Mar 02, 2026 County Commission-Regular

[00:00:01]

THANK YOU.

MAD.

WE WILL CALL THE,

[ Regular Meeting 5:30 p.m. Call to Order Chair Steve Helm Pledge of Allegiance Invocation Jason Toombs, Liberal Ministerial Alliance Citizen Comments ]

PLEASE STAND AND REMOVE YOUR HATS FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION AND INDIVISIBLE WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE FROM THE MINISTERIAL? I, SO I GUESS YOU'D BITE YOUR HEADS AND PRAY, OR HEAVEN.

FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS, FOR THIS DAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE NICE WEATHER WE'VE HAD.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, BUT YOU BLESS THIS MEETING.

BE WITH US AS WE MAKE DECISIONS TONIGHT.

JESUS NAME WE PRAY.

AMEN.

OKAY, WE WILL START OFF WITH, UM, CITIZEN COMMENTS.

DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN THAT WANTS TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? UM, AS YOU ADVANCE, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES FOR YOUR PRESENTATION UNLESS EXTENDED BY, UH, A VOTE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE CLINIC.

THANK YOU.

CHAIRMAN HELM, THIS IS I'M GREG STANDARD, AND UH, I'M A CITIZEN OF SEWARD COUNTY AND I RETIRED, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGER FROM SEWARD COUNTY, KANSAS.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK FOR SOME REASON, AND I THOUGHT I'D LIKE TO PUT A LITTLE CLARITY, UH, OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WONDERING ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY, I GUESS IN SHORT, WELL, IN FAIRLY SHORT THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST 26 YEARS, THE THIRD COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAS NEVER BEEN A WEATHER SPOTTER OR EVER ACTED AS A WEATHER SPOTTER IN ANY SITUATION.

SEWARD COUNTY HAS HAD A VERY SMALL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND RELIES ON SUPPORT FROM OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES TO SUPPORT EOC, WHICH MEANS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.

I APOLOGIZE, STAFFING DURING ANY LARGE INCIDENTS.

THE SUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAS ACTED AS A SUPPORT TO RESPONSE ACTIVITIES FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS, PROVIDING PUBLIC INFORMATION, INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION, TRACKING AND ARRANGING MUTUAL AID RESOURCES, ORGANIZING FOOD AND WATER FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER RESPONDERS, REQUESTING SUPPORT FROM LOCAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS, WATER HAULERS AND FARMERS, UH, THAT ARE OFFERING TO DELIVER WATER TO THE SCENE.

SHE'S TRACKED BOTH THE UNITS DEPLOYED FROM ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE SO THAT WE KNOW WHO'S ACTUALLY THERE.

UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

UH, SAFETY PRIMARILY, BUT EQUALLY, UM, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THEY'RE, YOU CAN'T BRING 'EM UNDER YOUR WING AND, AND UTILIZE THEM TO THEIR FULL CAPABILITY.

SO INTERJURISDICTIONAL COORDINATION, UH, WITH THE CITY'S KISMET LIBERAL, UH, THESE ARE ALL THINGS SHE'S DONE, WHICH HAS AIDED THE OPERATIONS OF THE EOC AND THE COMMAND BECAUSE SHE'S TAKING THAT LOAD AWAY FROM THEM AND SHE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF IT, BY THE WAY, UH, IN INFORMATION GATHERING, VOLUNTEER COORDINATION, PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE COUNTY AND CITIES OF COUNTY.

SO MANY YEARS AGO, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WAS PROVIDED A RADIO TO USE FOR THESE PURPOSES, UH, BY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MOST RECENTLY, PROBABLY BY COUNTY FIRE PREVIOUSLY, BUT I'M A LITTLE FUZZY ON THAT.

AND UH, THE INTENT OF THAT WAS FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT COORDINATION AND ASSISTANCE WITH THE EOC AND THAT'S WHY THAT TOOK PLACE AND IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS.

SO ULTIMATELY, REALTIME COMMUNICATION SAVES LIVES AND IT SAVES PROPERTY.

UH, IF YOU CAN'T ALERT PEOPLE TO CHANGING SITUATIONS, GET PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO THE AREA WHERE THEY NEED TO BE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.

YOU, YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHAOS OF A, OF A BAD SITUATION AND YOU MAKE IT WORSE.

THIS FACT HAS BEEN PROVEN OVER AND OVER FOR, I'M I'M SAYING DECADES, BUT LONGER THAN THAT, THROUGH THE UNNECESSARY LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SITUATIONS, A LACK OF INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS, COSTS,

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STATES HAVE SPENT TENS OF MILLIONS IN CITIES AND COUNTIES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF LIBERAL AND SEWARD COUNTY HAVE SPENT OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE COMMUNICATIONS TO PROTECT THE RESPONDERS AND THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS ARE A VITAL PART OF SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY RESPONSES.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

FIVE MINUTES.

UM, CAROLYN HUDDLESTON AND MY ADDRESS IS THREE 16 WEST SEVENTH STREET IN LIBERAL KANSAS.

UM, MEGAN MILNER, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR JUVENILE AND ADULT COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION THAT JCAP STAFF ARE SEWARD COUNTY EMPLOYEES SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWING ALL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF THE COUNTY.

THE PAY FOR STAFF AT CIMARRON BASIN AND J CAPS CLEARLY HASN'T BEEN IN ACCORD WITH THE COUNTY PAY PLAN FOR SOME TIME.

SO WHY AREN'T THESE PEOPLE IN TROUBLE WITH KDOC? THE REASON IS THAT ANY RAISES THEY'VE GOTTEN HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION OR GIVEN BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND KDOC WILL DEFER TO ANYTHING THE COUNTY CHOOSES TO DO REGARDING THE PAY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

TWO WEEKS AGO, CHELSEA CLAIMED THAT THE PAY OF CORRECTIONS STAFF IS COMPARABLE TO THE MARKET.

I'VE CHECKED THAT OUT BY LOOKING AT THE PAY DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN GETTING IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS.

IF YOU'RE DOING TWO JOBS, YOU'D EXPECT TO EARN MORE THAN IF YOU WERE DOING ONE JOB, RIGHT? WELL, IN MANY JUDICIAL DISTRICTS, ONE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS AGENCY PROVIDES SERVICES TO BOTH ADULTS AND JUVENILES.

THOSE DIRECTORS ARE DOING THE JOBS OF BOTH CHELSEA AND KAYLA.

INTERESTINGLY, ACCORDING TO INFORMATION CHELSEA PROVIDED, THERE ARE ONLY TWO OTHER JUDICIAL DISTRICTS IN ALL OF KANSAS OUT OF 31 TOTAL THAT DO IT LIKE WE DO HERE WITH ADULTS UNDER ONE DIRECTOR AND JUVENILES UNDER ANOTHER.

ONE OF THOSE JUDICIAL DISTRICTS HAS ITS CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS BASED IN BARTON COUNTY DISTRICT 20 AND THE OTHER IS UP NEAR TOPEKA DISTRICT TWO.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE FIRST TABLE THAT I HAVE FOR YOU.

FIRST I IDENTIFIED THE HOST COUNTY AND OVER IN THE LAST COLUMN I PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT THAT JUDICIAL DISTRICT IN COLUMNS TWO AND THREE, I'VE PUT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAY OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE SHERIFF TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW RICH THAT COUNTY IS.

THEN IN THE FOURTH COLUMN I HAVE PAY DATA FOR THE CORRECTIONS DIRECTORS.

I INDICATE WHETHER THE DIRECTOR IS OVER JUST THE ADULTS OR JUST THE JUVENILES OR BOTH.

THE WOMAN IN FINNEY COUNTY IS OVER, NOT ONLY BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER THAT SERVES THIS WHOLE REGION.

FOR EACH DIRECTOR I'M REPORTING HIS OR HER TOTAL PAY FROM 2024 INTO THE YEAR PAY RECORDS 2025 ISN'T YET AVAILABLE ONLINE.

I'VE ALSO NOTED WHETHER THE PERSON'S PAY WAS ASSIGNED BY THE COUNTY PAY SCHEDULE OR THE OJA PAYS MATRIX AND IF THE LATTER, WHAT PAY GRADE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED IN THESE FIVE JUDICIAL DISTRICTS, THREE DIRECTORS HAD THEIR PAY SET BY THE COUNTY AND IN EACH CASE THE PAY FOR THE SHERIFF IN THE HOST COUNTY WAS MORE THAN WHAT THEY WERE GETTING FURTHER, ALTHOUGH THESE THREE PERSONS WERE DOING THE JOBS OF BOTH KAYLA AND CHELSEA, THAT IS, THEY WERE OVER BOTH ADULT AND JUVENILE SERVICES AND IN MORE POPULATED JUDICIAL DISTRICTS TOO, WHERE ONE WOULD EXPECT A LARGER TOTAL WORKLOAD FOR THE AGENCIES, YET NOT ONE OF THEM HAD AS MUCH PAY AS KAYLA.

BOTH KAYLA AND CHELSEA WANT THE MAXIMUM, THE TOP OF THE LINE PAY FOR THE STEP THEY ARE ON IN THIS OJA PAY MATRIX AND THE PAY GRADE THEY ARE TAKING 50 IS THE SAME ONE THAT WOULD BE USED BY DIRECTORS WHO SUPERVISE BOTH ADULT AND JUVENILE SERVICES OR THOSE DOING EVEN MORE LIKE THAT LADY IN GARDEN CITY WHO WAS OVER THE DETENTION CENTER.

ALSO, CHELSEA CLAIMED THAT THE MAN WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR FOR RENO COUNTY COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS GETS HIS PAY FROM THE OJA PAY MATRIX, BUT THAT ISN'T TRUE IN THAT COUNTY.

THE SUPERVISION OFFICERS ARE ON THE OJA PAY SCALE AND I WAS TOLD THAT PAY ISN'T EXCESSIVE WHEN COMPARED TO THE COUNTY PAY PLAN.

SO ALLOWING THEM TO USE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A BIGGIE.

IN ANY CASE, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE RETAINED CONTROL OF THE DIRECTOR'S PAY.

SEE THE EMAIL NOTE FROM HIM

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THE WAGES FOR THE SUPERVISION OFFICERS AND OTHER LOWER LEVEL CORRECTIONS STAFF IS SET BY THE COUNTY IN FORD COUNTY AND FINNEY COUNTY.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE MAKING NOW.

BARTON COUNTY NOTICE THAT IN BARTON COUNTY NEITHER DIRECTOR GOT AS MUCH AS KAYLA.

THEIR COMMISSION IS ALLOWING THE CORRECTIONS STAFF TO USE THE OJA PAY MATRIX THAT THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL KANSAS COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS.

THE AGENCY FOR ADULTS HAS BEEN ASSIGNED A PAY GRADE OF 44 BY THE COUNTY, NOT 50.

SEE THE EMAIL FROM THE BARTON COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR DOCUMENTATION OF THAT.

I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE THE PAY GRADE OF THE WOMAN OVER JUVENILE SERVICES.

I THOUGHT SHE HAD 44 2 BUT THAT COULD BE WRONG ANYWAY.

THIS LADY CERTAINLY WOULD'VE BEEN STEP E IN 2024 BECAUSE SHE WAS DIRECTOR THERE BEFORE KRISTI MULLINAX BECAME J CAP'S DIRECTOR HERE.

HOWEVER, THIS WOMAN'S ACTUAL PAY FOR 2024 WAS ABOUT 10,000 LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM.

SHE COULD HAVE ASKED IF FOR IF ON PAY GRADE 50 IT MIGHT BE NOTED THAT CHRISTIE MULLINAX ASSIGNED HERSELF A PAY GRADE OF 44 ON THE OJA PAY MATRIX.

THIS IS SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION BECAUSE OF PEOPLE TO BE USING THAT PAY MATRIX.

ASSIGN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OVER JUST THE ADULT OR JUST THE JUVENILE SERVICES TO A PAY GRADE 44 THAT LEAVES PAY GRADE 50 FOR THE DIRECTORS DOING BOTH THOSE JOBS.

IN ANY CASE, CHRISTIE ALSO MADE SURE HER REQUESTED PAY DID NOT EXCEED THE CAP FOR PAY GRADE 35 ON THE COUNTY PAY PLAN.

I'VE INCLUDED A DOCUMENT WRITTEN BY CHRISTIE THAT WAS IN THE COMMISSION AGENDA PACKET FOR MAY 1ST, 2023, WHICH SHOWS THAT SHE WAS CONSIDERING BOTH THE OJA PAY MATRIX AND THE COUNTY PAY PLAN WHEN SHE SET PAY FOR HERSELF AND HER STAFF.

NOW PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT TABLE.

THE HISTORY OF PAY FOR DIRECTORS OF COUNTY CORRECTIONS FACILITIES IS INTERESTING.

LOOK AT THE ESCALATION BETWEEN FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND 2023.

IN ANY CASE, IF CHELSEA WERE ASSIGNED PAY GRADE 44, SHE'S CURRENTLY OVERPAID BY ABOUT $2,000 WITHOUT EVEN CONSIDERING THE COUNTY PAID PLAN.

AS FOR CHELSEA'S STATEMENT THAT SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET ANOTHER RAISE FOR FOUR YEARS IF SHE GOT THIS ONE.

THAT'S COMPLETELY FALSE SINCE SHE COULD ASK FOR THE CAP PAY FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 PAY SCHEDULE NEXT YEAR, WHICH KAYLA JUST GOT.

AND THEN THE CAP PAY FROM THE ONE EXPECTED TO BE COMING OUT IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.

THE $110,000 WHICH CHELSEA CALLS THE CURRENT PAY FOR STEP E PAY GRADE 50 IS WHAT THEY EXPECT FOR F FISCAL YEAR 2027, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 AMOUNTS PLUS 2.5%.

WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT THE COMMISSION WILL ALIGN WITH FINNEY COUNTY AND FORD COUNTY AND TRY TO GET THESE STAFF BACK UNDER THE COUNTY PAY PLAN WITH YOUR OTHER EMPLOYEES.

AT THIS POINT, THAT WOULD MEAN NOT APPROVING THESE RAISES AND HR CAN DECIDE WHAT PAY GRADE IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEM ON THE COUNTY PAY PLAN.

THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

DO YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE? SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME A WHILE AGO.

.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS HILLARY FRANCO.

UM, ADDRESS IS 1304 WEST HAVEN DRIVE.

UM, MY FIRST COMMENT, I AM AN EMPLOYEE, I AM ALSO A CITIZEN.

UH, MY FIRST COMMENT IS THAT AS COMMISSIONERS, WHEN INDIVIDUALS ARE UP HERE SPEAKING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE YOUR FULL ATTENTION.

UM, TWO, I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, WHILE I KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE OUR CONSTITUENTS DOING ALL OF THIS RESEARCH FOR US, UM, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ENTRUSTED SOMEONE TO HIRE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEIR JOB IS.

UM, IT IS THEIR JOB TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ASK.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE INFORMATION THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HIRED TO DO THAT JOB PROVIDE YOU IS TAKEN, UM, AS SERIOUSLY AS THE INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED BY THE INDIVIDUALS DOING THE RESEARCH.

SO I JUST THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THAT IN MIND.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

[00:15:01]

OKAY.

I'M KATHY FITZGERALD.

I LIVE AT 98 46 ROAD NINE IN RURAL SEWARD COUNTY.

UH, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS TONIGHT AND I'M TALKING ON A TOPIC THAT I KNOW IS NOT ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT, BUT I KNOW IT WILL BE SOMETIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE LARGE SCALE WIND PROJECTS BEING PUT TOO CLOSE TO HOMES, FARMS, AND FAMILIES WITHOUT ENOUGH LOCAL SAY.

AS WE ALL KNOW, THESE TURBINES AREN'T SMALL.

THEY'RE HUNDREDS OF FEET TALL AND THEY'LL BE HERE LONGER THAN ANY OF US IN THIS ROOM WILL HOLD OFFICE.

ONCE THEY'RE BUILT, THERE'S NO TAKING THEM BACK.

ONLY A FEW LANDOWNERS GET PAID, BUT THE NEIGHBORS STILL HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE NOISE, THE LIGHTS, THE SHADOW FLICKER, AND THE CHANGE TO THEIR SURROUNDINGS FOR DECADES.

THAT DOESN'T FEEL FAIR AND IT CAUSES HARD FEELINGS IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LIVED SIDE BY SIDE FOR GENERATIONS.

I DO BELIEVE IN PROPERTY RIGHTS, BUT PROPERTY RIGHTS GO BOTH WAYS.

ONE, LANDOWNER'S DECISION SHOULDN'T REDUCE THE VALUE OR QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO DIDN'T SIGN A LEASE.

DECISIONS LIKE THIS AFFECT ALL OF US, NOT JUST THE ONES SIGNING LEASES.

OUR RURAL ROADS WEREN'T BILLED FOR HEAVY INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC HAULING TURBINE PARTS, CRANES AND CONCRETE TEARS UP COUNTY ROADS AND TOO OFTEN THOSE REPAIR COSTS END BACK, END UP BACK ON LOCAL TAXPAYERS.

WE'RE ALSO TOLD THIS IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT ONCE CONSTRUCTION CREWS LEAVE, THERE ARE VERY FEW PERMANENT JOBS.

MOST OF THE MONEY GOES TO OUT-OF-STATE COMPANIES WHILE THE COUNTY IS LEFT WITH THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS.

THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT KEEPS YOUNG FAMILIES HERE OR SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

REAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SEWARD COUNTY SHOULD CREATE JOBS THAT PUT PEOPLE TO WORK YEAR AFTER YEAR.

IT KEEPS MONEY CIRCULATING LOCALLY AND DOESN'T DIVIDE NEIGHBORS OR STRAIN OUR LAND AND WATER.

THIS IS GOOD KANSAS FARMLAND.

ONCE YOU POUR CONCRETE AND BUILD ROADS, THAT GROUND IS CHANGED FOR GOOD.

THESE DECISIONS SHOULD BE MADE HERE BY THIS COUNTY, NOT BY OUTSIDE COMPANIES STATE PRESSURE OR ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT DON'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES.

YOU, THE ONES WE ELECTED TO LOOK LOOKOUT FOR US.

I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION TO AT LEAST ADOPT A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON LARGE WIND PROJECTS IN SEWARD COUNTY.

THAT PAUSE WOULD GIVE YOU TIME TO REVIEW SETBACKS, ROAD USE AGREEMENTS, WATER AND IRRIGATION IMPACTS, ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND DECOMMISSIONING REQUIREMENTS BEFORE ANY PERMITS ARE APPROVED.

I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO SLOW DOWN, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND MAKE SURE THE RULES TRULY PROTECT SEWARD COUNTY BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE WANTING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION AGAIN? STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE AND FIVE MINUTES, UNLESS EXTENDED BY THE COMMISSION.

OKAY.

SCOTT OWENS.

UM, I'M RURAL KISMET 16 9 5 9 ROAD R.

UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE YOU ALL ON THE, UH, WIND FARMS. UM, I JUST BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THERE IS ENOUGH STUDY BY ALL OF YOU OF THE EFFECTS OF THESE WIND FARMS, UM, UNTIL YOU'VE STUDIED INFRASOUND IN THE LOW SOUNDS THAT THEY MAKE AND HOW THEY CAN AFFECT HEALTH.

HEALTH OF NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO LIVE CLOSE TO 'EM, BUT OF LIVESTOCK AND PETS, UM, AND WILDLIFE , ALSO THE FLICKER PROBLEMS. AND THERE'S, THERE'S JUST SO MANY ISSUES.

UM, I KNOW A BIG ISSUE TONIGHT IS FIRE.

IF ONE OF THOSE WAS ON FIRE ON DAYS LIKE WE HAD, IT WOULD BE A HUGE MESS.

UM, LIKE I SAID, I JUST WISH THAT EVERYONE WOULD TAKE TIME TO STUDY UP ON THIS.

UM, ON FACEBOOK THERE'S THE

[00:20:01]

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED.

I READ STORIES OF PEOPLE THAT THOUGHT, HEY, THIS IS GONNA BE OKAY.

ONE GUY WAS, I RAISED ALFALFA AND SELL IT TO PEOPLE WITH HORSES AND SELL 'EM SMALL BALES AND GOT A GOOD BUSINESS WITH IT AND HAVE CONTRACTS WITH SOME BIGGER PEOPLE AND STUFF.

AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS ALL GONNA WORK OUT FOR HIM.

BUT WHEN FIBERGLASS AND STUFF WAS ALL IN HIS BALES, THEY WERE REJECTED AND HE FOUND HIMSELF OUT OF BUSINESS.

THERE'S JUST A LOT OF EFFECTS.

PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH CATTLE AND SHEEP THAT HAVE HAD INCREASED HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THEIR HERDS AND JUST PEOPLE THAT, AND ANIMALS AND PETS THAT CAN'T SLEEP AND HAVE ISSUES.

AND I JUST WISH FOR ALL OF YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE AFFECTING VERY HEALTH AND THE NATURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE.

I KNOW THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT TAKING IT TO A COUNTYWIDE VOTE.

LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT 'EM.

UM, THE, UH, OTHER OPTIONS ARE, I'M SURE YOU CAN SEND IT BACK TO THE, THE, UH, BOARD AND GIVE THEM MORE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE STRICTER SETBACKS OR MAKE YOU KNOW, MORE STRINGENT RULES.

AND I GUESS I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING THAT THE FUTURE RELIES ON YOU GUYS RIGHT HERE.

AND YOU KNOW, I WAS ON VARIOUS SITES 'CAUSE THEY'RE DEALING WITH THIS ALL OVER OUR COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE COMING UP AND SAYING, HEY, THIS ISN'T A GOOD THING.

THIS.

AND JUST ONE DAY WHEN I WAS ON AIR, I HAPPENED UPON THREE DIFFERENT FACEBOOK POSTS IN DIFFERENT SITES AND ALL OF 'EM HAD MENTIONED 80% OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN THAT WIND FARM HAD MOVED OUT ONCE IT WAS STARTED.

NOW, TO ME, IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL STATISTIC OR ANYTHING, BUT WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF THREE PEOPLE IN THREE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ALL COMING UP WITH 80%? PERSONALLY, I DON'T WANT ME AND MY FAMILY TO BE ONES RAN OFF BY THIS.

I HAVE INVESTMENT IN MY HOUSE.

HOME VALUES ARE SHOWN TO DROP 25 TO 4% ONCE THE FARMS GO IN.

SO I JUST HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER, CONSIDER THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE GREATLY AFFECTED BUT REALLY AREN'T GETTING THE BENEFIT.

'CAUSE THEY DON'T OWN THE PROPERTY NEXT TO THEM.

AND IN TRUTH, WE'RE, WE'RE STANDING UP TO HUGE CORPORATIONS HERE.

I MEAN, BIG PEOPLE WITH BIG MONEY.

AND OUR GOVERNMENT, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN CONGRESS AND THE HOUSE HAVE INVESTMENTS IN THE VERY COMPANIES THAT THEY'RE GIVEN THE SUBSIDIES TO, TO DO BUILD THESE.

AND YOU HEAR REGULARLY ABOUT THESE PEOPLE THAT GO INTO CONGRESS AND MAYBE THEY'RE WORTH 800,000 AND IN TWO YEARS ARE FOURTH, 40 MILLION MILLION.

THAT'S 'CAUSE THEY'RE GIVING THE MONEY TO THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE JUST TURNING AROUND AND DRIVING UP THEIR INVESTMENTS.

SO I JUST PAY YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT ALL THE, ALL THE ISSUES INVOLVED AND TAKE TIME TO, TO REALLY STUDY IT.

'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S A BIG EFFECT ON, ON EVERYBODY.

OUR WILDLIFE.

WE NEED BIGGER SETBACKS FROM LIKE OUR KALEN TO PROTECT OUR EAGLE POPULATIONS THERE.

UM,

[00:25:01]

BUT MAYBE WE NEED BIGGER SETBACKS AROUND OUR PARKS AS WELL AND FROM OUR CITIES AND, AND FROM THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T REALLY HAVE A SAY WITH ONE GETS PUT ON NEXT TO THEIR HOUSE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? OKAY, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM ONE.

[1. Approve Agenda: Additions or Deletions]

WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA.

COMMISSIONER HELM, OH ONE SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER IS HERE TO GIVE AN UPDATE THIS EVENING IF POSSIBLE IF WE COULD PUT THEM AT THREE A AND THEN, UM, TYLER ANTRIM WITH THE LANDFILL IS HERE TO, UM, TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE TRASH BODIES FOR THE TRASH TRUCKS.

OKAY, SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADD, UM, SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER REPORT AS ITEM THREE A AND LANDFILL DISCUSSION ON TRUCK BODIES AS ITEM FOUR A.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT WE ADD THOSE TWO ITEMS TO THE AGENDA.

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I WILL HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MIDLAND, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LAUDER BACK TO ADD ITEM THREE, A SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER QUARTERLY REPORT.

AND ITEM FOUR, A LANDFILL TRUCK BODIES.

ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

FIVE OH COMMISSIONER HELM, DO WE NEED TO, DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING WITH THE, UM, ADDITION TO THE INTERIM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT POSITION OR NO? YEAH.

UM, PEOPLE CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT, JOHN? ARE YOU WILLING TO KEEP WORKING WITH IT UNTIL WHICH TIME? WE CAN NAME, UH, A PERMANENT OR WOULD YOU RATHER US NAME AN INTERIM AT THIS TIME? I BELIEVE NAME, INTERIM MODEL.

BE HAPPY TO BE .

OKAY.

SO YES, WE DO NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

AND WE DO HAVE A, UM, PERSONNEL EXECUTIVE SESSION THIS EVENING.

OKAY.

WE VOTED ON THAT.

RIGHT? OKAY.

UH, SO NOW DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER HELM, YOU DIDN'T VOTE YET, DID THEY? DID HE? OKAY.

SORRY.

THAT'S SAD.

WHEN, UM, ANYWAY, SO DO WE, UM, NOW DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LOUDERBACK.

MAKE THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VASQUEZ TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION CARRIES FIVE OH.

NOW THE

[2. Consent Agenda Minutes February 19, 2026 Work Session 2026 Budget February 19, 2026 Regular Meeting Payroll February 13, 2026 Reg: $418,006.91 Sage: $16,503.97 Vouchers 2025 - $27,616.95 2026 - $670,481.45 Journal Entries 2025 - 5CK-231 - 5CK231 2026 - 6CK-012 - 6CK-015 Abates and Escapes A = $3,022.48 E = $0 Crossing Permits None Requisitions CB $2,872.00 ]

WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO MOVED.

DO HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STANTON AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MIDLAND TO APPROVE THE, UH, CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES FIVE OH ITEM THREE.

[3. New Employees]

A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, BUT NO NEW EMPLOYEES.

I DON'T SEE NEW EMPLOYEES, NO.

OKAY.

ITEM THREE, A SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER.

AMBER, DO YOU WANNA PRESENT YOUR QUARTERLY REPORT? SURE.

A LITTLE SHORT.

UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS AMBER WILLIAMS. I AM THE, UH, CEO AT SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER.

UH, APRIL AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING QUARTERLY UPDATES, UH, BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION AND WE'VE BEEN SOMEWHAT UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT WE'RE STARTING A NEW YEAR AND WE'RE STARTING QUARTERLY, UH, UPDATES FOR THE COMMISSION.

SO TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT 2026, KIND OF WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR RADAR, UM, THINGS HAPPENING, THINGS GOING ON.

[00:30:01]

SO I'D LIKE TO START WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, UM, SINCE COVID, UH, WE'VE HAD SOME YEARS OF UNFAVORABLE FINANCIALS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO, UH, TIGHTEN THAT BELT AND TRY AND REVERSE SOME OF THAT NEGATIVE, UH, FINANCIAL IMPACT.

UM, WE DECIDED THIS YEAR AS WE'VE STARTED TO DWINDLE THAT DOWN, THAT 2026 IS OUR YEAR.

WE WILL, UM, HAVE A COST REDUCTION PLAN TO GET THE FINANCIALS TURNED BACK AROUND AT THE HOSPITAL.

UM, DURING COVID, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, UM, PAIN POINTS, UM, WAS CONTRACT LABOR.

WE HAD SEVERAL NURSES AND OTHER, UM, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WHO LEFT TO TAKE CONTRACT JOBS FOR, UH, VERY LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY.

UM, AT ONE POINT, UH, DURING THE PEAK OF COVID, WE HAD 45 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES IN OUR BUILDING THAT WERE HELPING IN NURSING, RADIOLOGY LAB.

WE JUST HAD THEM EVERYWHERE, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE IN THERE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS.

SO ONE THING WE'VE BEEN DOING IS RECRUITING AND, UH, RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES.

WE ARE CURRENTLY, AS OF TO DATE DOWN TO 12, UH, CONTRACT EMPLOYEES IN THE BUILDING WITH A PLAN TO CONTINUE TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER DOWN EVEN MORE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF QUARTERS TO WHERE MAYBE WE ONLY HAVE A FEW, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD CONTRACT LABOR IN THE HOSPITAL FOREVER, BUT THAT'S USUALLY ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THAT COME IN AND COVER IF WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE OUT ON, UH, PREGNANCY LEAVE OR SOME OTHER HEALTH ISSUE, AND WE NEED SOMEONE TO COVER THEIR 12 WEEK SHIFT.

UM, THE BOARD ADOPTED A NEW MISSION STATEMENT AT THE END OF 2025 AND CHANGED IT TO, TO BE THE LEADING PROVIDER OF EXCELLENT CARE FOR THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.

UM, FROM THAT, THE BOARD LED BY BOARD CHAIR, UH, DENNIS SANDER CREATED A STRATEGIC VISION PLAN, UM, WITH A NUMBER ONE VISION BEING TO ENHANCE SOUTHWEST MEDICAL CENTER'S FINANCIAL VIABILITY WITH AN OBJECTIVE TO CREATE STRONG AND CONSISTENT POSITIVE NET INCOMES.

THERE ARE A TOTAL OF SEVEN, UM, ON THAT SEVEN STRATEGIES.

UH, THAT PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND IT WILL BE PUSHED OUT TO THE MEDIA, UM, IN THE NEAR FUTURE SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

UM, THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS OUR ACHILLES HEEL.

I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS.

IT'S A BILLING.

UM, WE HAVE A MAJOR BILLING PROBLEM HAPPENING UP THERE.

WE USE A THIRD PARTY VENDOR.

UH, WE'RE AWARE OF IT, WE'VE COME UP WITH A PLAN TO FIX IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.

SO BEAR WITH US.

BUT, UH, ONE THING WE ARE ALSO GOING TO DO IS, UM, IN THE PAST AND TO DATE, WE DO A GREAT JOB, UM, MARKETING SERVICES WE OFFER AT THE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDERS WE HAVE, BUT WE DON'T OFTEN TALK ABOUT THOSE STICKING POINTS THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY IS UNHAPPY ABOUT.

WE'RE GOING TO START ADDRESSING THOSE WITH WAYS WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON.

WE'RE GETTING THOSE FIXED, UM, FOR NEW HIRES COMING ON HERE IN THE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

WE DID HIRE A NEW ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, DR.

I ABRAHAM.

HE'S COMING TO ME TO US FROM DES MOINES, IOWA.

AND HE IS A SPINE SPECIALIST.

SO ON TOP OF THE EVERYDAY ORTHO THAT WE OFFER, HE WILL ALSO OFFER MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE, WHICH IS BIG FOR US BECAUSE WE CURRENTLY, BETWEEN ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS THAT WE EMPLOY, REFER OUT ABOUT 25 PATIENTS EVERY OTHER, EVERY TWO TO THREE DAYS FOR SPINE STUFF IN WICHITA.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN SOME OF THAT HERE AND KEEP THEM CLOSE TO HOME.

WE ALSO, UM, JUST RECENTLY SIGNED ON HEIDI RILEY AND TIFFANY LANDA.

UM, THEIR CLINIC WAS CLOSED OVER ON 11TH STREET AND THOSE TWO LADIES ARE BUSY AND THEY HAVE THE MARKET CORNERED ON NATIONAL BEEF.

ALMOST EVERY NATIONAL BEEF EMPLOYEE AND THEIR FAMILY GO TO TIFFANY AND HEIDI FOR CARE.

SO, UM, THEY'RE IN A HIATUS RIGHT NOW.

UH, HABEL HAS CLOSED THAT CLINIC, UH, LAST THURSDAY.

WE ARE WORKING ON A NEW CLINIC AREA FOR THEM JUST ACROSS THE STREET ON 11TH STREET.

THEY WILL START SEEING PATIENTS IN AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.

SO A ONE, A ONE MONTH HIATUS THERE.

UM, SO THE COST REDUCTION PLAN THAT WE CAME UP WITH, UH, FOR 2026,

[00:35:02]

WE'VE GOTTA GET, UM, TIGHTEN OUR BELTS.

WE'VE GOTTA LOOK AT ALL KINDS OF COST SAVINGS SUPPLIES, BUT THE BIG ONE IS CONTRACT LABOR AND WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD ALSO WITH HR TO GET SOME RETENTION AS WELL AS SOME RECRUITING TO GET NURSES IN THE DOOR.

UM, ONE THING WILL BE, WE'RE LOOKING, I JUST GOT IT TODAY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A RATE CHANGE TO STAY, UH, COMPETITIVE WITH THE HOSPITALS IN OUR AREA.

UM, SO WE'LL BE ROLLING THAT OUT.

AND THEN I WAS GONNA TALK TO YOU QUICKLY ABOUT 20 JANUARY, 2026.

IT'S THE FIRST MONTH WE'VE CLOSED FOR 2026.

THIS IS JANUARY.

WE'RE STILL WORKING ON CLOSING FEBRUARY RIGHT NOW.

BUT CAUSE REDUCTION BUDGET HAS US AT A POSITIVE NET INCOME FOR THE END OF 2026 OF 476,000.

WE CLOSED JANUARY AND WE HAD A POSITIVE NET INCOME OF $186,931.

AND IT'S A GOOD START, BUT WE'RE, WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC IN HEALTHCARE.

THERE'S MONTHS WHERE, UM, OPERATIONS GET SLOW AND WE KNOW ON DURING THOSE MONTHS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT AND WE MAY SEE A LOSS, BUT, UM, WE'RE STRIVING VERY HARD TO GET BACK ON TRACK AND HAVE A POSITIVE NET INCOME BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT BEFORE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, IS THE DYNAMIC.

I KNOW NEXT MEETING YOU GUYS, WE HAVE THREE, UM, CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT AS WELL AS OTHERS THAT CAN APPLY.

UM, I'VE BEEN AT THE HOSPITAL FOR 28 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN IN ADMINISTRATION FOR ALMOST 10.

AND I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN BOARD MEMBER TO BOARD MEMBER AND ADMIN TEAM MEMBER TO ADMIN TEAM MEMBER.

AND THEN THE COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO IS THE BEST IT'S BEEN.

PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO TALK FREELY WITHOUT JUDGMENT, WITHOUT YELLING, DIFFERENCE OF OPINION THEY CAN TALK ABOUT.

UM, AND IT'S VERY REFRESHING TO HAVE THAT.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IS WHEN YOU HAVE A CALM AND, UM, COHESIVE BOARD.

UM, SO, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

BUT I, I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE CURRENT BOARD THAT WE HAVE.

AND BEFORE I FINISH, I DO WANNA THANK IVANHOE WHO IS OUR, UM, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD WHO CAME TONIGHT TO BE HERE WITH ME WHILE I GIVE MY PRESENTATION.

AND THEN I WILL BE COMING EVERY QUARTER TO GIVE YOU GUYS QUARTERLY UPDATES ON STUFF THAT'S GOING ON.

QUESTIONS, UH, YEAH.

SO YOU SAID THAT CURRENTLY, UH, YOU HAD 12, UM, CONTRACT EMPLOYEES.

UM, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU PROJECT THAT TO BE? LIKE, WHAT'S THE END GOAL? IS IT ZERO? IS IT A COUPLE? THE END GOAL WOULD, IN, IN A PERFECT WORLD, THE END GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE ZERO.

UM, I THINK NURSING, WE CAN PROBABLY HIT THAT GETTING DOWN TO HAVING NONE EXCEPT FOR IF WE HAVE A, A MATERNITY LEAVE OR SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO FILL.

THE, THE BIG ONE WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE FILLING IS RADIOLOGY.

AND WE'VE HAD RADIOLOGY EMPLOYEES WHO EVEN GIVEN A RAISE, THEY JUST DON'T WANNA DO IT ANYMORE.

BUT KELLY, OUR RADIOLOGY DIRECTOR, HAS BEEN GOING TO ALL THE COLLEGES, ALL THE JOB FAIRS AND TRYING TO RECRUIT SOME IN SO THAT WE'RE PUSHING THEM HARD ON THAT.

AND AS WE KEEP GOING, IF THEY DON'T REDUCE THEIR CONTRACT LABOR, THEY WILL HAVE TO BE BUDGET NEUTRAL AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO GIVE UP IF THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP CONTRACT LABOR.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE BUDGET REDUCTION PLAN.

GOTCHA.

UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND IVANHOE AND EVEN GREG FOR COMING.

YEAH.

I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXPRESS THIS TO YOU MYSELF, BUT I THINK IT'S A HUGE THANKS THAT THE HOSPITAL WAS ABLE TO RECRUIT HEIDI AND TIFFANY.

THAT WAS, THAT WAS GOING TO BE A HUGE LOSS TO THE COMMUNITY.

IT WAS GONNA BE A HUGE LOSS AND IT WAS GONNA BE VERY HARD FOR ALL OF THE CURRENT PROVIDERS, PHYSICIANS, AND MID-LEVELS TO TRY TO INTAKE ON THAT HUGE, UM, ACCESS TO CARE THAT THEY HAVE BECAUSE LITERALLY WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO INFILTRATE THAT MARKET OF NATIONAL BEEF TO TRY AND GET SOME OF THEM TO COME.

THEY'RE SO DEDICATED TO HEIDI AND TIFFANY AND I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE GREAT, THEY'RE GREAT NURSE PRACTITIONERS, BUT THE BEST THING WE COULD DO, BECAUSE THEY WERE KIND OF GIVEN NOTICE TO THAT THEY WERE CLOSING UP WITHOUT VERY SHORT NOTICE TO TRY AND GET ANYTHING.

AND SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, IT'S A VERY BIG ASSET THAT WE'RE BRINGING THEM ON.

SO, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.

THANK YOU.

SO THANK THANKS, THANK YOU.

ALSO,

[00:40:01]

SO IF ANY OF YOU GUYS WANNA SIT DOWN WITH ME AND THE REST OF THE ADMIN TEAM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOSPITAL, UH, OPERATIONS AND FINANCE, JUST REACH OUT TO ME AND WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS.

YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OKAY,

[4. Retention of Sheriff's Deputies]

UM, THIS IS PROPOSING AN OUTLINE FOR STRATEGIC REORGANIZATION, UH, AIMED AT MARKET, MAXIMIZING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICES OPERATIONAL AND PHYSICAL EFFICIENCY.

UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS FACED SIGNIFICANT RETENTION CHALLENGES DUE TO NON-COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION.

TO DATE, FOUR DEPUTIES HAVE RESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR HIGHER PAYING OPPORTUNITIES AND AN ADDITIONAL FOUR OR CURRENTLY IN THE APPLICATION OR INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH K KANSAS HIGHWAY PATROL AND OTHER AGENCIES.

OUR CURRENT ENTRY LEVEL WAGE OF $20 PER HOUR IS NO LONGER MARKET COMPETITIVE, CREATING A PERSISTENT BARRIER TO MAINTAINING A FULL STAFF.

UH, THE PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED IS A BUDGET NEUTRAL AS THE SALARY ADJUSTMENTS ARE FUNDED ENTIRELY THROUGH THE STRATEGIC ELIMINATION OF TWO VACANT DEPUTY POSITIONS FROM OUR CURRENT, FROM THE CURRENT WORKFORCE.

UM, SO DO Y'ALL, UM, YOU'VE READ THIS, DID ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF GENE? SO THIS IS THE PERMANENT ELIMINATION OF THOSE TWO POSITIONS IS YES, SIR.

WHICH LEAVES YOU WITH HOW MANY DEPUTIES? 18, WHICH IS DOABLE.

WHEN I STARTED WE HAD FOUR, SO WE'RE DOING GOOD.

WHAT HAPPENED? ? YEAH.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

SO ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION? UH, JUST A QUESTION IN ADVANCE, UH, COMMISSIONER HELM.

UM, THIS WOULD BE A DEPARTURE FROM WHAT, UH, THE COMMISSION HAD STATED PREVIOUSLY.

SO IS IT OUR GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD IF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WANT TO ELIMINATE POSITIONS, WE WILL CONSIDER REAPPORTIONING THOSE MONIES TO FEWER POSITIONS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SALARY RAISES? I MEAN, WE, I THINK WE SHOULD BE VERY CLEAR IF WE'RE SETTING A PRECEDENT HERE OR IF WE'RE NOT, OR WE'RE DOING SOMETHING BECAUSE THE SHERIFF IS HAVING A VERY SERIOUS RETENTION PROBLEM, AS I RECALL THAT WE WEREN'T ELIMINATING PAY RAISES, BUT ANY PAY RAISE HAD TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.

THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WERE ACCOMPLISHING.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD JUST STATE WE ARE OR NOT SETTING A PRECEDENT DOING THINGS THIS WAY FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

WELL, THIS IS A, AGAIN, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMISSION WAS APPROVING PAY RAISES, SO WE WEREN'T STOPPING PAY RAISES, WE WERE NO, THAT'S CORRECT.

ANYTHING HAD TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK WHAT I THINK I AGREE WITH, WITH, WITH YOU, IT'S AS IT'S NOT A PAY RAISE AND IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT AN EFFECT TO HIS BUDGET.

HE'S REDUCED.

YEAH.

I I THINK IT'S, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A BAD THING TO DO, I'M JUST SAYING NO.

YEAH, I, I THINK I AGREE WITH YOU.

IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A TOUGH THING TO DO AND, UM, BUT YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE SETTING THE PRECEDENT OF A PAY RAISE, BUT, WELL, SO, UH, IN, IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT WOULD BE THE PROS AND CONS OF SETTING THIS PRECEDENT FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO DO? I'M NOT SAYING THERE IS A PRO OR A CON, WE SHOULD JUST BE CLEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF 20 SOME DEPARTMENTS HERE.

YEAH.

AND SO I GOTCHA.

BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU BROUGHT IT UP SO I, I WASN'T SURE IF YOU MAYBE HAD OPINION ON IT, IF IT WAS, IF YOU HAD PROS, IF YOU HAD CONS.

NO, I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT SHERIFF IS ASKING TO DO HERE.

I GOTCHA.

YEAH.

YEAH.

JUST WANTED TO BE TREAD LIGHTLY BEFORE BECAUSE WE, WE, WE, WE'VE MADE CUTS TO THE BUDGET AND THIS IS SHERIFF WARD'S WAY OF RETAINING EMPLOYEES AND STAYING WITHIN THE BUDGET.

SO I YEAH, I MEAN, HE'S DOING WHAT HE'S GOTTA DO.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WITH LIMITED RESOURCES.

YEAH.

[00:45:01]

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? UH, SECOND.

OKAY.

HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LOUDERBACK, A SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER VASQUEZ TO APPROVE THE RESTRUCTURED PAY SCALE FOR THE SEWARD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT.

ALL IN, GO AHEAD.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

FIVE.

OH, THANK YOU GENTLEMEN.

APPRECIATE IT.

MOVE TO ITEM FOUR A, TYLER, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

IN MAY OF 25, ON THE FIRST MEETING THAT WE HAD THAT YEAR, BROCK CAME IN AND GOT SOME TRASH BODY BIDS.

UH, TRUCKS ARE FINALLY GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE AT COMPLETION.

UM, THEY FORGOT TO ADD A TOP DOOR SO WE'RE NOT BLOWING TRASH ALL OVER WHEN WE'RE RUNNING ON THE HIGHWAY.

SO WE ASKED TO GET THAT PUT IN, WHICH IS GONNA BRING THE TOTAL COST FROM WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED FROM 1 24, 300 TO 126,000, EVEN $1,700, $1,700 A PIECE.

SO $3,400.

IT'S PROBABLY THE CHEAPEST REQUEST I'LL EVER BRING TO YOU, .

SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADD THE TOP DOOR DOOR? THE TOP DOOR? YEAH.

TOP DOOR TO THE TWO TRASH BODIES.

THERE'S TWO TRASH BODIES.

SO AT 1700.

SO 3,400 BE AN INCREASE TO 3,400.

SO WE WILL NEED A SPECIAL CHECK ON IT.

IT WAS ALREADY VOTED ON IN THE ORIGINAL ONE, BUT TH STATE'S ALREADY GOT THAT SET UP FOR US AND TO INCLUDE A SPECIAL CHECK.

YEAH.

SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

OKAY.

HAVE A SECOND.

I SECOND IT.

I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STANTON, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MIDLAND TO APPROVE THE ADDITIONAL $1,700 FOR TWO TOP DOORS AND TWO TRUCK BODIES, AND FOR STACIA COUNTY CLERK TO CUT INTO CHECK FOR $3,400.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT AND MOTION PASSES.

FIVE.

OH.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU TYLER.

WE'LL KEEP YOU TO THAT .

UM, ITEM

[5. Fiscal Year 2027 Comprehensive Plan Grant Application]

THE J CAPS DIRECTOR PREPARED THE 2027 JUVENILE CORRECTIONS COMPREHENSIVE CAN PLAN PER DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS GUIDELINES AND ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.

THIS DOCUMENT SHOWCASES J'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE YOUTH WHO ENTER THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE 26TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.

THIS BUDGET DE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDES HOW THE ALLOCATED $815,231 25 CENTS FROM UM, KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WILL BE BUDGETED CONSISTING OF ACTUAL COST ANTICIPATED FOR THE FY 2027 IN THE VARIOUS FUNDS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND VARIOUS AGENCY COSTS.

ALTHOUGH MONIES ALLOCATED MUST BE A ACCOUNTED FOR IN A LINE ITEMS PER K-D-O-C-J IS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A BUDGET BELOW THOSE MEANS ANY ONION USE FUNDS WILL REMAIN IN THE JCAP S ACCOUNT AT THIRD COUNTY AND THAT AMOUNT WILL BE REDUCED THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

ALLOCATED MONEY.

UM, THERE'S NO FINANCIAL IMPACT ON THIRD COUNTY OR THROUGHOUT THE 26TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, WHICH IS SIX COUNTIES AS I RECALL.

UH, THIS HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE AGENCY DIRECTOR.

UM, RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GRANT APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

AND THIS ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SIGNED BY THE OTHER SIX OTHER FIVE COUNTIES.

OKAY.

CIMARRON BASIN DOES, BUT YOURS DOESN'T.

OKAY.

WON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF CHELSEA.

OKAY.

I I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

SHOOT.

UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT MATTERS OR NOT, BUT FROM, FROM THE STUFF THAT DR.

HUDDLESTON

[00:50:01]

SO, PRIOR TO FISCAL YEAR 2023 WHEN WE DID HAVE A PAY, A MASSIVE PAY INCREASE, WHICH IS WHEN KDOC STATED THAT WE COULD GO TO OJA PAY TO MATCH MARKET RATES, WHICH WOULD BE COURT SERVICES, THAT'S THE PAY COURT SEARCHES UNDER, UM, PRIOR TO THAT WE WERE WITHIN THE COUNTY GUIDELINES AS FAR AS THE RANGE OF PAY AFTER THAT, MY PREDECESSOR, SHE DID, SHE DID KE KEEP US AS LYING AS IN LINE WITH THE COUNTY, UM, PAY RATE ALONG WITH THE OJA SO THAT WE COULD BE WITHIN MARKET VALUE.

SO, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO WHAT I HAVE DONE IN THE LAST TWO 'CAUSE THIS IS NOT MY SECOND BUDGET I HAVE WRITTEN IN.

I'M THE ONE THAT HAS TO WRITE IN WHAT THE SALARIES ARE.

WE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES.

UM, WHAT DR.

HUDDLESON DID SAY, WE ARE COUNTY EMPLOYEES, WE ARE STATE COUNTY, UH, STATE FUNDED COUNTY EMPLOYEES, BUT WE ARE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.

I DO HAVE TO BRING THIS BEFORE THE COMMISSION EACH YEAR FOR YOU GUYS TO APPROVE IT.

UM, SO I'M NOT THE ONE THAT'S ABLE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THAT, UM, TO APPROVE THAT DUE TO THAT.

THAT IS WHY I BRING THIS BEFORE YOU GUYS EACH AND EVERY YEAR, SO THAT WAY YOU GUYS CAN APPROVE OR DENY, UM, WHAT OUR SALARIES WOULD BE.

PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY QUESTIONS.

UM, WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN LINE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SINCE FISCAL YEAR 23.

I KNOW THAT THAT IS A CONCERN THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP.

WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN LINE WITH THEM SINCE FISCAL YEAR 23.

TO GET US BACK IN LINE WITH THAT, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO FISCAL YEAR 20 THREE'S, PAY RATES.