* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] WE'LL CALL TO [ Regular Meeting 5:30 p.m. Call to Order Chair Scott Carr Pledge of Allegiance Invocation Tyler Prater, Liberal Ministerial Alliance Citizen Comments ] ORDER THE SEWER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING. PLEASE SEND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH TO STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. LET'S PRAY. FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE VOW BEFORE YOU NOW WITH SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR. WE'RE THANKFUL MOST OF ALL, FOR JESUS CHRIST WHO CAME AND LIVED THE LIFE WE COULDN'T DIED OF DEATH WE DESERVED, WAS PUT IN A BORROWED TOMB. BUT ROSE AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY FOR OUR SALVATION. THANK YOU THAT I NOW HAVE THE FREEDOM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN OUR GOOD COUNTY TO PRAY THIS IN PUBLIC. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD PRESERVE THAT FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN. LORD, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD KEEP THEM SAFE. THANK YOU FOR OUR MILITARY. I PRAY THAT YOU KEEP THEM SAFE, AND THANK YOU FOR THESE OUR LEADERS WHO WE'VE ELECTED AND WE'RE TRUSTING TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS. I PRAY TONIGHT THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM. I PRAY THAT YOU GIVE THEM CLARITY. I PRAY YOU GIVE THEM HUMILITY. I PRAY THAT YOU GIVE THEM COMPASSION. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP THEM IN THEIR WORDS, UH, TO SPEAK WHAT IS PLEASING TO YOU AND HELPFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND PURELY HONEST GOD, I PRAY THAT YOU GIVE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, HUMILITY AND WISDOM AND ABILITY TO LOOK AT ALL THE FACTS AND TELL THE TRUTH OURSELVES. AND GOD, I PRAY THAT THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS MEETING WOULD BRING YOU GLORY AND HONOR AND THE WAY WE THINK, THE WAY WE TALK, THE WAY WE FEEL, THE WAY WE EXPRESS OUR EMOTIONS. I PRAY THAT YOUR NAME WOULD BE GLORIFIED. THANK YOU FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU THAT WE GET A CALL AT HOME, MAKE IT BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME. IN JESUS' NAME I PRAY, AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO CITIZEN COMMENTS AND AT THIS TIME IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 10, BUDGET DISCUSSION, NOW'S THE TIME TO ADDRESS THAT, I'LL JUST READ THE RULES FOR THE OF THE COMMISSION FOR COMMENTS. ANY CITIZEN DESIRING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION SHALL BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR, ADVANCE TO THE PODIUM, STATE, HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS AND AUDIBLE TONE FOR THE RECORD PRESENTATION SHALL BE LIMITED, FIVE MINUTES LESS EXTENDED BY VOTE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION. SO WE'RE OPEN TO COMMENTS. NO COPY. HELLO AGAIN, MY NAME'S RICK MADDEN, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SE COUNTY. UH, LAST COUPLE WEEKS. I'VE JUST GOT SOME QUESTIONS BECAUSE STATE THE INFORMATION THAT I'M GETTING FROM TWO SIDES IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. AND ONE SAYS, COME GET IT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH, AND THE OTHER ONE'S SHOWING THAT THE HORSE'S MOUTH AIN'T BEING TRUTHFUL ABOUT IT. SO THE FIRST THING I WANT TO ADDRESS IS, AND I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH IT, I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO ANSWER IT, BUT I EXPECT AT SOME TIME THAT YOU WOULD ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS ON YOUR 13 MIL INCREASE OUTTA THAT 13 MIL, HOW MANY OF THOSE MILLS WERE DEDICATED TO YOUR DCP NATIONAL HELIUM AND CONESTOGA DEBT PROBLEM? THAT'S ONE QUESTION THAT IS GETTING ME. AND IF THERE IS SURPLUS IN THAT 13 MIL, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE MILL SURPLUS WAS AND WHAT THE INTENDED USE OF IT IS, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S FALLEN UNDER THE COVER OF THE DCP NATIONAL HELIUM CONESTOGA SETTLEMENT. OKAY, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT SAID, UH, A MEMBER SITTING IN HERE. IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT YOU HAD 1 MILLION IN AN ACCOUNT SET TO THE SIDE, AND BY THIS YEAR, THE END YEAR YOU'D HAVE 1.5. THAT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT THAT'S NOT QUITE A TRUE STATEMENT IN ALL FROM REPORTING FROM WHAT THE NEWSPAPER'S TELLING ME. UM, [00:05:01] AND ON THAT MILL INCREASE IT GOES FOR DCP, NATIONAL HELIUM CONESTOGA, IT SEEMED THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT IT IN A RESTRICTED FUND. WHY? I DON'T KNOW. IT'S LIKE YOU'RE SHUFFLING MONEY, YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT, YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE GONNA PUT IT THERE AND PAY IT OFF, BUT THEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING THE HONEST EFFORT TO KEEP IT THERE. I THINK THE TAXPAYERS NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING WITH THAT MONEY IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA PUT IT IN A RESTRICTED ACCOUNT WHERE YOU CAN'T TOUCH IT TO FUND YOUR OTHER BUDGET ISSUES. NEXT THING I GOT IS ON HERE IS I REALLY BELIEVE BY LOOKING AND HEARING WHAT I'VE SEEN, THAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED A FINANCIAL OFFICER IN THIS COUNTY COMMISSION. IT LOOKS LIKE THE BOOKKEEPING IS SOMETHING DONE FROM A HIGH SCHOOL ACCOUNTING CLASS AS THE WAY FUNDS ARE BEING PUT IN AND MOVED AROUND. IF THEY'RE GONNA BUDGET FOR MONEY, IT SHOULD GO FOR THAT ISSUE, NOT FOR OTHER PROJECTS TO COVER WHAT SOMEBODY MESSED UP FOR. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THEY SHOULD A BUDGET FOR THE OVERSIGHT AND THE UNDERSIDE AND THAT. AND WHEN YOU GET A BUDGET FROM A DEPARTMENT, DO YOU ACTUALLY GO OVER AND QUESTION WHAT THE BUDGET'S BEING USED FOR? FOR EXAMPLE, THEY SHOWED YOU, SHOWED IN THE PAPER, SHOWED IT. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE. THEY'RE OVER BUDGETING SO THEY CAN GET BONUSES. IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME, YOU'VE HAD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVE BONUSES FOR FOUR YEARS STRAIGHT ON PEOPLE. AND UH, IF YOU GUYS AREN'T WATCHING THAT, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. THAT'S, THAT'S WRONG. I MEAN, I, I'D LIKE TO COME WORK FOR THE COUNTY AND, AND BE A PART DEPARTMENT HEAD AND PUT MY OWN BUDGET TOGETHER AND SPEND WHAT I WANTED AND MAKE WHAT I WANT THERE. THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY ON SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING AND WHAT IS IT LEGIT ALSO, THAT GOES TO THE DEAL. YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WANTING A 13 MIL INCREASE, BUT YOU'RE GIVING RAISES OUT THAT THAT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE. I DON'T CARE HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. YOU'RE TAXING THE TAXPAYERS LIBERAL TO GIVE SOMEONE A, A RAISE OR FINANCIALLY STRAPPED SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT THAT'S, THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. IT DOESN'T WASH WITH ME. UM, ANOTHER THING THAT I WAS BROUGHT KIND OF TO MY ATTENTION, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PRIVY TO IT IN THE PAST, PRESENT IN THE FUTURE, IS YOUR, YOUR COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ARE YOU GUYS ACTUALLY PAYING FOR THE DOCTOR OF NURSE PRACTITIONER LICENSE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT HEAD OVER THERE AND YOU'RE PAYING FOR THE SCHOOLING FOR NURSES TO GET THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE? THEY DON'T NEED THAT. OKAY. HOW YOU LOOK AT, THEY'RE JUST, ALL YOU NEED IS AN RN OVER THERE. YOU DON'T NEED A BACHELOR OF NURSES. AND IF YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT, WHY AREN'T YOU MAKING THEM SIGN A CONTRACT THAT THEY'RE GONNA STAY HERE FOR X AMOUNT OF YEARS? SO WE'RE NOT ROBBED EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENED. AND THE LAST THING, AND I, I'VE SEEN IT IN THE PAPER AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I WORKED FOR THE A-F-L-C-I-O MY WHOLE LIFE. UH, TEAMSTERS, ANOTHER BIG UNION, THE IBEW, THERE'S ANOTHER BIG UNION. I AIN'T NEVER SEEN ANYBODY GET AS MUCH VACATION TIME AS THE COUNTY DOES. THAT'S UNGODLY FOLKS. I MEAN, SHOOT, I'D COME HERE. YOU'RE GIVEN THAT MUCH VACATION TIME IF YOU ACTUALLY SIT BACK AND LOOK AT IT FOR FOUR TO FIVE PEOPLE YOU HIRE, YOU GOTTA HIRE ONE MORE TO COVER FOR ALL THE VACATION TIME. THAT, THAT'S TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST WHAT I HAVE. AND I, I HOPE SOMEBODY CAN SHINE LIGHT ON SOME OF THESE TOPICS AND I'M GOING TO BE FINE WITH THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [00:10:09] GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. NEIL COFFEE. I'D LIKE TO START OUT BY FIRST THANKING EACH OF YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. I KNOW YOU'VE GONE THROUGH AT LEAST EIGHT SESSIONS AND WITH THE AUDIT REVIEW TONIGHT, NINE SESSIONS AS IT RELATES TO THE WORK ON THE BUDGET. CERTAINLY NO SHORTAGE OF EFFORT ON ANYBODY'S PART, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. SECONDARILY, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING FIDUCIARY FOR THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE PAYMENT THAT'S COMING UP TO CONESTOGA THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE. PLANNING AHEAD, GETTING IN FRONT OF THAT IS A GREAT IDEA, AND I THINK THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE TO THE LEVEL THAT IT HAS BEEN DONE WITHOUT THE THREE OF YOU COMING ON BOARD AND PUSHING THAT EFFORT BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THAT FELL BEHIND IN PRIOR YEARS. SO GETTING PREPARED FOR THAT IS A GOOD ANSWER. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AT OUR HOMES WHEN, WHEN WE KNOW THE BILLS ARE COMING DUE. THE UNFORTUNATE PART OF IT IS WITHOUT THAT DISTRICT COURT RULING, WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO BE. WE DO KNOW FROM VISITING AROUND AT, WITH PEOPLE IN THE STATE IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE THE WORST CASE EXPERIENCE, WHICH LENDS TO THE REGION WHY YOU DROPPED DOWN TO THE 13 MILL LEVEL. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO DO IS, WHEN YOU GET TO ITEM 10 TONIGHT, BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEWER INFORMATION, IS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO RECONSIDER AMENDING YOUR BUDGET AND LETTING THE COUNTY STATES LET, LETTING STACIA'S OFFICE KNOW THAT OUR BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN REDUCED. AND YOU CAN DO THAT BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE. AND I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE THING TO DO NOW BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE, THE DELAY IN THE RULING, ET CETERA. AND IF YOU WOULD RECONSIDER THAT BUDGET AND PULL IT BACK TO A FOUR MEAL INCREASE, I THINK YOUR CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY WOULD BE AS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. AS I VISIT WITH PEOPLE, THEY EASILY RECOGNIZE THE COST OF INCREASE OF DOING BUSINESS. IT'S UNDISPUTABLE THAT WE HAVE THAT COST TO INCREASE, AND YOU ARE TRYING TO GET BACK IN FRONT OF THAT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT SO MUCH. WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR ASSESSED VALUE HAS GIVEN US SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN THE COUNTY SO THAT WE KNOW IN LIGHT OF THAT, MAYBE YOU DON'T EVEN NEED THE FOUR MEALS IF YOU GO BACK AND, AND AMEND YOUR BUDGET. DON'T HAVE A DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT INTO THAT. HAVEN'T TAKEN THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU BACK UP ONCE AGAIN AND TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT AND CONTEMPLATE HOW WE CAN GET THAT MILL LEVY DOWN INTO THE FOUR MILL REGION. SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AS YOU WORK ON THE BUDGET. I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE GETTING BEAT UP. KIND OF COMES WITH IT KIND OF COMES WITH THE AREA, BUT I KNOW EACH OF YOU PERSONALLY, THEY KNOW YOU TO BE GOOD PEOPLE. I KNOW THERE'S NO NEFARIOUS INTENT IN ANY OF THIS, SO APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATIONS WHEN YOU COME TO THAT ITEM. AND MR. CHAIR, AM I, AM I FREE TO SPEAK ON THE WIND GENERATION ISSUE AS WELL? SURE. CITIZEN COMMENTS. SO I KNOW AS YOU'RE COMING UP ON THAT, YOU'RE WORKING ON LEGAL COUNSEL REPRESENTATION, AND I THINK THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE THING TO DO. ONE THING I WOULD ASK YOU AS YOU WORK THROUGH THAT EFFORT AND WORK TO WELCOME THE WIND GENERATION INTO THE COUNTY, I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD NOT TELL ANYBODY HOW THEY CAN MANAGE THEIR LAND. I THINK THAT'S BETWEEN THEM AND THE DEVELOPER. BUT WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU AS THE COUNTY IS IT BECOMES, COMES TO THE FINANCIAL END OF WELCOMING, WELCOMING A COMPANY TO THE COUNTY, IS THAT YOU TAKE NO IN LIEU OF PAYMENTS. WHAT I WOULD PREFER YOU RATHER DO IS AS SOON AS THEY PUT A WINDMILL INTO OPERATION COMMERCIALLY, THAT YOU TAX THAT WINDMILL FROM A PROPERTY TAX PERSPECTIVE AT THE NAMEPLATE, GROSS MEGAWATT OUTPUT. I THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET SOME PUSHBACK FROM THE DEVELOPERS SAYING THAT THAT RUINS THE ECONOMICS OF THE PROJECT. BUT WHAT I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU IS IF THAT DOES RUIN THE ECONOMIC OF THE PROJECT, IT SHOULD NOT BE A PROJECT. AND THAT HELPS US CASH FLOW IN THE COUNTY BY GENERATING THAT REVENUE IMMEDIATELY AND LONG TERM. AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT FROM AN IN LIEU OF PERSPECTIVE, PARTICULARLY WHEN THAT EXPIRES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I YIELD THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [00:15:13] UM, THE FIRST PAY PAPER ADDRESS IN YOUR PILE, CAROLYN NAME AND ADDRESS. OH, SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. UM, CAROLYN HUDDLESTONE. MY ADDRESS IS THREE 16 WEST SEVENTH STREET HERE IN LIBERAL. THANK YOU. UM, THE FIRST PAPER IN YOUR PILE IS SOME INFORMATION APRIL PROVIDED. IT SHOWS TWO SETS OF BONUSES GOING TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN 2025. $58,709 CAME FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT. THE INITIALS ARE PHIG AND THUS IT'S CALLED THE FIG GRANT. THE SECOND SET OF BONUSES CAME FROM THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH GRANT. THIS ONE INVOLVED FOUR QUARTERLY PAYMENTS IN THE AMOUNTS APRIL CITED FOR A TOTAL OF $45,000. THESE BONUSES TOGETHER WITH THOSE FROM THE FIG GRANT TOTAL $103,709. NEXT, THERE'S A TABLE. I TRANSFERRED. THE AMOUNTS SHOWN ON THE PAPER. APRIL GAVE ME INTO THE COLUMN FOR BONUSES IN 2025 AND ADDED FIGURES FOR BONUSES GIVEN OUT IN 2024 AND 2023, WHICH I FOUND IN THE END OF THE YEAR. PAY RECORDS FOR THOSE TWO YEARS IN 20 24, 40 5,000 WAS GIVEN IN BONUSES AND IN 20 23, 50 $1,250. THEN I'VE PUT IN THE GRANT AWARD PAPER FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 FOR THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH GRANT. WE SEE HERE THAT THEY'RE ON A FISCAL YEAR THAT RAN FROM JULY 1ST, 2024 TO JUNE 30TH, 2025. NEXT, THERE'S A COPY OF A PAY RECORD FOR GREG GREESON FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 2025. UNDER OTHER PAY, THERE'S AN ENTRY FOR ONE OF THESE QUARTERLY BONUSES APRIL HAD LISTED. AND UNDER YEAR TO DATE, IT SHOWS THIS TO BE THE THIRD SUCH PAYMENT. HOWEVER, AUGUST, 2025 IS NO LONGER IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. THIS IS THE FIRST SET OF $45,000 IN BONUS PAYMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, WHICH THE COMMISSION APPARENTLY AUTHORIZED LAST YEAR. NEXT, THERE ARE TWO PAGES DRAWN FROM A SET OF COMMISSION WORKSHEETS THAT RELATE TO THE 2026 BUDGET. YOU CAN SEE THAT ANOTHER ROUND OF FRIG BONUSES IN THE AMOUNT OF $58,709 IS REFERENCED ON ONE PAGE. AND $45,000 IN BONUSES ARE COMING FROM A NEW GRANT. THE MATERNAL HEALTH INNOVATIONS PROGRAM GRANT, THESE BONUSES WILL BE ROLLING OUT IN QUARTERLY PAYMENTS WHEN THOSE FROM THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH GRANT END. THOSE TWO SETS OF BONUSES APPROVED ON THE 2026 BUDGET TOTAL, ANOTHER $103,709. THE NEXT DOCUMENT IN MY PILE SHOWS THE HOURS STAFF OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WERE WORKING IN 20 23, 20 24. AND FOR JANUARY TO AUGUST, 2025, THE AVERAGE IN 2023 WAS 34.5 HOURS FOR 20 24, 34 0.1 HOURS, AND FOR THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF 20 25, 33 0.9 HOURS PER WEEK. WHEN SHE APPEARED BEFORE THE COMMISSION AT ONE OF THE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS IN JUNE, BREE TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY WERE DOING TO SAVE MONEY AND INDICATED THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO CUT THE HOURS. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO EIGHT TO FIVE, MONDAY TO THURSDAY, MONEY FOR OPERATIONS IS DOWN. HOWEVER, BRIE FAILED TO MENTION THAT THEY HAD $103,709 SET ASIDE FOR BONUSES IN THE COMING YEAR. BACK ON THE BIG SPREADSHEET. THAT WAS DOCUMENT NUMBER TWO WITH BONUSES ALREADY PAID OUT. PLUS THOSE APPROVED, IT TOTALS $326,000 WITH 241,000 OF THAT GOING TO SEVEN STAFF. I HOPE YOU ARE SHOCKED BY THESE NUMBERS AS I WAS AND WILL TAKE ACTION TO PUT THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BUT NOT YET PAID. REASSIGNED THIS BACK INTO WAGES FOR STAFF SO THEY CAN INCREASE THEIR HOURS, PROVIDE MORE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, AND GET THIS MONEY AT THE SAME TIME. THAT'S IT. IF YOU GUYS WOULD REASSIGN THE MONEY TO WAGES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 2026 IN BONUSES, $103,000 WOULD PAY FOR FOUR HOURS OF WORK FOR EACH MEMBER OF THAT STAFF. FOUR HOURS A WEEK FOR A YEAR IN THAT 103,000. SO THE END. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CARE. [00:20:10] GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BILL HATCHER. I LIVE IN THE NORTH PART OF SE COUNTY AND I DON'T HAVE A PREPARED THING LIKE THESE PEOPLE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING TRUCK ALL DAY, SO I'VE GOT A LOT OF CRAZY THINGS IN MY MIND, BUT I WON'T TELL YOU ABOUT THEM RIGHT NOW. I'VE PAID TAXES IN HERE FOR OVER 50 SOME YEARS. I QUESTIONED THE CONESTOGA THING AND WHEN I WENT TO THE MEETINGS BEFORE AND OUT OF ALL THIS, I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY WE WENT AND TRIED TO TALK TO CONESTOGA OR WE WERE TRYING TO PUT A PACKAGE TOGETHER. I MEAN, YOU, YOU MADE THE COMMENT ONE TIME THAT, WELL, WE'D HAVE TO PAY INTEREST. THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE ARE ALL GONNA PAY INTEREST ON IT. SO LET'S BE FAIR TO THESE, THE PEOPLE THAT PAY YOU THESE TAXES AND LET'S HELP THEM. BUT GO TALK TO THEM. I MEAN, PRESIDENT TRUMP WENT TO EGYPT AND MADE A DEAL WITH GAZA AND GOT THAT DONE. SURELY YOU CAN GO A HALF A MILE NORTH AND FIGURE OUT SOMETHING. APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FLOOR IS OPEN. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I'M JOANNE LUCAS. I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. MY FATHER IS A FORMER SHERIFF HERE. AND MY COMPLAINT HERE IS I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT MS. HUDDLESON HAS TO SAY. I WON'T REPEAT IT. UM, I'LL GET TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN A MINUTE ON NORTH LINCOLN FROM SEVENTH TO 11TH STREET, MY DAD CAN SIT ON THE FRONT PORCH. IT SAYS, LITTLE RADAR ON CLOCK HIM BETWEEN 39 AND 47 MILES AN HOUR GOING NORTH. IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THAT CAN BE A ONE WAY AND NO STREET PARKING RIGHT THERE? MILLER MORTUARY IS FINE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO THEIR BUSINESS. I MOVED BACK HERE FOUR YEARS AGO FROM MISSISSIPPI. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE NAVY. I CAN SELL THAT FRONT PORCH AND GOES LIKE, OKAY, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THEIR WAY. I'VE HAD IN THAT BLOCK ARE THE OLDER PEOPLE. I THINK THEY'RE LIKE 60, 65 AND UP. MY PARENTS ARE IN THEIR LATE EIGHTIES. MY DAD HAS TO BACK IN HIS BIG DUALLY PICKUP BACKWARDS, DRIVE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. HE'S BEEN HIT TWICE BY FACE SPEEDING CARS AND YOUNGER, I THINK MILLENNIALS OR WHATEVER THEIR CAR IS. IT DOESN'T DO IT. THERE'S NO SPEED LIMIT THERE. THERE HAS SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A NURSE FOR 34 YEARS. I TAKE CARE OF THE GERIATRIC PEOPLE. I'M SELF-EMPLOYED. I'M A PRIVATE DUTY NURSE AND TRAVEL NURSE. AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT I TAKE CARE OF ARE IN THAT AGE GROUP. THEY'RE ONLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WHEN THEY READ THE ARTICLE, AS MS. HUDDLESON STATED, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SAD TO SEE THAT MY MY GERIATRIC PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH I TRANSPORT THEM ALSO, THEY WON'T, THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR A SECOND OF ALL. 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL ANGRY ABOUT THE 9,000 AND ALL THE MONIES AND THE SEVEN PEOPLE THAT GOT BONUSES. I HAPPEN TO KNOW MOST OF THEM OVER THERE. AND I KNOW THE ONE BRIE 'CAUSE I TOOK CARE OF HER MOM. CONNIE, SHE'S SITTING IN THE $274,000 HOUSE. WHAT'S SHE GONNA DO WITH $9,000? COULD IT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE? COULD THOSE BONUSES BE PAID IN OTHER WAYS? THAT'S JUST, THAT'S RIDICULOUS. I WORK MY BUTT OFF AS A NURSE AND MAKE MY OWN MONEY, BUT STILL I DON'T GET BONUSES. BUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT REALLY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST, IT WAS OUTRAGEOUS. BUT THAT MONEY ELSEWHERE AS MS. HUDDLESON STATED. AND THE NEXT THING IS, IS THE ANGLE PARKING THAT'S GOING LIKE WILDFIRE THROUGH COMMENTS HERE IN LIBERAL. MY PARENTS MOVED HERE IN 56 AND THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ANGLE PARKING. UM, I'M AGAINST THE ANGLE PARKING FOR ONE REASON ONLY. THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY HAVE WHEELCHAIRS, WALKERS, CANES, UM, UM, APPARATUSES TO HELP THEM GET AROUND. I KNOW FOR A FACT I CAN SAY THAT IN OTHER TOWNS THAT I TRAVELED TO IN MY JOB, THE ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, PEOPLE BACKING OUT, IS IT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S ONLY GONNA BE, THERE'S GONNA BE TWO LANES AND ANGLE PARKING. THE STREET'S NOT WIDE ENOUGH. WE'RE NOT GARDEN CITY WITH ANGLE PARKING. I HAD TWO THAT I TOOK CARE OF THAT TOOK THEIR CHAIR FROM BEHIND THEIR [00:25:01] VEHICLE AND SURE ENOUGH, HERE COMES SOME JOE BLOW. IT KILLED THEM. IT RAN THEM OVER. JUST GETTING THEIR WHEELCHAIR OUT FROM BEHIND THEIR VEHICLE TO GO INTO A STORE DIDN'T MAKE MY DAY. IT STILL DOESN'T, BECAUSE I WAS COMING AROUND THE OTHER SIDE AND I HAD, THEY WERE GONE, KILLED THEM. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT HERE IN LIBERAL. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE HAVING THOSE TYPE OF APPARATUSES TO, TO DO THE THINGS THEY NEED TO DO ON A DAILY BASIS AND GET HURT. WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THEN? THERE'S A LOT OF OLDER PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT I LOVE DEARLY AMONGST OTHER PEOPLE THAT I TAKE CARE OF. BUT MY CONCERN IS THEIR SAFETY. THE EASEMENTS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY PARK AT AN ANGLE, IS THERE A PLACE FOR THEM TO GET AROUND TO GO TO THE SLAB THAT SLIDES UP TO GET 'EM TO THE STORES? THE BUSINESSES WANT IT, BUT WHAT RISK IS IT? IS IT TO THE OLDER PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS TOWN? IT'S FAT ENOUGH ON 15TH STREET ON FAMILY, ME AND FAMILY PRACTICE BUILDING, THEIR, THEIR, UM, HANDICAPPED PARKING IS ACROSS FROM THE SIDEWALK. YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'M ALMOST TIPPED MY MOM OUT OF HER CHAIR. IT'S BUMPY. IT NEEDS TO BE RESURFACED. IT NEEDS TO BE PUT WHERE THE SIDEWALK IS AND THE EASEMENT FOR THEM TO GET UP INTO THAT BUILDING. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGED. MAKE IT FLATTER WHERE PEOPLE CAN, WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE APPARATUSES TO GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING IN A SAFE MANNER. I'VE PICKED THREE OR FOUR OF THEM UP THE LAST TWO YEARS OFF THE PAVEMENT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN EITHER DRIVING BY OR I'VE BEEN IN TO THE PARKING LOT WITH SOME OTHER CLIENT. IT GETS SPILLED OUTTA THEIR CHAIR. THEIR WALKERS CATCH THIS PAVEMENT. THEY'RE, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, YOUR TIME. UH, OKAY, SORRY MS. LUCAS. I'M SAYING THIS WITH UTMOST RESPECT, BUT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONALITIES AND THE SPEED LIMITS IN LIBERAL AND THE ROADS IN LIBERAL. WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION, NOT EVEN ON THE CITY STREETS. WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK TO THE CITY. OKAY, COUNCIL, THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. YES. YOU KNOW, BUT MY DAD'S HAD HIS VEHICLE HIT THREE TIMES JUST GOING STRAIGHT OUTTA THE DRIVEWAY. THEY DON'T STOP. THEY JUST DON'T. OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OPEN FLOOR. I AM MARSHA HATCHER AND I LIVE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF SEWARD COUNTY. AND I, I SWORE I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING TONIGHT, BUT I AM, UM, I'M MOSTLY CONCERNED. AND, AND BY THE WAY, I APPRECIATE WHAT ALL YOU'RE YOU'RE DOING. I DON'T WANT YOUR POSITION, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SERVING FOR THE COUNTY. UM, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A 14 MILLION INCREASE AND WHAT IT MIGHT HAPPEN TO ALL OF THE THINGS. FOR INSTANCE, THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT OF WAS WE MIGHT AS WELL SELL AND MOVE OUT. AND, UM, COMMISSIONER FULLER, YOU, YOU MENTIONED YOU DIDN'T WANNA MASS EXODUS, AND I DON'T EITHER. NONE OF US DO, BUT I SEE THAT HAPPENING, UM, WITH THIS KIND OF, OF, UM, EMPHASIS ON THE TAXES. I SEE THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES BECAUSE OF IT. WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE RIGHT NOW SELLING, UM, FARM GROUND AND, UM, IF I WAS BUYING ANY OF IT, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T WANNA DO THAT WITH THAT KIND OF A, AN INCREASE. SO I, I SEE THERE ARE A LOT OF RAMIFICATIONS IN THE FUTURE, NOT JUST FOR THIS YEAR. UM, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'LL HAVE TO ENFORCE YOUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE WON'T BE ABLE TO, I THINK THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY THEIR TAXES, SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THE SHERIFF GO AROUND AND GRAB US BY OUR FEET AND DRAG US INTO COURT, I GUESS. UM, BUT, AND, AND I'M JOKING ABOUT THAT, BUT SERIOUSLY, UM, PLEASE JUST CONSIDER WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO THE COUNTY AND SEE IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN WORK THIS OUT. UM, WE'RE ALL MATURE, BUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN DO TO PLEASE. 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA SEE THE COUNTY AND THE, AND [00:30:01] THE TOWN OF LIBERAL AND KISMET GO DOWN. WE'RE, WE'RE HURTING ANYWAY. LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO BUILD IT UP. THANKS. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, BEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS THERE. MOVE TO ITEM [1. Approve Agenda: Additions or Deletions] NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF AGENDA ADDITIONS FOR DELETIONS. I'D MAKE A MOTION TO I'M, I'M SORRY, ITEM NINE. WAIT, A, WHICH IS THE LEGAL EXECUTIVE SESSION TO THE AGENDA. IT'S, IT'S ALREADY ON THERE. OH. OH, YOU WANT IT AS NINE A? YES. OKAY. I'M, I APOLOGIZE. AND I DO HAVE ANOTHER ONE. OKAY. OKAY, SO THERE'S THE MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HELM. IS THERE A SECOND? THE SAME TIME SHE HAS ONE. YEAH, WE'LL GET IT. OKAY. WE CAN DO IT. SURE. OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. UM, THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, DID RECEIVE, UM, A DONATION, UM, AND WE NEED FOR THE COMMISSION TO ACCEPT THAT DONATION THIS EVENING. OKAY. WHAT ITEM DO YOU WANNA MAKE? THE THREE A. OKAY, THAT'S FINE. YOU WANT AMEND YOUR MOTION. I MAKE, I MEAN I AMEND MY MOTION TO ADD THREE A FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DONATION AND NINE A FOR THE LEGAL EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY. SECOND, THERE'S MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HELM TO ADD ITEM THREE A, WHICH IS THE FIRE RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, DONATION RECEIVED. AND THEN ITEM NINE A, WHICH WILL BE LEGAL EXECUTIVE SESSION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT. SHOW OF HANDS FOR APPROVAL. FIVE AND OH, NOW I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA. SECOND'S. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HELM TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA. AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER. SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL. FIVE AND OH. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER [2. Consent Agenda Minutes October 6, 2025 Regular Meeting Payroll October 10, 2025 Reg: $436,053.92 Sage: $16,516.37 Vouchers $350,147.97 Abates and Escapes None Crossing Permits None Requisitions SH $9,900.00 ] TWO, CONSENT AGENDA. SO MOVED. SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HELM TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA IS PRINTED. AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER. SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL. FIVE, NO [3. New Employees] ITEM NUMBER THREE, NEW EMPLOYEES. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. YET ANOTHER EMPLOYEE OF . HI. I LIKE INTRODUCING PEOPLE TO YOU. SO WHEN YOU GET PULLED OVER, YOU CAN SAY, HEY, REMEMBER I'M COMMISSIONER. I'M KIDDING. UH, THIS GENTLEMAN IS MATTHEW PALACIOS. HE COMES FROM US WHERE I'M THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE HAS THREE AND A HALF YEARS EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE HIM BEFORE. WELCOME MATTHEW. WELCOME. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. ALSO VERY SHY, SO DIDN'T WANNA SAY NOTHING. . ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANKS GUYS. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER THREE A. ANDREW BARKLEY. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. ANDREW BARKLEY, YOUR WARD COUNTY FIRE CHIEF. I'M COMING TO YOU THIS EVENING WHEN WE CAME TO YOU AT THE LAST MEETING REGARDING THE PPE, THIS, UH, DONATION. WE RECEIVED 16,000 FROM COOPER CLARK FOUNDATION, UH, TOWARDS THAT, AND MY APOLOGIES, KIND OF GOT SOME MIXED UP IN COMMUNICATIONS AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS DONATION FOLLOWING THE LAST MEETING, BUT I'M HERE TODAY TO GET YOUR PERMISSION TO ACCEPT IT SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE DONATION OF 16,000 FROM COOPER CLARK FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SECOND'S MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT TO ACCEPT THE 16,000 COOPER CLARK DONATION FOR PPE. AND THERE WAS A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER SHOW RIGHT HANDS AND SORRY. UM, APRIL, WE HAVE KIND OF FALLEN OFF THE THANK YOU CARD ROUTINE. THANK YOU. FILE. SEND A THANK YOU CARD. OH, OH YES, WE'VE ALL, I'M SORRY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SEND THANK YOU CARDS. YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT DONATE TO SERVICE? YES, IT WILL. OKAY. SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL. FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU ANDREW. ITEM NUMBER [4. Work Comp Update] FOUR, WORK COMP UPDATE COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE TABLE THIS ITEM. UM, UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, I NEEDED [00:35:01] TO HAVE A MEETING WITH JUSTIN JOHNSON AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SCHEDULE THAT BEFORE THIS MEETING. OKAY, THANK YOU. ITEM [5. Tax Sale Update - Tax Recovery] NUMBER FIVE, TAX SALE UPDATE. TAX RECOVERY, MARY ROSE AND NATHAN FOREMAN. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. UH, AS FAR AS THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION, UM, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL AFTER OUR LAST UPDATE FROM KENDALL MCVEY, WHO IS OF, UH, CBK. UM, CONCERNING, UH, THAT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY GAVE ME WAS, WAS SLIGHTLY INCORRECT INSTEAD OF, I THINK I REPORTED THE LAST TIME, I WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THAT 150,000 HAD BEEN, UM, HAD BEEN COLLECTED. THEY SAID DUE TO A QUIRK IN THEIR, UH, SPREADSHEET THAT THE ACTUAL AMOUNT AS OF 9 18 25 IS $86,542 AND 27 CENTS. SO THERE'S A CORRECTION ON THAT AMOUNT. UM, AND HOPEFULLY GOING FORWARD THEY CAN TELL YOU THE, THE CORRECT AMOUNTS FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, BUT THEY WERE ALERTED TO THIS, THE SITUATION, I THINK MAYBE BY THE TREASURER THAT WE HAD DIFFERENT AMOUNTS AND THEN WHEN THEY RECALCULATED THE AMOUNT THAT I WAS TOLD WAS INCORRECT. SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. THEY'RE CONTINUING TO COLLECT ON THOSE. UH, THE TAX SALE FOR THE TAXES THAT I'M COLLECTING WILL BE ON DECEMBER 12TH, UH, AT NINE DECEMBER 12TH, 2025 AT 9:30 AM UH, IT'LL BE AT THE, UH, SURREY COUNTY COURTHOUSE AT THE, UH, FRONT DOORS OF THE COURTHOUSE. UM, AS FAR AS THE REAL PROPERTY COLLECTION, UH, AVO TAX PROPERTY COLLECTION THAT THE OUTSIDE FIRM IS HANDLING, UH, I WAS TOLD BY, UH, THAT ATTORNEY THAT IT'S EITHER GONNA BE THE FIRST PART OF DECEMBER. IF IT IS, SHE'LL COORDINATE WITH ME TO DO IT ON THE SAME DAY. IF IT CAN'T BE, SHE TOLD ME THAT IT WILL BE THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT TOO CLOSE TO CHRISTMAS AND PEOPLE BEING GONE AND WHATNOT. SO THAT IS THE UPDATES THAT I HAVE ON THE TAX SALE AT THIS POINT, BUT ON MINE IT, DECEMBER 12TH IS THE SALE DATE. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. OKAY. DID YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE EMAIL I SENT YOU TODAY ABOUT THE TAX SALE? I DON'T, DO YOU? NO, BUT I DO HAVE A, A SIDE QUESTION. UM, IF YOU COULD ANSWER MR. MADDEN'S QUESTION ABOUT WHY WE CAN OR CANNOT PUT A LINE ITEM, UM, FOR THE SPECIAL, UH, FUNDS FOR THE MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING ASIDE FOR CONESTOGA. SO I THINK SOME OF THAT, UM, COUNSEL WILL HAVE TO ANSWER, BUT I WILL SAY THAT AS FAR AS IT GOES FOR PAYMENT UNDER PROTEST, UM, STATUTE 79 2 2 0 5, WHICH IS WHAT THE SEWARD COUNTY TREASURY USES, UM, STATES THAT ANYTHING UNDER PROTEST HAS TO BE HELD, UM, AT LEAST 45 DAYS. AND THEN BY THE END OF THE OCTOBER 15TH OR END OF OCTOBER DISTRIBUTION, UM, ALL TAXES THAT WERE COLLECTED HAS TO BE THEN, UM, DISTRIBUTED OUT. SO I THINK THAT WHAT MR. MADDEN'S DISCUSSING IS THE PROCESS THAT YOU GUYS ARE DISCUSSING ON THE SETTLEMENT AND THE APPROPRIATION OF PUTTING THAT INTO A SEPARATE FUND. UM, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE IN LITIGATION WITH THAT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED KNOW OF, UM, WITH AN ATTORNEY TO GIVE YOU THAT INSIGHT. OKAY. BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY'RE ASKING ABOUT A SETTLEMENT. THANK YOU. MOVE [6. Kirkham Michael Update] TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, KIRKHAM AND MICHAEL UPDATE. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. UH, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT CW, I KNOW THAT OH, NO. UH, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA. UH, THIS IS STEVE LENAHAN WITH KIRK AND MICHAEL. UM, I'LL, UH, START GIVING YOU THE, UH, PRESENTATIONS, UH, FOR THE ENGINEERING WORK THAT WE DO. UM, TODAY WE DROVE, UH, ROAD P WE LOOKED AT THE BASE ONE, UH, APPLICATION. WE'VE ALSO DRIVEN ROAD OI THINK THE IDEA WAS TO KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF BASE ONE VERSUS THE PARMESAN ZYME. UM, ROAD P IS NOT QUITE DONE. I THINK, UH, THERE WAS, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF FRUSTRATION WITH THE GETTING THAT, UH, BASE ONE MIXED IN. I GUESS IT SETS UP A LITTLE BIT FASTER. UH, SO THEY'RE GONNA ADD IN ANOTHER TWO INCHES. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S A LITTLE ROUGH, BUT IT DOES SET UP JUST AS WELL AS THAT PERM ZYME. UM, IT'S JUST A LITTLE HARDER TO WORK WITH FROM MY UNDERSTANDING. UM, SO THE PREFERENCE MAY BE TO GO TO WITH PERM ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. [00:40:02] UH, SPEAKING OF PERM ZYME OR BASE ONE, I, I KNOW TALKING WITH MARK, WE WANT TO POTENTIALLY, UH, USE THAT APPLICATION ON WESTERN NORTH OF TUCKER TO ROAD SEVEN AND THEN ROAD SEVEN EAST TO ROAD I, THAT'S WHERE, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, VEHICLES THAT LIKE TO TRY TO BYPASS THE, UH, INNER CITY ROADS. SO THAT MAY BE AN APPLICATION TO STILL TO BE DETERMINED. UH, WENT TO GO LOOK AT THE RCB EXTENSIONS UNDER THE H TRIPLE R THIS MORNING WITH ONE OF THE TENANTS. UM, IT'S ALL BEEN FLAGGED. IT ALL OF ALL THE BILL, ALL OF THE AREA THAT WE'LL NEED TO, UM, EXTEND OUT THE RIGHT OF WAY HAS BEEN MARKED AND JUST ANSWERED A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR ONE OF THE TENANTS. UH, HE'S PERFECTLY HAPPY. UH, THE ONLY THING IS, UM, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE, UH, LANDOWNERS WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND DO THEIR OWN FENCING, WHEREAS THE OTHERS HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. THEY'D RATHER HAVE THE COUNTY LOOK INTO DOING THE FENCING. ONCE THAT THAT HAPPENS, WE'RE LOOKING TO POTENTIALLY DO THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, PROBABLY LATE SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER ON, ON THOSE EXTENSIONS. WE ARE WORKING ON THE PAVEMENT PRIORITIES LIST. UH, WE'RE WORKING ON WITH IT WITH, UM, AN ENGINEER WITH, UH, KANSAS ASSOCIATION COUNTIES, AND SO THAT WE CAN GET AN IDEA OF WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE NEXT PAVEMENT PAVEMENT. UM, OVERLAYS, UM, GOING FORWARD ALSO TALKED WITH, UM, THE ROAD BRIDGE DEPARTMENT TODAY. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE NEED TO, UH, DEVELOP AN SPCC THAT SPILL PRETENSION PREVENTION CONTROL AND ENCOUNTERING MEASURES PLAN, UH, FOR THAT FACILITY. THAT HAS NOT BEEN, UH, EVER DONE. AND THAT IS A FEDERAL REGULATION THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT SPCC PLAN. AND THE LAST THING I'M GONNA JUST TALK ABOUT IS THAT MASONS BRIDGE, SOUTHWEST OF KISMET, WE WENT TO GO VISIT IT LAST, LAST MONTH, AND IT, IT LOOKS PRETTY TERRIBLE. UM, IF YOU'VE DRIVEN IT, DRIVEN OVER IT, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T DRIVE OVER IT IF I WERE YOU . SO, UM, IT, IT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET SOME FUNDING. I KNOW WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, SENATOR MORAN'S OFFICE ON THAT, BUT, UH, ANOTHER OPTION COULD POTENTIALLY BE BRINGING THAT INTO THE COUNTY'S, UH, INVENTORY, GETTING IT INSPECTED AND THEN GETTING SOME FUNDING FOR IT. UM, IF, IF THINGS DON'T GO THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO WITH, WITH THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL. SO WE DID TALK WITH THE STATE APRIL. YOU CAN ADDRESS IT IF YOU WANT. SO, OKAY, SO COMMISSIONERS RECENTLY WE HAD THE KDOT LOCAL CONSULT MEETINGS. UM, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO TALK WITH, UM, KDOT REPRESENTATIVES. I KNOW KIRK AND MICHAEL WAS THERE, AS WELL AS MARK JOHNSON, OUR, UM, ROAD BRIDGE DIRECTOR. UM, AND HE, UH, SPOKE TO THEM AS WELL. THE ONLY DOWNFALL THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE SOME KDOT FUNDING IF WE WOULD TAKE THAT INTO OUR INVENTORY, HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE ONLY DOWNFALL TO THAT IS IF YOU TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT, UM, THEN WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEN TAKING DOWN, UM, THE OLD BRIDGE. AND THEY WEREN'T FOR SURE ON THEIR FUNDING. RIGHT? AND, AND WE AREN'T AMOUNT OF MILLION DOLLARS, RIGHT? WE AREN'T PROMISED THAT AMOUNT OF FUNDING, SO THEY JUST WANTED TO LET US KNOW THAT. I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DISCUSS. TAKE THAT INTO YOUR INVENTORY, HAVE IT INSPECTED, POSSIBLY APPLY FOR SOME KDOT FUNDING. UM, SENATOR MORAN HAS LET US KNOW THAT, UM, PROBABLY FOR EARMARKED FUNDS, WE WOULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING UNTIL 2027, SO YOU'RE OUT ANOTHER YEAR ON THAT. UM, BUT THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST WOULD BE FOR US TO REMOVE, UM, THE OLD BRIDGE. I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE NECESSARILY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER EXACT AT THIS MOMENT. UH, ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH RAILROAD. SO I, I, YES, I DO APPRECIATE, UM, STEVE AND CW AND KIRK MICHAEL TALKING TO CDOT ON OUR BEHALF HALF AND, AND THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO TALK AT TO US AT LOCAL CONSULT AS WELL. IT'S JUST, IT, IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONSIDER. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD LOOK INTO THE PRICING. [00:45:01] I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD, UM, TALK TO THE RAILROAD FURTHER ON THAT. THERE, THERE IS SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS THAT WOULD NEED TO TAKE PLACE ON THAT AND FOR US TO DETERMINE WHAT THE COST OF REMOVING THE OLD BRIDGE WOULD COST AND WHAT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE. THEY DID ASK US ABOUT THE ENGINEERED PLANS AND WHAT THE NEW BRIDGE WAS TO COST. UM, AND IF KDOT HAS A GRANT THAT WILL, UM, PAY UP TO THAT, UM, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK, LOOK INTO, BUT I DO KNOW THAT KIRK AND MICHAEL IS HELPING US WITH THAT AS WELL. YEP. SO THAT'S ALL I HAD. ANY QUESTIONS AND THAT'S ALL YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR STEVE? WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, ITEM NUMBER [7. Audit Contract] SEVEN, AUDIT CONTRACT. APRIL WARDEN, UH, COMMISSIONERS. UM, ANNUALLY YOU DO A CONTRACT WITH HAY, RICE AND ASSOCIATES, UM, FOR THE AUDIT OF SEWARD COUNTY. SO IN 2026, THEY WOULD BE DOING AN AUDIT FOR 2025. THE CONTRACT AGREEMENT FOR 2024 FOR 2025 SERVICES WAS 55,900. YOU WILL NOTICE IN YOUR PACKETS, UM, THE CURRENT PROPOSED CONTRACT WITH HAY, RICE AND ASSOCIATES WOULD BE FOR 57,900. UM, WHEN YOU WERE MEETING, UH, WITH THE AUDITOR THIS AFTERNOON AT FOUR O'CLOCK PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, HE, UM, I THINK ANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST FOR THE SERVICES FOR THE AUDIT BECAUSE WE DO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE SPECIAL AUDIT WHEN YOU'RE RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDS. UM, BECAUSE OF THE LANDFILL IN WASTE HALL, THERE ARE EXTRA EXPENSES FOR REPORTING THAT HAS TO BE DONE, UM, FOR KDHE. AND THEN OF COURSE AS OUR, UM, FINANCIAL ADVISOR, UM, AND AUDITOR, WE DO PAY ADDITIONAL FEES AS, UM, WE ASK FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN PREPARATION OF THINGS. AND SO I'M ASKING YOU THIS EVENING TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED CONTRACT FOR THE AUDIT FOR SEWARD COUNTY, KANSAS FOR $57,900. I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UM, AUDIT CONTRACT FOR DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, UM, FOR HAY, RICE AND ASSOCIATES IN THE AMOUNT OF $57,900. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HELM TO PROVE THE AUDIT CONTRACT FOR THE AMOUNT OF 57,900. AND THERE WAS A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL. FIVE. THANK YOU. APRIL, [8. Request for Proposal - County Counselor] REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL COUNTY COUNSELOR. APRIL. WELL, THIS GUY OVER HERE IS A SHORT TIMER . UM, SO AS YOU KNOW, NATHAN FOREMAN HAS RESIGNED HIS POSITION WITH US AND WILL BE TRANSITIONING OUT OF THE POSITION, UM, AT THE END OF OCTOBER. UM, HE HAS, WE DID DRAFT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL AND, UM, NATHAN HAS LOOKED AT THAT. UH, WE'RE READY TO PUT THAT ON OUR WEBSITE. UM, ALSO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND THEN OF COURSE WE WILL ADVERTISE, UM, IN THE NEWSPAPER AS WELL. UM, AS WELL AS REACH OUT TO LOCAL, UM, ATTORNEYS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE INTERESTED IN FILLING THAT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. UM, I HAVE, UM, OPENED UP A DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD POSSIBLY BE INTERESTED, UM, IN HELPING US IN THAT ROLE TILL WE CAN FIND SOMEONE. THOSE ARE CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS THAT I'M GOING TO NEED TO HAVE WITH THEM. ALSO, FULTON SIEFKIN HAS, UM, LET US KNOW IF WE NEEDED TO UTILIZE THEM. UM, IT WOULD BE VIA ZOOM OR VIA PHONE, UM, UNTIL WE CAN GET SOMEONE, UM, THAT IS ALSO A ROLE THEY CAN FILL IF THAT IS A, UM, AVENUE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE. BUT I'M HERE THIS EVENING, UM, TO ASK YOU TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, UM, FOR A COUNTY COUNSELOR. AND THEN WE ARE ASKING THAT EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, SIGN THAT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. SO MOVED. SECOND MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR COUNTY COUNSELOR. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FULLER SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL. OKAY, ITEM [9. Wind Farm Representation] NUMBER NINE, WIND FARM REPRESENTATION COMMISSIONERS. AT OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING, IT WAS VOTED ON BY, BY YOU, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO HIRE GLEN CURBS TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY [00:50:01] FOR THE WIND FARM PROJECT. GLEN CURBS HAS DECLINED SEWARD COUNTY'S REQUEST FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION AS IT RELATES TO THE THRESHER WIND PROJECT. SO I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO FIND OUT HOW THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD IF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UM, WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THE HIRING OF TRISH VOTH WHO DID MAKE A PRESENTATION TO YOU WITH OLSTON SIEFKIN AT THE LAST MEETING, OR IF YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR OTHER LEGAL REPRESENTATION AS IT PERTAINS TO THE WIND FARM. AS YOU ARE AWARE, UM, THEY DID FILE THE, THE WIND FARM DID FILE A, UM, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION. UM, THEY HAVE SENT OUT THE NOTICES FOR, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD, UM, AS FAR AS THAT GOES. AND SO, UM, I FEEL LIKE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GET LEGAL COUNSEL ON BOARD WITH THE WIND FARM, BUT THAT IS A COMMISSION DECISION. ANY DISCUSSION? I'D MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, UM, PURSUE THE HIRING OF THE OLSTON SIKEN FIRM AS IT PERTAINS TO THE WIND FARMS THAT WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY TRISH FOR THIS PURPOSE. TRISH, IS THAT CORRECT? IT, IT, YOU NAMED ONE PERSON, BUT I'M NOT SURE. YES, TRISH BOTH IS THE ONE IN THEIR FIRM THAT HAS THE, UM, BACKGROUND AND KNOWLEDGE WITH WIND FARM. OKAY. SO SHOULD WE ADD, SHOULD WE CHANGE THAT TO, PERTAINS TO WIND AND SOLAR FARMS TO COVER IT IN BOTH? I WOULD. DO YOU? I DON'T KNOW IF SHE HAS EXPERIENCE IN SOLAR FARMS, BUT TALK ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SOLAR. I WILL SAY THAT IF YOU LIMIT IT TO TRISH, BOTH, SHE MAY USE ASSOCIATES AND OTHER STAFF. SO YOU MAY WANT TO JUST HIRE THE FIRM AND WITH HER AS THE PRIMARY. YEAH, THAT'S WHY I LEFT THE NAME OFF. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THE FIRM. YEP. SHE HAS A VERY GOOD REPUTATION IN THIS AREA. YEAH, I HOW MANY COUNTIES HAS SHE LOOKED AT IN OUR AREA? UH, SHE'S WORKED NATIONALLY, NOT JUST IN THE STATE OF KANSAS IS MY UNDERSTANDING. UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY COULD HEAR LEGAL COUNSEL, BUT HE DID SAY YOU COULD HIRE HER AS THE LEAD AND THEN SHE COULD USE OTHER ASSOCIATES WITHIN HER FIRM TO HELP. WORKS FOR MY MOTION TO CHANGE IT TO HIRE TRISH BOFF, BOTH AS A LEAD COUNSEL FOR TONKIN. OKAY. AS IT PERTAINS TO WIND AND SOLAR, I'D LIKE TO ADD SOLAR SINCE THAT MAY BE SOMETHING COMING ON THE HORIZON. ARE THERE NO OTHER ATTORNEYS? THAT'S WHAT I WANTED. FIRMS THAT WE'VE NOT REACHED OUT TO, WHICH SEARCH RESEARCH THAT WE COULD INTERVIEW. I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS AND LAW FIRMS OUT THERE. THESE, THIS, UH, INDIVIDUAL ALONG WITH GLEN CURBS AND ONE OTHER THAT HAD A CONFLICT WERE THE THREE THAT I COULD FIND THAT SPECIALIZED IN THIS AREA. UM, SO I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHERS. THAT'S NOT TO SAY THERE ARE NOT, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE MAY BE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE QUALIFIED, UH, OTHER PLACES OR LOCALLY, BUT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT I CAN FIND. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US EXPLORE THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, SO THAT PEOPLE WON'T OVER PROMISE AND UNDER DELIVER. I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE, DID WE NOT CONTACT SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE EXISTING WIND FARMS? THAT'S WHAT WE DID. OR IS THAT THAT'S WHAT WE DID WHEN WE GOT THESE NAMES. AND, AND SO, UM, I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET REPRESENTATION IN PLACE PRETTY QUICKLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IN PLACE. UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE THE NAMES I FOUND IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO LOOK AND SEE IF THEY CAN FIND OTHER PEOPLE, BUT THAT WAS THE APPROACH I TOOK, IS TO ASK AROUND AND FIND PEOPLE THAT SPECIALIZED IN WIND PROJECTS OBJECTS. OKAY. THERE'S STILL A MOTION ON THE FLOOR HERE. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND STEVE'S MOTION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SHOW OF RIGHT ANSWER APPROVAL? 30 TO TWO PASSES, SIR. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER NINE A. YOU WANT DO THE 20 MINUTES. I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCESS RECESS EXCESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY, WHICH WOULD BE DEEMED PRIVILEGED IN THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP UNDER KSA 75 DASH 43 19 B TWO. FOUR 20 MINUTES [00:55:01] TO INCLUDE THE COMMISSION ADMINISTRATOR AND LEGAL COUNSEL WITH SE OLSON FOREST GROSS WITH FOREST GROSS ROADS, GROSS ROADS LIKE ROAD. AND THEN, UH, INCLUDE BROCK TO INCLUDE BROCK BYNER TO RE RECONVENE IN THE CO COMMISSION CHAMBERS AT 20 MINUTES. 6 46. THE SUBJECT OF THE MATTER WILL BE LEGAL. YEP. SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL. COMMISSIONER, I THINK BE MORE SPECIFIC. I'M SORRY. I THINK YOU NEED, I THINK YOU NEED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AS TO THE, WHAT I NEED TO SAY TO BE, I WOULD SAY, UH, REGARDING THE REVENUE NEUTRAL NOTICE AND BUDGET ISSUES. OKAY. SO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE DISCUSSION WILL BE THE LEGAL CONCERNING REVENUE NEUTRAL AND BUDGET DISCUSSION. SORRY, SHOW OF RIGHTHAND FOR APPROVAL. YOU GET A SECOND? YEP. TEN, TEN FIVE. YOU'RE GOOD WITH THE CHANGE MOTION THAT WE GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? OKAY. SO WE'RE, WE NEED TO NOTE THAT WE ARE 20 MINUTES. WE NEED TO NOTE THAT WE'RE BACK IN SESSION AT 6 46. RIGHT. AND THEN DO THE MOTION, OH, SORRY. OKAY, WE'RE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE'LL HAVE A NEW MOTION TO EXTEND. I'D MAKE A MOTION WE RETURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20 MINUTES TO RECONVENE AT 7 0 7. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HILL TO EXTEND EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR 20 MINUTES AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT SHORE OF RIGHT HAND APPROVAL. YOU NEED TO SAY, YOU NEED TO SAY FOR THE PURPOSES OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING AND THE REASON, OH, I NEED TO READ THE WHOLE THING. YEP. YEP. OKAY. SORRY. I MOVE TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY, WHICH WILL BE DEEMED PRIVILEGED IN THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP UNDER KSA 75 DASH 43 19 B TWO FOR 20 MINUTES TO INCLUDE BROCK FINER, APRIL WARDEN, NATHAN FOREMAN, AND FOREST RHODES WITH THE POLSTON SIEFKIN LAW FIRM, UM, TO RECONVENE IN THE CHAMBERS AT 7 0 8. THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE DISCUSSION WILL BE BUDGET AND RNR REVENUE NEUTRAL RULE. OKAY. THERE'S MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HELM AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ABBOTT SHOW OF RIGHT HANDS FOR APPROVAL BY VOTE BACK. YEP. WE'RE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE DID TAKE SOME, UH, LEGAL ACTION. THE LAWYER WITH TON AND SIEFKIN WILL GIVE US AN UPDATE AS PER THE R AND R AND THE BUDGET PROCESS HERE. THIS IS FOR, YEAH, FOR, THIS IS SCOTT CARR. CHAIRMAN. OKAY, I GOT YOU ON THE PHONE HERE. SO, OKAY. AND IF YOU JUST WANT TO DISCUSS THE YEAH. THE BUDGET THERE, JUST THE FOUR ITEMS. SURE. HAPPY TO DO THAT. OKAY. SO THE, THE, THE KANSAS BUDGET LAWS, THERE IS A STATUTE THAT GOVERNS THE AMENDMENTS OF THE COUNTY'S BUDGET. THAT STATUTE IS KSA 79 DASH 29 29 A. IT PROVIDES FOR TWO, UM, TWO SITUATIONS IN WHICH A TAXING ENTITY, IN THIS CASE THE BOARD OR THE COUNTY COULD AMEND THE BUDGET. THE FIRST IS FOR AN ADOPTED CURRENT BUDGET THAT'S BEING AMENDED DURING THE YEAR IN WHICH THE BUDGET IS IN EFFECT. SO IN ESSENCE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 2026 BUDGET BEING AMENDED IN 2026. UM, AND THAT IS PERMITTED AS LONG AS THE UM, UH, COUNTY THE BOARD FOLLOWS THE SAME, UM, BUDGETARY NOTICE REQUIREMENT. SO PUBLIC PUBLICATION NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING, JUST LIKE, UM, YOU DID, UM, IN, UH, LAST MONTH FOR THE CURRENT BUDGET. THAT'S OPTION ONE. THE ONLY SCENARIO THAT THE STATUTE ALLOWS FOR AN AMENDMENT OF THE BUDGET IN THE YEAR PROCEEDING WHEN IT TAKES EFFECT. SO IN THE SITUATION WE'RE PRESENTED WITH NOW, WHICH IS WE'VE GOT AN ADOPTED 2026 BUDGET THAT WE WANT TO AMEND [01:00:01] IN 2025. THE ONLY MECHANISM FOR THAT, OR THE ONLY SCENARIO WHERE THAT'S ALLOWED IS TO CORRECT A CLERICAL ERROR THAT'S DISCOVERED BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST. THE OCTOBER 1ST DEADLINE IS IMPORTANT. THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT FLOW FROM THAT, BUT IT'S, THE INFORMATION HAS TO GET TO THE COUNTY CLERK AND THE COUNTY CLERK HAS TO THEN PROCESS THAT INFORMATION IN ORDER TO MEET THE COUNTY CLERK'S RESPONSIBILITIES TO PASS THE, UM, TO MAKE THE ACTUAL, UH, TAX ASSESSMENTS TO INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES AND TO GET THAT TO THE COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE BY NOVEMBER 1ST. MY, MY SUSPICION, THE STATUTE DOESN'T COME OUT AND SAY THIS, BUT MY SUSPICION IS THAT THE REASON THERE'S AN EXCEPTION FOR CLERICAL ERRORS THAT COULD BE DONE, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS WOULD TAKE POTENTIALLY BEYOND OCTOBER 1ST, IT'S ALLOWED FOR CLERICAL ERRORS BECAUSE THERE'S NO DISPUTE OVER WHAT THE AMENDMENT'S GOING TO BE. YOU KNOW WHAT THE FIX IS, THE CLERICAL ERROR. THE CLERK'S OFFICE CAN CONTINUE TO PROCESS THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THE CLERICAL ERROR IS GOING TO BE FIXED. WHEREAS WITH THE GENERAL AMENDMENTS, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW NECESSARILY WHAT THE FINAL NUMBER WOULD BE UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE HAD THAT SECOND PUBLIC HEARING. UM, AND THEN GIVEN THE TIMEFRAME, THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS NOT GONNA HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO MEET THE NOVEMBER 1ST, UM, DEADLINE. SO I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A PATH TO AMENDING THE BUDGET, UM, IN 2025. NOW WE CAN, THE BUDGET COULD BE AMENDED EARLY IN 2026. NOW THE, A DISTINCTION TO DRAW IS THAT AMENDING THE BUDGET DOES NOT MEAN CHANGING THE MILL LEVY. THE THERE IS NO MECHANISM, THERE'S A ME, EXCUSE ME, THERE'S A MECHANISM UNDER THE STATUTES TO INCREASE THE MILL LEVY. SO IF THE, IF THE BOARD WERE TO DECIDE THAT THAT REVENUES WERE, THAT EXPECTED REVENUES WERE GONNA BE INSUFFICIENT TO MEET THE BUDGETARY DEMANDS, THE MILL LEVY CAN BE INCREASED UPON A VOTES WITH NOTICE AND A VOTE OF A PUBLIC VOTE OF AT LEAST 75% OF THE VOTING TAXPAYERS. THERE IS NOT A MECHANISM TO REDUCE THE MILL LEVY. UM, NOW PRESUMABLY THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE INFORMAL GUIDANCE THAT WE'VE GOT FROM THE STATE IS BECAUSE THE OPTION WOULD EXIST FOR THE COUNTY TO, UM, AMEND THE BUDGET IN TERMS OF EXPENDITURES TO PURPOSELY SPEND LESS. YOU CAN'T CHANGE WHAT YOUR COLLECTIONS ARE. THE, THE, THE PROPERTY TAXES COMING IN AREN'T GOING TO CHANGE, BUT THE BOARD WOULD PURPOSELY REDUCE THE EXPENDITURES SO THAT THERE WOULD THEN BE, IT WOULD BE CREATING A SURPLUS AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT THE BOARD WOULD THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE HOW TO HANDLE THAT. IT COULD BE, IT, IT COULD BE APPLIED TOWARDS THE 2027, EXPECTED 2027 EXPENDITURES, SO YOU WOULDN'T NEED AS MUCH 2027 REVENUE TO COVER EXPENDITURES. WHETHER THAT TRANSLATES TO A, A CUT IN THE MILL LEVY OR A REBATE OR SOMETHING ELSE. THAT WOULD BE A DECISION FOR THE BOARD TO MAKE, UM, NEXT YEAR WHEN THE, WHEN THE NUMBERS ARE KNOWN FOR CERTAIN. BUT THERE IS, WHILE THERE IS A PATH TO AMEND THE BUDGET AS EARLY AS JANUARY OF 2026, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE AMENDING OR REDUCING THE MILL LEVY. I THINK THE MILL LEVY IS LOCKED INTO THE MILL LEVY THAT WAS PASSED, THAT IS PASSED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET THAT IS NOW IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE BEING PROCESSED FOR, UM, TAXPAYER NOTIFICATIONS LATER THIS YEAR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. I THINK WE'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT FIRST AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. NO, YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. HAPPY TO HELP Y'ALL. TAKE CARE. OKAY, THANK YOU. BYE-BYE. THANK YOU. BYE. OKAY, [10. Budget Discussion] WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 10, THE BUDGET DISCUSSION. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK IT'S, YES. WELL, DOES ANYONE WANT TO DISCUSS THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO THIS COUNSEL, LOOKING AT IT JANUARY AT AT ANY POINT IN TIME? YEAH, I'LL AGREE. WE NEED TO GET TO WORK ON THIS IN JANUARY AND WE NEED TO, TO OPENLY DISCUSSED THE CUTS THAT I PROPOSED. I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO BE ADOPTED, BUT I EXPECT DISCUSSION ON THEM AND TO CLARIFY THAT MY CUTS DID NOT RESULT IN ONE PERSONNEL LAYOFF NOR A REDUCTION IN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. MAY, MAY I SPEAK. I I JUST WANNA SAY THAT COMMISSIONER, UH, HELM WAS WILLING TO COME IN AND OR WAS WILLING TO GO OVER, [01:05:02] UM, THE CUTS AND GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO LOOK AT THOSE, UM, AND TO TAKE THOSE, UM, INTO CONSIDERATION. AND THAT'S APPRECIATED. I MEAN, IF PEOPLE HAVE IDEAS, UM, IF US COMMISSIONERS WOULD VISIT WITH US. SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO LOOK AT THAT. AND ALSO, UM, WE HAVE A FINANCIAL ADVISOR, UM, WHICH I FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC IS NOT AWARE THAT WE DO HAVE A FINANCIAL ADVISOR THAT, UM, MEETS WITH YOU GUYS AND BUDGET SESSIONS AND GOES OVER EVERYTHING JUST LIKE THEY WENT OVER THE AUDIT TODAY. UM, THE INFORMATION THAT IS PROVIDED TO YOU DOES NOT ONLY COME FROM YOUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION, UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT COMMISSIONER HELM HAD, UM, AND CAN PROVIDE YOU BACK INFORMATION. UM, SO I INVITE ANYBODY, UM, TO COME IN. I KNOW, UM, THAT IT WAS REQUESTED TODAY DURING AUDIT THAT WE LOOK AT THE 18 AREAS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE, UM, BUDGET TO AND LOOK AT THE OTHER AREAS WHERE WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LOOK AT BUDGET TO SEE WHAT IT COULD SAVE US AND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IF WE KEPT BUDGETING TO THOSE AND THOSE SERVICES WEREN'T OFFERED IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE WE CAN LOOK INTO, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE OTHER SPECIFIC, UM, IDEAS THAT YOU GUYS WANT US TO LOOK AT, WE'VE ALREADY MADE SUGGESTIONS OF WHERE WE CAN CUT. WHEN I SAY WE MYSELF, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, UM, THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE YOU CAN CUT. AND SO IF THERE'S OTHER AREAS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE WE'VE MISSED THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, THEN PLEASE, UM, LET US KNOW SO WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU AND WHAT IT COULD DO TO HELP THE BUDGET. I, I MEAN, I GUESS WE HAVE FIVE COMMISSIONERS. I'M NOT, I I TOOK TIME OUT, I TAKE TIME TO REVIEW AND HAVE DONE FROM DAY ONE EVERY VOUCHER. NOW WE'RE GETTING A 600 AND SOME PAGE CREDIT CARD STATEMENT EVERY MONTH, REVIEW THOSE AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT SHOULD BE COMING UP WITH CUTS LIKE THAT. IT SHOULD BE THE CONCERTED EFFORT. EVERYONE SHOULD REVIEW, COME UP WITH THEIR OWN CUTS. WE SORT 'EM OUT IN JANUARY, WE CHART OUR COURSE AND WE TAKE OFF ON IT. YOU DO. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC REMAIN AWARE THAT WE STILL HAVE TWO APPEALS THAT ARE ACTIVE WITH THE BOARD OF TAX APPEALS OVER THIS, THIS MATTER. WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GONNA GO, BUT THEY ARE STILL ACTIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I TALK TO APRIL AND BROCK QUITE OFTEN IS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY, AND THAT WE KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE. AND THAT REQUIRES TRAINING, CONSTANT TRAINING AND UPDATES. ALL OF THAT REQUIRES, AND THE, ALL OF THE REPORTING THAT WE GOT TONIGHT, UM, ABOUT WHO'S DOING WHAT AND WHAT'S GOING WHERE, THAT YOU, YOU ELECTED THESE FIVE PEOPLE UP HERE FOR A REASON AND YOU CAN ALSO UN UNELECT THEM IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. THAT'S COMING UP REAL SOON, NEXT YEAR. BUT WE ARE HERE TO TRY TO DO THE BEST JOB THAT WE CAN. IT'S NOT ALWAYS, UM, IT'S NOT THE EASIEST THING, BUT WHEN INFORMATION IS OUT INCORRECTLY, AND I'M SO GLAD WE HAD AN ATTORNEY, AN ATTORNEY, NOT AN OPINION PERSON, BUT AN ATTORNEY TO GIVE US THE, UH, RIGHT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU AS CITIZENS CAN GO OUT AND CLARIFY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE HEARD. THE, UH, UM, WHEN WE GET TO OUR COMMENTS, I, I'LL SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS WORKING IN PRIVATE SECTOR, IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE, THE PUBLIC SECTOR. THIS IS, THIS IS OUR TAX MONEY, NOT JUST YOURS. THIS IS OUR TAX MONEY. I, I JUST WANT YOU TO GET THAT. IT'S OUR TAX MONEY. OUR TAX DOLLARS. I WAS GOING SOMEWHERE AND I SAW A SWORD COUNTY EMS GO TO THE SENIOR TO, TO THE, UM, THE TOWERS TO TAKE CARE OF SOMEONE. IT WAS SEWARD COUNTY, IT WAS LIBERAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT WAS A, A, A CONGLOMERATION OF PEOPLE HELPING. THAT'S WHERE THOSE TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING. AND WE WANNA TRY TO KEEP YOU SAFE AND LOOKING AT MONEY. IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE EASIEST THING TO DO. CUTTING BACK ON THINGS. IT'S NOT THE EASIEST THING TO DO. BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK. WE'VE ALREADY CUT OFF 2 MILLION SO THAT, YOU KNOW, $2 MILLION FROM OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND WE'RE TALKING TO SOME OTHER ENTITIES ABOUT TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO [01:10:01] SAVE MONEY. BUT I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE. I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR OPINIONS GOOD, BAD, OR INDIFFERENT? I DO. AND WE ARE WORKING HARD AND WE'RE LISTENING TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE CAN ADDRESS AND GET YOU ANSWERS TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS. SO YES, LET'S LOOK, CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR 25, BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR 26 AND, AND MOVING FORWARD TO HAVE SOMETHING, UM, THE, THE NUMBERS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS. AGAIN, THERE'S NOTHING HIDDEN HERE. NOBODY'S HIDING ANYTHING. THANK YOU MS. HUDDLESON, FOR COMING IN AND TALKING WITH APRIL AND ALL OF YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME AND GET THE INFORMATION SO YOU HAVE IT FOR YOURSELF. I AM A MILITARY FAMILY AND I'M SURE WE HAVE MILITARY FAMILIES AND THEY SAID IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. IF IT'S NOT IN BLACK AND WHITE, IT NEEDS TO BE IN BLACK AND WHITE AND BELIEVABLE AND A, A CERTIFIED SOURCE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY, THAT WE CAN CALM THIS COMMUNITY DOWN AND KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO RIP YOU OFF OR LINE OUR POCKETS WITH MONEY AS IT'S BEEN SAID. BUT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD, I HADN'T QUITE FINISHED. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEALING WITH A LEGAL OPINION HERE, UM, IN AN AREA OF LAW THAT IS VERY NEW WITHOUT CASE PRECEDENCE. UM, AND APPARENTLY WITHOUT ANY ACTUAL RULINGS FROM THE BOARD OF TAX APPEALS ON SOME OF THE FINER POINTS, POINTS HERE. AND I'M ASSUMING NOT FROM THE AGS OFFICE AS YET EITHER. SO, UM, THERE'S VERY LITTLE TO GO ON HERE OTHER THAN PEOPLE MAKING OPINIONS. I AM DONE NOW. YOU'RE DONE . BUT WHEN WE GET TOGETHER THERE IN JANUARY, I KNOW WE'LL LOOK AT SERVICES, BUT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO TELL US, YOU KNOW WHAT? YEAH, WE INVITE YOU TO WHAT SERVICES WHEN WE HAVE THOSE MEETINGS. I MEAN, IF THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SAVE SOME OF THE MONEY, WHAT SERVICES DO YOU WORK? IF IT COMES, HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T COME TO THAT. I THINK WE'LL GIVE MONEY IF IT DID. AND GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE SPENT GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND SOMETIMES WITH DIFFERING OPINIONS ON THINGS, WE ALSO NEED TO BE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF ARE YOU GONNA TOUCH CAPITAL EXPENDITURES? ARE YOU GONNA TOUCH SALARIES? YES OR NO ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE? AND THEN JUST LOOK AT AN ACROSS THE BOARD REDUCTION IF THERE'S NOT AGREEMENT. THE OTHER THING, UM, WE COULD DO, UM, THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY CUT BACK CLOSING TIME. AND SO WE WANT YOU TO BE CONVENIENCED WHEN YOU COME TO GET YOUR PASSPORT MARRIAGE LICENSE, PAY YOUR TAXES, LOOKING AT MAYBE REDUCING THOSE HOURS TO SAVE MONEY. MAYBE ONLY BE OPEN THREE DAYS A WEEK. NO ONE HAS SUGGESTED THAT. WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING. WELL, WE'LL, WE CAN GET INTO THAT IN JANUARY. OKAY. I I'M JUST SAYING I I'VE NOT HEARD ONE PERSON NOR DO MY PROPOSALS CUT ANY SAFETY SERVICES, ANYTHING ALONG THAT LINE THAT DOES NOT IN MY PROPOSAL. OKAY. OKAY. SO I WANNA CLEAR THAT UP. 'CAUSE THERE ALSO HASN'T BEEN A $2 MILLION REDUCTION IN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. THAT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT THE FACT. IT'S NOT THE FACT. UM, WELL, YOUR AUDITOR DID SHOW YOU TODAY WHERE YOU CUT A MILLION FOR 25 FOR 26, OR EXCUSE ME, 24 FOR 25 AND 25 FOR 26. WE PUT IT OFF OF THE INCREASE. YES. WE CAN STILL MORE MM-HMM. BUT NOT A REDUCTION. THOSE ARE THINGS WE'LL ARGUE IN JANUARY. I'M JUST, I I DIDN'T SAY IT WAS A REDUCTION IN BENEFITS. SORRY. DON'T GET AN ARGUMENT. WE'LL HAMMER IT OUT IN JANUARY AND WE'RE GONNA SIT WITH IT. IT'S, WE'RE DONE. NO DISCUSSION. OKAY. GOT YOU. HAVE A QUESTION YOU TO SPEAK, SCOTT? NOPE. OKAY. [12. Administration Comments] WE'LL MOVE TO ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS. THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I HAD TO ADD THIS EVENING IS WE DID HOST THE KDOT LOCAL CONSULT MEETINGS HERE. THERE WAS A VERY GOOD REPRESENTATION OF CITIZENS, UM, AT THE MEETING. UM, CDOT ANNOUNCED THAT THEY DON'T GET THIS TYPE OF, UM, ATTENDANCE IN ANY OTHER AREAS. SO THEY WERE VERY COMPLIMENTARY [01:15:01] OF THAT. UM, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD GOOD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HIGHWAY 54, HIGHWAY 83. UM, THERE WAS ALSO THE DISCUSSION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE OVER MASONS SOY BRIDGE. AND SO, UM, I I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR THIS EVENING. APRIL, IF YOU CAN ANSWER ONE QUESTION ON MASONS SOY BRIDGE, HAVE US OR THE RAILROAD WHO I ASSUME OWNS IT MM-HMM . IS THERE A KNOWN LAST INSPECTION DATE? NO. OKAY. UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T OWN IT, WE DON'T DO THE INSPECTION ON IT. RIGHT. AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE STATE ASKS THAT QUESTION ALL THE TIME BECAUSE IF WE DID OWN IT, BELIEVE ME, THEY WOULD BE INSPECT. I GUESS I'LL JUST ANSWER THAT WITH OUR KNOWLEDGE. THERE'S NOT BEEN AN INSPECTION. YOU JUST SAID IT. THE COUNTY DOESN'T ACTUALLY OWN THE BRIDGE, SO IT'S NOT PART OF THE INVENTORY, WHICH MEANS IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE INSPECTED BY US. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE RAILROAD HAS NOT DONE IT EITHER. SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE RAILROAD COULD AT LEAST STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE. BUT AS IT STANDS, THAT BRIDGE IS, IS IN AS DIRE NEED OF BEING REPLACED. OKAY. DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES. OKAY. OKAY. COMMISSION [13. Commission Comments] COMMENTS. WE'LL MOVE TO THAT THEN. ARE YOU DONE APRIL? YES. OKAY, THANK YOU. BUT I PROBABLY SAID TOO MUCH ALREADY. LIKE APRIL SAID, IT WAS A GOOD DOT CONSULT. NOT ONLY WERE THERE LOCAL OFFICIALS, THERE WAS A TON OF LOCAL CONSTITUENTS THERE, SO MM-HMM . I THANK THE PUBLIC FOR COMING OUT TO THAT TOO. IT DOES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO I LEAVE WITH THAT. I WANT TO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND FOR YOUR PASSION, UM, AND LISTENING TO ALL THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON AND, UM, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND THAT WE ARE LISTENING, UM, TO THIS ROUND TABLE FAMILY DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE SPEND MONEY, HOW WE SPEND OUR TAXPAYER MONEY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT ENGAGEMENT. I WANNA THANK RURAL FIRE, UM, FOR, UM, AND UM, THEY HAVE MUTUAL AID FOR FIRE THAT WE HAD, UM, 42 ACRES BURNED AND ONE TRACTOR WAS DESTROYED, BUT NO LIVES. THIS IS WHAT YOU PAY FOR. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR SO THAT WE CAN STAY SAFE. AND SO THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, SHERIFF WARD. WE HAVE, I'VE TALKED TO SOME CITIZENS AND THEY ARE CONCERNED AND ONE OF THEM TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, UM, I GOT MY TAX BILL AND I'M SETTING ASIDE MONEY FOR DECEMBER AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GONNA BE, UM, IN IN THE COMING 20 26, 20 26. AND THEY HAVE SOME CONCERNS, BUT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING IS GONE UP AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THESE SERVICES COST MONEY AND THAT THEY'RE NOT FREE. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I ENCOURAGE THEM TO CONTINUE TO LISTEN AND TO COME TO OUR MEETINGS AND COME TO OUR TOWN HALL. I WANNA THANK SHERIFF WARD. HE'S NOT, IS HE STILL HERE? THERE HE IS. SHERIFF WARD. I CALLED HIM. I HAD A CITIZEN WHO'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT. WE ARE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. I'M DISTRICT TWO, BUT WE'RE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND I HAD A CONSTITUENT THAT'S NOT IN MY DISTRICT CALL BECAUSE THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE. AND SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A WARRANT FOR HER ARREST, HER NOT PAYING TAXES, 80 SOME YEARS OLD. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WENT THROUGH HER HEAD TO READ A LETTER LIKE THAT? WE'RE COMING TO CONFISCATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE AND PUT YOU OUT YOUR RESIDENCE ONLY TO FIND OUT, ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WAS A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR. SHE HAS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, SHE'S TAKING MEDICATIONS AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO HEAR ANYONE GO THROUGH. SO I APPRECIATE, UM, SHERIFF WARD FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT AND TO HELP CALM HER, FEARS HER. UM, WE GOT THAT TAKEN CARE OF. I WANT TO THANK OUR, OUR, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, MR. FOREMAN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR DEDICATION TO US AND THE THINGS THAT YOU LEARNED AND TAUGHT US AND HOW WE'VE, UM, BENEFITED FROM LISTENING TO YOU AND GIVING YOUR OPINION. SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. I LOVE YOUR WIFE A WHOLE LOT. SHE'S AMAZING WOMAN. SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR SERVING. AND LASTLY, I VOTED TODAY EARLY. I KNOW SOME OF YOU WON'T VOTE UNTIL NOVEMBER 4TH, BUT I VOTED TODAY AND I WANT YOU TO GET OUT AND EXERCISE YOUR ABILITY. I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS WITH THAT. FOR ALL OF YOU THAT WANNA RUN FOR DISTRICT TWO, IT'S GONNA BE WIDE OPEN NEXT YEAR. 'CAUSE I'M NOT RERUNNING. SO THIS GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY. I I GOT A HAND CLAP ON THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RUN AND TO SIT UP HERE AND MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE AND LISTEN TO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE [01:20:01] TO LISTEN TO. BUT I HAVE ENJOYED SERVING THIS COMMUNITY. I HAVE ENJOYED THE GROWTH, THE STRENGTH, THE ROADS, THE BRIDGES, ALL OF THE, THE, THE, THE ARENA, THE OPERA FUNDS GOING, THE COURTHOUSE, AND YOU SEE ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS. WE ARE A PART OF THAT. AND SO I'M SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF PROGRESS, BUT THEN ALSO WHAT COMES PROGRESS. WE LIVE IN THE GLASS HOUSE AND YOU'RE GONNA GET, UM, THROW STONES AT ALL THE TIME. BUT NO, I'M A BIG GIRL. I CAN TAKE IT. SO I JUST WANNA SAY, I, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. I TOLD ADA A COUPLE OF, UH, ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO THAT I WAS NOT GONNA RERUN. SO ALL OF YOU THAT WANNA GET YOUR CAMPAIGN SIGNS OUT AND GET 'EM ALL TOGETHER, START CAMPAIGNING. 'CAUSE UM, COMMISSIONER FULLER WILL NOT BE RERUNNING, SO, ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. . COMMISSIONER SMITH, I HAVE NOTHING TO FOLLOW THAT WITH . GOOD SUGGESTION. FIRST, UH, I DO HAVE A SUGGESTION CARD, BUT UM, I ALSO WANTED TO ASK THE COMMISSIONER, SO I, I TOOK EXTENSIVE NOTES TONIGHT FROM THE CITIZENS WHO SPOKE SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND ANSWER, UM, THESE QUESTIONS. UM, I GUESS FROM A COMMISSION STANDPOINT, DO YOU WANT ME TO USE OUR SEWARD COUNTY FACEBOOK PAGE, UM, AND OUR WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? DO YOU WANT ME TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AS WELL TO ADDRESS THOSE QUESTIONS? WELL, LET'S ADDRESS IT AT MEETING. I THINK BOTH THE FACEBOOK PAGE BE GOOD AND ADDRESS THEM AT THE NEXT MEETING. ALL OF THE ABOVE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. AND I MAYBE JUST ROUND, ROUND ROBIN THE RESPONSES BEFORE THEY GO ON THE WEBSITE IN CASE ANYONE HAS A COMMENT BEFORE ALL OF US. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. OKAY. [14. Suggestion Cards] UM, I GET TO DELIVER YOUR SUGGESTION CARDS. UM, I, I'M GOING TO READ THIS. I NOTIFIED COMMISSIONERS AHEAD OF TIME THAT THIS WAS COMING BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE RETALIATED AGAINST OR CHASTISED FOR HAVING TO READ THE SUGGESTION CARDS THAT COME INTO THE COUNTY EITHER. BUT THIS CAME FROM CONCERNED CITIZENS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW AND OR WHY IT HAS NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC OTHER THAN ON THE WEBSITE THAT EARL WATT HAS NOT PAID HIS TAXES IN A RIDICULOUSLY LONG TIME. AND THE AMOUNT THAT HE OWES THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS WITH THE DETAILS. OKAY, ITEM NUMBER 15, MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVE, OKAY, THERE IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HELM TO ADJOURN A SECOND BY . THANK YOU. I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.