THE STORM'S BLOWING HARD, YOU SHOULD BE IN YOUR HOUSE.
BUT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT JUST REALLY LIKE TO BE OUT SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING SO THAT, THAT, AND WE CAN PROBABLY TELL 'EM, WE CAN, WE CAN TELL 'EM EVERY DAY ON SOME RADIO ADVERTISING OR SOMETHING AND, AND THE NEXT STORM THERE WILL BE PEOPLE OUT THERE DRIVING ON THE ROADS LOOKING TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT IF IF THEY DON'T, AREN'T CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY ANY MORE THAN THAT, THEN THAT'S A, A RESPONSE, UH, COULD BE A POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO 'EM JUST BECAUSE THEY DID NOT STAY HOME AND THAT'S THEIR FAULT.
AND I DON'T, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, I MEAN, I HONESTLY THINK IT'S MORE OF A HUMAN PROBLEM.
UM, DON'T THINK IT'S ALL REDNECK.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD A VARIATION OF THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
WELL, THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED HERE.
OR, WELL, THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.
AND, UH, AND WE WE'RE HUMAN AND WE TEND TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT PROCESS THAT I'VE, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE, SO IT PROBABLY WON'T OCCUR, BUT THE ODDS EVENTUALLY RUN OUT IF YOU KEEP GOING DOWN THAT ROAD.
UH, OR YOU'RE, YOU'RE CERTAINLY TEMPTING THE CHANCE THAT THOSE ODDS RUN OUT ON YOU AND, AND YOU EVENTUALLY FIND THE TIME THAT YOU DON'T MAKE IT.
I, I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT THIS STUFF, BUT, UH, YOU, Y'ALL MAY RECALL WHEN, UM, THE, UH, TORNADO DOWN BY EL RENO, UH, OKLAHOMA, OH SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO, MAYBE IT'S BEEN 10.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT OF VERY HIGHLY TRAINED METEOROLOGISTS THAT WERE CHASING THAT STORM, UH, TO REPORT ON IT AND, AND DOING GOOD WORK TO DO THAT, I THINK.
UM, BUT THEY WERE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE SEEING AND THESE ARE VERY HIGHLY TRAINED PEOPLE THAT GOT CAUGHT IN THE STORM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALIZE HOW FAST THINGS WERE MOVING.
AND SO I THINK WITH THAT IN MIND, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO'S OUT THERE IN THAT TYPE OF WEATHER COULD EASILY BE SURPRISED BY HOW THE STORM MOVES AND HOW IT EXPANDS AND, AND FIND THEMSELVES IN, UH, IN, YOU KNOW, EITHER DAMAGING A VEHICLE PRETTY SEVERELY OR EVEN BEING INJURED OR KILLED.
SO WE'D, WE'D CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THEY WOULD STAY OFF THE ROADS.
IF THEY STAY OFF THE ROADS, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT OUR FOLKS OUT THERE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THEM, WHICH KEEPS OUR PEOPLE SAFER AS WELL.
AND, UH, IT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE NICE IF THAT WAS WHAT HAPPENED.
BUT I, I KNOW THAT WE'RE, WE CAN'T COUNT ON THAT AND WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH, UH, THE HUMAN NATURE SIDE OF THINGS.
[01:55:01]
ON THE KISMET SIRENS TOO.SOUNDED ON THE FIRST GO-ROUND, UM, IS THE INFORMATION THAT I RECEIVED.
AND THEN WHEN THEY SOUNDED THE SIRENS THAT WAS REQUESTED FOR A SECOND TIME, FIVE OR 10 MINUTES LATER, I BELIEVE.
UM, AND AT THAT POINT THE, THERE'S TWO SIRENS IN THAT TOWN AND THE NORTH ONE DID NOT WORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT TO TELL YOU.
UM, THE PROBLEM WAS A, A BAD BATTERY, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY QUITTING AND PICKED AN EXCELLENT TIME TO DIE, I GUESS.
UM, BUT UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONES WILL WIN OUT.
UM, I WANNA PUT SOME PUL METERS ON THOSE SIRENS OR THAT TYPE OF SIREN.
WE HAVE TWO LIKE THAT ONE, UH, WHERE YOU CAN SEE ON THE SIDE WHAT, WITHOUT GETTING TOO COMPLICATED, JUST ABOUT ANYBODY COULD DRIVE BY AND SAY, IT SAYS 80 VOLTS, IT'S OKAY.
IT'S NOT, UM, THAT TYPE OF SITUATION.
AND, UM, I IDEALLY WE COULD TURN THAT INTO SOME SORT OF A MURPHY SWITCH OR SOMETHING, ALARM SWITCH, WHICH WOULD NOTIFY US WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HOW THAT'LL WORK OR NOT.
UM, SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE OWN SOME FEDERALS, MOST OF OUR SIRENS NOW ARE FEDERAL SIGNAL.
WE MADE A MAJOR CHANGE OUT OF 10, 12 YEARS AGO AND GOT RID OF A LOT OF THE OLDER STUFF, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF IT LEFT.
TWO OF THEM LEFT AND UM, THEY WERE, THE OTHER BRAND THAT WE HAVE TWO OF WAS A LOT CHEAPER.
AND, UH, PRIOR TO ME BEING WORKING FOR THE COUNTY, THEY BOUGHT A LOT OF THOSE BECAUSE THEY WERE THE LOW, LOW BID.
AND IT TURNS OUT THEY ARE, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE, THEY'RE NOT NEARLY AS ROBUST, NOT NEARLY AS DEPENDABLE AS THE FEDERAL SIGNAL SIRENS, WHICH COST MORE MONEY, BUT TEND TO WORK ALMOST EVERY TIME.
WE STILL HAVE TWO OF THOSE THAT WERE PROBABLY PRODUCED, MAN, EARLY 1960S AND STILL FUNCTION PERFECTLY.
SO THAT KIND OF SOLD ME AS, AS I'M, AS I'M WORKING ON STUFF THAT'S FIVE YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW, EVERY MONTH WHEN WE TEST, I GOTTA GO FIX TWO OR THREE OF THEM.
AND THEN I GOT THESE OLD ONES THAT I'VE NEVER EVEN SEEN.
I, WELL, BUT I'VE NEVER OPENED A BOX CUZ THEY WORK ALL THE TIME.
IT'S LIKE, MAN, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO WE, WE'VE MADE THAT CHANGE AND YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY BEFORE MUCH LONGER WE'LL BE COMPLETELY OUT OF THOSE AND ALL INTO THE MUCH MORE DEPENDABLE, UH, FEDERAL SIGNAL PRODUCT AND, UH, AND THAT AND OH, ANYWAY, YEAH, THAT'S A BETTER SYSTEM FOR US.
UH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S BEEN WELL ESTABLISHED BY HISTORY.
UM, PAM JOHNSON AND 9 1 1 COMMUNICATIONS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HER TO ADDRESS WHAT HAPPENED SATURDAY.
I'M HERE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU.
IT WAS, UM, THE FIRST COUPLE CALLS FROM GREG TO SOUND, THE SIRENS WENT AND ANSWERED.
WE HEARD 700 LIBERAL AT THAT POINT WE WERE IN SIGHT TRUNKING, WHICH MEANS WE WERE ON OUR PORTABLE RADIOS.
AND WHEN WE WERE CLICKING DOWN TO GET TO HIM, SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD TALK AND SCRATCH OUT WHERE WE WERE ON OUR RADIOS TRYING TO GET TO HIM AND HE WOULD GET COVERED.
SO AT ONE POINT WE FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT OF WHAT DID YOU HEAR? I HEARD SIRENS, I THINK SO A POLICE OFFICER SAYS, YES, YOU HEARD SIRENS.
SO WE ENDED UP JUST SETTING OFF THE SIRENS.
AS FOR A DELAY, I WOULDN'T GIVE IT, BUT A MINUTE OR TWO MAYBE.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS MUCH AS A DELAY AS YOU'RE GONNA BE HEARING IN THE PUBLIC.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE A HUGE DELAY.
I'M PROBABLY THINKING THE WAY LIBERAL IS.
SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED ON OUR END.
SO YOU THINK THE, THE LAYOUT WAS DUE TO THE RADIOS THEN? RIGHT? WE WERE IN SITE TRUNKING FOR THE RADIOS.
AND WHEN YOU'RE ON PORTABLE RADIO, YOU CAN HEAR ONE FREQUENCY AT A TIME WHEN ON YOUR CONSOLE RADIO YOU'RE HEARING, I DON'T KNOW, 20 MAYBE, BUT YOU CAN'T TALK ON THOSE BECAUSE YOU'RE IN WHAT'S CALLED SITE TRUNKING BECAUSE YOU LOSE PART OF YOUR TOWER.
AND THAT WAS FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OR SO.
I ALSO WANNA MAKE A POINT THAT, UM, IN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES, LET'S GO TO AN HOUR
[02:00:01]
FROM SEVEN TO EIGHT O'CLOCK, WE HAD 120 PHONE CALLS AND THE FIRST 15 MINUTES OF THOSE WERE 72 AND THERE WERE FOUR OF US.SO PEOPLE ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE THERE'S FOUR OF US VERSUS 20,000 ASUR COUNTY.
SO PART OF YOUR EMERGENCY WEATHER PLAN IS IF YOU DON'T NEED US, PLEASE DON'T CALL US.
IF YOU NEED US, BY ALL MEANS CALL US.
PAM, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO MENTION, IN THAT SAME 15 MINUTES YOU HAD 72 PHONE CALLS, YOU HAD TO HAVE AT LEAST THREE TO FOUR TIMES THAT MANY RADIO TRANSMISSIONS AND CALLS BACK AND FORTH WITH THE RESPONDER.
WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET YOU TO BE ANSWERED THOUGH.
I MEAN, IT'S A PRIORITY THAT YOUR CALL GOES THROUGH SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S UNFORTUNATELY MORE COMPLICATED.
I KNOW, I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE PLACE FOR FOUR DISPATCHERS TO SIT.
IF WE HAD ROOM FOR ANOTHER ONE, SOMEONE COULD COME IN AND SIT DOWN WITH US.
BUT THE WAY WE ARE, WE HAVE THREE FULL POSITIONS IN MY BASICALLY HALF POSITION BECAUSE WE WERE ON GENERATOR AND THEN PART OF MY POSITIONS TAKEN OUT DUE TO THAT FACT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE FACED DURING THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
THANK YOU MS. AND I I'M GONNA LEAVE THE STORM STUFF THERE.
UM, WE DID HAVE GM CN ARCHITECTS, UM, DO A COURTHOUSE, A WALKTHROUGH TO, UM, APRIL.
DO THEY NEED TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION FOR THE OH EMERGENCY? WE DO.
SO, UM, I DO NEED YOU TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023 DASH 10, WHICH IS THE EMERGENCY, UH, RESOLUTION.
GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT TO APPROVE AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WESTON SHOW HIS RIGHT HANDS APPROVED.
UM, GM C DID, ARCHITECTS DID WALK THROUGH THE COURTHOUSE, UM, LAST WEEK WITH US TO TRY TO, UM, GUIDE US AND SET SOME PLANS.
UM, TALKED WITH THE JUDGE, WITH THE COURT CLERK, EMPLOYEES STAFF, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING MAINTENANCE.
UM, TO GIVE US AN IDEA, I THINK THE COSTS ARE GONNA BE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED.
AND I THINK YOU'LL HAVE DECISIONS TO MAKE AS TO WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN BITE OFF WITH THE ARPA FUNDS AND THEN WHAT WE'LL NEED TO BUDGET UM, LATER.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, THE COURT ROOM REMODEL ITSELF THAT JUDGE PETERSON HAD TALKED TO YOU ABOUT, THEY'RE ESTIMATING TO BE $200,000 BY ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN PROBABLY THE OTHER WORK JUST TO, UM, DO THE OUTSIDES OF THE BUILDINGS, UH, WHICH DOES INCLUDE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER AS WELL.
UM, THE WEATHERIZATION, THE CAULKING, THE JOINT EXPANSION JOINTS, THE, ALL OF THAT INCLUDED.
UM, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT $500,000, UM, TOTAL WITH ALL THE SCOPE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE GAVE HIM.
I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT 800 TO $900,000.
SO, UM, THEY ARE GONNA TRY, THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO TELL US THEY'D GET SOME INFORMATION TO US BEFORE GOING IN TO, UM, LARGE PLANS THAT WOULD COST YOU ADDITIONAL MONEY WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE, UM, TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK, UM, THEY'RE GONNA GET US SOME ROUGH NUMBERS AND THEN WE CAN HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS OF KIND OF WHAT WE WANT TO TACKLE FROM THERE.
UM, VANESSA, MYSELF AND MELINDA HAD A MEETING WITH, UM, CIVIC PLUS FRIDAY, UM, TO TALK ABOUT OUR WEBSITE AND HOW THEY OFFER A MOBILE FRIENDLY APP NOW FOR OUR WEB WEBSITE.
SO WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE NOW FROM THEIR MOBILE PHONES.
THEY STRUGGLE WITH BEING ABLE TO WORK AROUND, LOOK IN THE WEBSITE AND GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.
SO CIVICPLUS DOES OFFER A MOBILE APP NOW, UH, WE REALLY LIKED WHAT WE SAW, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO WAIT ON PRICING CUZ EVERYTHING HAS A PRICE TO IT, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD COST.
UM, WE ARE SET TO HAVE THE DEPARTMENT HEAD LUNCHEON ON JUNE 30TH HERE IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS.
UM, I HAD NOTIFIED YOU GUYS THAT THE COLLEGE IS CLOSED, SO WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HAVE IT AT THE COLLEGE.
THEY'RE CLOSED ON FRIDAYS AND THEY DO NOT OFFER
[02:05:01]
FOOD SERVICE ON FRIDAYS.UM, WHAT I'VE ASKED MELINDA TO DO, UNLESS YOU GUYS PROVIDE ME OTHER FEEDBACK TONIGHT, UM, AND UNLESS YOU DON'T WANT THIS, I THOUGHT AS SHE GETS BUDGETS IN, SHE COULD GO AHEAD AND DISPERSE THOSE TO YOU ELECTRONICALLY.
AND THEN OF COURSE ONCE SHE HAS 'EM ALL, UM, PUT IN YOUR BUDGET BINDERS, THEN YOU'LL HAVE YOUR WHOLE BINDER.
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD HELP YOU BE ABLE TO LOOK AT INFORMATION AS IT'S COMING IN, BECAUSE I KNOW, UM, THE DEADLINE'S JUNE 30TH FOR US TO GET ALL INFORMATION AND THEN FOR HER TO GET YOUR BINDERS PUT TOGETHER, UM, THAT GIVES YOU A SHORTER WINDOW TO LOOK AT IT IF YOU WANTED HER TO GO AHEAD AND SEND IT TO YOU ELECTRONICALLY AS SHE'S GETTING IT NOW.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT OR IF YOU, IF YOU TELL ME NO, YOU JUST WANNA WAIT ON YOUR BINDER, WE CAN DO THAT.
THOUGHT IT MIGHT HELP IF, IF YOU HAD TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU NEED US TO PRINT IT OUT FOR YOU AT ANY TIME, WE CAN DO THAT.
AND SO THEY SHOULD, IF THEY COMPLETE THEIR BUDGETS AS THEY'RE REQUESTED, IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU PRIOR YEAR, ACTUAL SPENT AND THEN THE ESTIMATED FOR THIS YEAR, WHAT THEIR ACTUAL BUDGET WAS, AND THEN WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING FOR NEXT YEAR.
UH, YASMIN, WHENEVER THE KDOT, SO THE LOCAL OFFICIALS MEETING'S GONNA BE JULY 18TH.
THEY'RE ALSO GONNA OFFER A SESSION IN SPANISH WHERE THEY WILL HAVE THREE INTERPRETERS THAT DAY FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY.
AND THEN THE PUBLIC MEETING WILL BE JULY 19TH HERE IN THIS LOCATION.
UM, JULY 31ST, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING OUR FIRST DATA POOL FOR OUR, UM, IMPLEMENTATION TO CIC.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE KICKING THAT OFF AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT GOING ON AS YOU'RE AWARE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE CIC, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE NEW MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT'S GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE NEW WORKFORCE PLATFORM THAT'S GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED.
SO EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGE AT ONCE, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA PREACH THIS TO THEM TO TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME.
WE HAVE IT PRETTY ITEMIZED OUT ON A CALENDAR OF WHAT TO EXPECT SO WE CAN KIND OF KEEP EVERYBODY ON TRACK.
UM, THE ONLY THING, AND, AND I'M NOT GONNA, WE'RE WE'RE LIKE RUNNING PRETTY LATE TONIGHT, BUT, UM, WE TRIED TO SET THE SEPTEMBER TOWN HALL AND THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE SET BOTH OF THOSE DATES WHEN COMMISSIONER CARR HAS GONE ON VACATION AND SO
AND SO I'M GONNA, UM, SEND THAT OUT AND SEE IF WE CAN'T CHOOSE SOME OTHER DATES, UM, OR IF WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
I WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I'VE HAD VERY, UM, I WANTED TO SHARE THOSE DURING, UM, SUGGESTION CARDS.
THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY SUGGESTION CARDS TO ME, BUT I'VE HAD SOME EMAILS AND JUST SOME POSITIVE RESPONSE OF YOUR TOWN HALL MEETING.
FIRST OF ALL, PEOPLE WERE VERY PLEASED AT THE TURNOUT.
THE, THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE RECEIVED BACK IS THAT IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.
THEY APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION.
UM, SO IT, IT WAS RECEIVED VERY, UM, POSITIVE.
I, I DID NOT GET ANY NEGATIVE FEEDBACK, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT.
I, FOR ONE, WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH THE TURNOUT.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT I WAS EXPECTING THAT.
AND SO, UM, I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH IT.
I'M GONNA END THERE TONIGHT SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN MOVE ON BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A PRETTY LENGTHY AGENDA FOR WORK SESSION TONIGHT TOO, SO, OKAY.
[16. Commission Comments]
COMMENTS.I JUST WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR, UH, PERSONNEL THAT WAS INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE STORE MANAGEMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD IN PURITAN, UM, LIBERAL AND JUST ALL THE DEDICATION THAT OUR EMPLOYEES DO.
AND I'M PROUD OF OUR BOARD IN HOW WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER AND HAVE ACHIEVED SO MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN WENT REALLY IN DEPTH TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I'M PRETTY PROUD OF THIS.
YEAH, I WANTED TO REITERATE WHAT SHE SAID ABOUT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GREG STANDARD.
SO YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE INVOLVED.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANKS TO JOHNNY AND ANDREW.
I MEANT FOR WHAT THEY DID AND CITY OF LIBERAL, WE WOULD EXPECT THE SAME HELP FROM OTHER CITIES IF WE'RE IN THAT TROUBLE.
SO KUDOS GOES OUT TO YOU GUYS.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE IF I COULD, YES, I DON'T, ALBERT'S NOT HERE ANY LONGER, BUT ALBERT GALLEGOS, YES, HE DID IN PLANNING AND ZONING WAS VERY HELPFUL.
[02:10:01]
UM, THEY HELPED US MAKE MULTIPLE TRIPS TO PERTON.UM, JUST, YEAH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE I KNOW.
ANNABELLE WAS THERE AND THEN ALSO SOME OF GREG'S 13 WAS THERE.
BUT AS COMMISSIONERS, WE ALSO NEED TO GET INVOLVED WITH GREG'S MONTHLY MEETINGS, THE LOCAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
I MEAN, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO IN CASE WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY LIKE THAT.
AND IF WE DON'T DEAL WITH GREG, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ON SHAME ON THIS.
YEAH, NO, ALL OF US NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO NOT JUST ONE COMMISSIONER, BUT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THE EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN IS FOR SRA COUNTY.
SO, AND I JUST COMMISSIONERS I'M GONNA TASK ALL OF US TO DO.
I DID MEAN TO MENTION IN MY ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS.
SO PERTON IS STILL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW, BUT THEIR EMS DEPARTMENT AND THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT HIT YES.
WHICH ENABLED THEIR EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND SO THEY ARE USING ONE OF OUR RESERVE FIRETRUCK AT THIS TIME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A, AND SO, OKAY.
WE HAVE SENT THAT AT THIS TIME.
I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY, UM, AND CONTINUE TO BE SAFE.
UH, MAYOR LAURA FOR THE CITY, I KNOW IT'S PART OF THEIR JOB TO CLEAN UP THE CITY WHEN WE HAVE STORMS, BUT THANK YOU FOR JUST GETTING THAT DONE, GETTING ALL THAT DEBRIS OUT OF THE WAY AND, AND WORKING SO HARD.
AND THE, THE HELP THE, THE KERATIN, UM, TORNADO AS WELL AS THE COUNTY AND EVERYBODY THAT'S COMING TOGETHER, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO SAY PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTPOURING OF GENEROSITY AND HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS AND AS WE HELP ONE ANOTHER AS WE CAN COME TOGETHER, I DON'T WANT A DISASTER TO HAPPEN FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO COME TOGETHER.
I LIKE TO SEE THIS WORK ON THE REGULAR SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AND IMPROVE.
IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH YOU ALL AND THANK YOU ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES FOR BEING HERE AND I'LL LET YOU DO EVERY DAY THE LIBERAL AREA COALITION FOR FAMILIES AND NOT TO FORGET OUR LANDFILL DEPARTMENT EITHER CUZ THEY ARE MM-HMM.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE RAINS THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE WE'VE HAD RAINS THAT HELPS NOT HAVE FIRES AND WE HAD A LOT OF DRY GRASS TO BEFORE, SO JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT TO ADJOURN.
AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER.
SHOW OF RIGHT ANSWER, APPROVE STEVE.