Jul 20, 2026 County Commission-Regular

[00:00:02]

[   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 FOR P OF LEGAL, A P FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND DUE REGARD FOR, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, IN LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

UH, REVEREND JASON TOMBS WITH THE LIBERAL MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE, REVEREND JASON TOMBS, REPRESENTING THE LIBERAL MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE, LET US PRAY.

HEAVENLY FATHER GOD OF ALL CONCORD, IT IS YOUR GRACIOUS WILL THAT YOUR CHILDREN ON EARTH LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY AND IN PEACE, DEFEAT THE PLANS OF THOSE WHO WOULD STIR UP VIOLENCE AND STRIFE, DESTROY THE WEAPONS OF THOSE WHO DELIGHT IN WAR AND BLOODSHED AND ACCORDING TO YOUR HOLY WILL IN ALL CONFLICTS IN THIS WORLD, LORD JESUS CHRIST, AS YOU ONCE SHARED IN OUR HUMAN TOIL AND THUS HALLOW THE WORK OF ALL HANDS.

BLESS AND PROSPER THOSE WHO MAINTAIN THE INDUSTRIES AND SERVICE SECTORS OF OUR LAND AND GIVE THEM A RIGHT REGARD FOR THEIR LABORS AND GRANT THEM THE JUST REWARD FOR THEIR WORK THAT THEY MAY FIND JOY IN SERVING YOU AND IN SUPPLYING THE NEEDS OF OUR BODIES, ALMIGHTY GOD.

BE A STRENGTH OF SOURCE AND HOPE FOR THE CHILDREN IN OUR FAMILIES AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH SCHOOL ENROLLMENT THIS WEEK.

AND GUIDE THEM BY YOUR WORD INTO PATHS OF WISDOM AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SEND FORTH YOUR HOLY ANGELS TO WATCH OVER THEM.

ALMIGHTY GOD, YOU HAVE PROMISED TO HEAR THE PRAYERS OF THOSE WHO ASK IN YOUR BELOVED SON'S NAME.

MERCIFULLY INCLINE YOUR EARS TO US THAT WE HAVE NOW MADE OUR PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATIONS KNOWN TO YOU.

AND GRANTED THESE THINGS THAT WE HAVE FAITHFULLY ASKED ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL WE MAY RECEIVE TO MEET OUR NEED AND BRING GLORY TO YOUR HOLY WORD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, OUR LORD WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU AND THE HOLY SPIRIT ONE GOD NOW AND FOREVER.

AMEN.

AMEN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UM, CITIZENS' COMMENTS, DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS THAT ARE WANT, WANT TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION? OKAY.

PLEASE APPROACH AND YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES UNLESS VOTED ON BY A MAJORITY TO GO PAST THAT.

AND UH, YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE.

MY NAME'S RICK MADDEN, ADDRESS 1509 FAIRVIEW.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

WELL BASICALLY ISSUES WITH THE COMMISSION THAT I'D LIKE THE COMMISSION TO RESPOND BY EITHER IN THE COMMISSIONER COMMENTS OR ANY OF THE EASIER WAY THAT YOU CAN FIND.

FIRST IS WHY WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION ABOUT THE COUNTY ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SALARY BEING PAID OUT OF RESTRICTIVE FUND MIGHT BE ILLEGAL THAT YOU'VE TURNED A BLIND EYE TO INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIND A WORKABLE ISSUE, A SIMPLE QUESTION TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF FOREST ROADS MIGHT HAVE RESOLVED THE ISSUE OR AS COMMISSIONER STANTON REQUESTED THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY RUSSELL HASSEN BACK HIS OPINION.

BUT WE STILL HAVE NO ANSWER ON THE LEGALITY OF THE ISSUE.

THE COMMISSION'S INABILITY TO ACT ON THIS AND IF A FINE IS INCURRED, THE'S OF SEWARD COUNTY WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE AND NOT THE COMMISSION.

SECOND IS WHY THRESHER WIND FARM'S ATTORNEY AND THE COMMISSION GO TO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHEN IT SEEMS YOU'RE DOING BUSINESS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND NOT LETTING THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.

I DON'T RECALL YOU GOING INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHEN MR. CATHY OR MR. MARTIN WANTED TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

IN FACT, THEY HAD TO DO IT IN A PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AS WITH ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ISSUES REGARDING THE COMMISSIONS, I REALLY DON'T EXPECT A RESPONSE.

I FEEL THIS IS COMMISSION IS TRULY NOT WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE OF SEWARD COUNTY.

THE CITIZENS OF SEWARD COUNTY DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE? DO SAME RULES APPLY.

STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS IN FIVE MINUTES UNLESS EXTENDED BY VOTE OF THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS.

I'M JIM RICE.

I RESIDE AT 2111 VIOLET LANE IN LIBERAL.

I WANT TO ADDRESS THIS COMMISSION AS TO MY CONCERNS OF USING LANDFILL FUNDS FOR THE SALARY OF AN ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

ACCORDING TO MY LIMITED RESEARCH, THERE ARE NUMEROUS STATE LAWS AND OPINIONS CONCERNING THE USE OF LANDFILL FUNDS FOR PURPOSES OTHER THAN LANDFILL.

KSA 65 34 10.

RESTRICTED USE OF FUNDS MONIES COLLECTED FROM SOLID WASTE FEES MUST BE PLACED IN A SPECIAL TRUST FUND.

BY LAW, THESE FUNDS CANNOT BE DIVERTED

[00:05:01]

FURTHER RESEARCH SPEAKS TO THE AUTHORIZED USE OF LANDFILL FUNDS WHERE I FOUND SEVERAL ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS.

OPINION NUMBER 19 97 0 55 THE KANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL ADDRESSED THE QUESTION FROM RENO COUNTY REGARDING THE USE OF SOLID WASTE LANDFILL FEES TO FUND A JOINT BUILDING FOR THE ROAD AND BRIDGE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF UH, THE UH, COUNTY LANDFILL.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCLUDED THEIR RESTRICTED FUNDS, UH, THE COUNTY IS PROHIBITED FROM USING RESTRICTED SOILS WASTE FEES COLLECTED UNDER KSA 65 34 10 TO BUILD A FACILITY USED FOR BOTH LANDFILL AND ROAD AND BRIDGE EQUIPMENT REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE.

ANOTHER OPINION 2007 18 IS A FORMAL LEGAL GUIDANCE ISSUED BY THE KANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL ON JULY THE 16TH OF 2007 ADDRESSING THE EXPENDITURE OF FEES COLLECTED UNDER KSA 65 34 10.

THE OPINION CLARIFIES THAT LOCAL AUTHORITIES MUST STRICTLY LIMIT THE USE OF THESE COLLECTED FEES.

SPECIFICALLY REVENUES COLLECTED FOR WASTE DISPOSAL AND SOLID WASTE PURPOSES MAY ONLY BE EXPENDED FOR PURPOSES THAT DIRECTLY RELATE TO THE STATUTORY PURPOSES SPECIFIED IN KSA 65 34 10 AND NOT FOR PURPOSES THAT ARE MERELY INCIDENTAL USING RESTRICTED LANDFILL FUNDS TO COVER SALARIES OR OPERATING EXPENSES OF UNRELATED DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS GENERAL COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OR MAINTENANCE CONFLICTS WITH STATE BUDGET AUTHORITY.

UH, INDIRECT SERVICES ARE RESTRICTED STATE PRESIDENTS SUCH AS AG OPINION 20 UH, 2007 18 CLARIFY THAT EVEN SEEMINGLY UH, RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE MAINTAINING A COUNTY ROAD LEADING TO THE UH, LANDFILL CANNOT BE LEGALLY FUNDED BY LANDFILL FEES.

FEES COLLECTED MUST DIRECTLY RE UH, RELATE TO SPECIFIC PURPOSES OUTLINED IN THE SOLID WAY STATUTES 79 29 34 FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY THE BUDGET BALANCES DUTIES OF THE CLERK AND OFFICER'S DISTRIBUTION OF TAX PROCEEDS.

THE BUDGET AS APPROVED AND FILED WITH THE COUNTY CLERK FOR EACH YEAR SHALL CONSTITUTE AND SHALL HEREAFTER BE DECLARED TO BE AN APPROPRIATION FOR EACH FUND AND THE APPROPRIATION THUS MADE SHALL NOT BE USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE.

IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S BUDGET IS OFFICIALLY APPROVED AND FILED, SERVES AS A STRICT LEGAL APPROPRIATION FOR EACH FUND.

MONEY ALLOCATED TO ONE SPECIFIC FUND CANNOT BE DIVERTED TO OR USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE TRANSFERS OF FUNDS UNDER KSA 79 29 34 FURTHER STATES.

THE GENERAL RULE WITHIN THE BUDGET LAW IS THAT THERE SHALL BE NO TRANSFER BETWEEN FUNDS AND THE ABSENCE OF LAWFUL AUTHORITY.

THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE REASONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE CURRENT EXPENDITURES OF THE SE COUNTY LANDFILL FUNDS.

I WOULD ASK EACH OF YOU TO IMMEDIATELY CONSIDER LOOKING INTO THE ABOVE AG OPINIONS, STATE LAWS AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO IMMEDIATELY SEEK LEGAL ADVICE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THESE MATTERS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, SAME RULES.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IN FIVE MINUTES UNLESS YES SIR, WE EXTEND IT.

MY NAME IS GREG GRAYSON.

I AM LIVE IN , KANSAS.

I FARM IN HASKELL COUNTY IN SEWARD COUNTY, KANSAS.

OWN LAND IN BOTH COUNTIES.

I'D LIKE TO PRESENT Y'ALL SOME PICTURES IF I COULD.

SURE.

SO GUYS, WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON UP THERE, , HOW FAR? MOSTLY BETWEEN 83 AND ONE 60 JUNCTION.

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT COUNTRY THAN DOWN HERE IN RURAL THIRD COUNTY DOWN HERE WHERE Y'ALL HAVE GOT A LOT OF GRASSLAND, THAT KIND OF THING.

WE'VE GOT CROP LANDS UP THERE AND THERE'S NO DITCHES INVOLVED.

WE'VE GOT DITCHES WHERE THE POWER LINE POLES ARE AT AND WE HAVE NO DITCHES WHERE THE CROPS BASICALLY ARE OF THE DITCH.

[00:10:02]

THE FIELDS ARE HIGHER THAN THE DITCHES ARE REALLY DITCHES REALLY DON'T DO ANY GOOD IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY.

THAT'S THE REASON THEY WASN'T EVER CUT THERE HOWEVER LONG THEY WAS CUT GO 65, 70 YEARS AGO.

A GUY CAME ALONG AND TRIED TO AND CUT DOWN THE CORN CROP THERE.

THAT'S NOT MUCH CORN.

THAT'S FOUR $50 THAT THIS COUNTY WILL NEVER GET PART OF.

IT'S A HUNDRED BUSHEL CORN AND A HALF MILE.

UH, SO WE'RE PAYING PROPERTY TAX ON THINGS AND WE'RE CREATING, I THINK WE'RE CREATING A LOT OF TROUBLE TRYING TO, TRYING TO CREATE ANOTHER DITCH.

BUT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T MAINTAIN THE DITCH THAT WE HAVE.

WE'VE GOT CULVERTS ON THIS OTHER SIDE THAT NEED TO BE, NEED TO BE FIXED.

THE WHOLE GRASS NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED.

THIS SIDE OF THE DITCH HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY FARMERS FOR I'M 55 AND IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

I THINK THE FARMERS AS A WHOLE ARE DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF THE RIDES.

AS FAR AS YOUR BLIND INTERSECTIONS.

YEAH, LET'S GO GET 'EM CLEANED UP.

ALRIGHT, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.

THE OTHER DAY I MET WITH THIS GENTLEMAN THE OTHER DAY.

HE KNOWS MY CONCERNS.

WE GOT RIDE OF AWAY TROUBLE.

IT STOP SIGNS, LET'S GET THOSE CLEANED UP.

BUT THIS IS UP MIDDLE OF THE CENTER SECTIONS IN MIDDLE AND THIS IS DIFFERENT GROUND THAN WHAT Y'ALL HAVE GOT DOWN HERE.

AND I THINK IT, THE SHOE DON'T FIT ON ALL THE SAME FOOT.

'CAUSE IF THERE'S NOT A DITCH THERE, I DON'T THINK THAT WE REALLY HAVE RIGHT AWAY.

I THINK THE FARMERS ARE DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT MAINTAINING THAT, THAT RIGHT AWAY AND, AND DOING A BETTER JOB THAN WHAT THE COUNTY CAN COME BY ONCE A YEAR WHEN THERE'S NOT A DITCH THERE TO MAINTAIN.

THAT'S KINDA WHY I DON'T WANT TO SAY Y'ALL.

ANY QUESTIONS? UH, GREG, I LIVE UP THIS DIRECTION.

WHERE IS THIS A ACTUALLY THAT'S 2 0 5 4 8 ROAD .

SO IT'S ROAD M.

YEAH.

OKAY, THANKS.

THERE'S A LOT OF ROADS UP THERE, SIR, ON NORTH AND SOUTH WHILE EASTERN WEST ROADS HAVE GOT DITCHES ON BOTH SIDES.

AND I KNOW GUYS ARE FARMING OUT THERE IN THE DITCHES.

I I UNDERSTAND THAT AND BUT GET THE RIGHT OF WAYS CLEANED UP.

SO LET'S TAKE OUR, KEEP OUR TAX MONEY THERE AND LET'S NOT CREATE MORE, MORE TROUBLE THAN WE DON'T HAVE.

WE'VE NEVER DONE IT.

THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO MAINTAINING 50, 60 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN UP THERE.

I DUNNO WHY WE'RE GONNA START NOW.

IT DOESN'T JUST, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SPENT OUR MONEY DOING SOMETHING ELSE.

THAT'S MY MAIN CONCERN.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE? UM, SAME RULES.

MY NAME IS CAROLYN HUDDLESTON AND I LIVE AT THREE 16 WEST SEVENTH STREET IN LIBERAL.

UM, I HAVE SOME DATA FOR YOU TODAY, WHICH I'M HOPING WILL BE HELPFUL AS YOU CONSIDER BUDGET ISSUES.

I TOOK THE ORIGINAL 2026 BUDGET FIGURES AND THE AMENDED BUDGET FIGURES SO PEOPLE COULD SEE THEM SIDE BY SIDE.

AND LAST WEEK, APRIL GAVE ME THE CIC BUDGET PAGES, WHICH HAVE YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURE AMOUNTS ON THEM.

I THINK THOSE WERE UP TO DATE THROUGH AT LEAST JULY 15, MAYBE JULY 16TH.

THE DAY THAT SHE GAVE THEM TO ME ANYWAY, I USED JULY 15TH, WHICH IS THE 196 DAY OF THE YEAR.

AT THAT POINT, 53.7% OF THE YEAR IS GONE.

SO I LOOKED AT THE MONEY BUDGETED FOR EACH DEPARTMENT OR FUND AND CALCULATED 53.7% OF THAT.

THAT'S THE AMOUNT WE WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE BEEN SPENT BY JULY 15TH.

ASSUMING EXPENSES WERE COMING IN EQUALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ASSUMING THEY ARE GOING TO BLOW ALL THE MONEY THEY HAD BUDGETED, I INSERTED THAT EXPECTED EXPENDITURES COLUMN IN FRONT OF THE ACTUAL YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES.

THEN I FOUND WHETHER EACH DEPARTMENT HAD SPENT MORE MONEY OR LESS THAN THE AMOUNT I CALCULATED AS EXPECTED.

THE LAST COLUMN SHOWS YOU THAT DATA.

ONE ITEM I WANNA POINT OUT, WHICH I THINK IS VERY GOOD NEWS, IS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

THE 4.8 MILLION BUDGETED IS ACTUALLY ABOUT 200,000 LESS THAN THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURES FOR 2025.

THAT WAS SLIGHTLY OVER 5 MILLION.

SO WE'RE STARTING WITH A VERY LOW BUDGET AMOUNT WHEN WE CONSIDER THE HISTORY.

AND OF THIS SIX AND A HALF MONTHS, ABOUT HALF THE TIME WE HAD THE OLD POLICY IN EFFECT.

I THINK THE NEW ONES STARTED MAY THE FIRST.

SO JUST TWO AND A HALF MONTHS WITH A NEW POLICY AND WE'RE $400,000 BELOW EXPECTED EXPENDITURES.

LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

I DID PULL THREE FUNDS I'VE BEEN TRACKING OUT OF THE MAIN LIST BECAUSE OF SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

ELECTION EXPENSES WILL MAINLY COME IN AT THE TIME OF THE PRIMARY AND THEN NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.

SO THEM HAVING MOST OF THEIR MONEY LEFT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING TO END UP.

AS FOR RESERVE FOR CLAIMS, WE SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING THAT MONEY.

MY QUESTION ABOUT THAT FUND IS WHY WE HAVE SPENT $12,465.

WAS THIS REALLY FOR SOME CLAIM ANYWAY? THIS MONEY WILL HOPEFULLY BE TRANSFERRED OVER TO ADD TO THE CONESTOGA MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

[00:15:01]

I DON'T KNOW IF THE 2003, 200, $3,336 THEY'VE ALREADY PAID WILL BE THE COUNTY'S ENTIRE CONTRIBUTION FOR THE YEAR.

IF NOT, WHY WOULD THE TOTAL AMOUNT BUDGETED HAVE BEEN 200,000 SINCE THE STAFF WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE CITY PAYROLL? I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THOSE STAFF.

SO, UM, I TOOK THIS DEPARTMENT OUT OF THE MAIN LIST.

SO WHEN I SUMMED EVERYTHING I FOUND THAT WE WOULD'VE EXPECTED THIS SET OF DEPARTMENTS AND FUNDS THAT REMAINED IN THE MAIN LIST.

UH, I WOULD'VE EXPECTED THEM TO HAVE SPENT 10.9 MILLION BY THIS TIME AND THEY'D ONLY SPENT 9.9 MILLION, SO ABOUT A MILLION LESS.

SO THEY SEEM TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ON WHAT HAS BEEN R AND R FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS IN A ROW.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE COMMISSIONERS DIDN'T PUT THE COUNTY RESERVES IN THE POT, ONLY THEIR INCOME.

SO THEY AREN'T DRAWING ON RESERVES.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR THAT.

UM, LAST I SEPARATED OUT THE LANDFILL, SINCE THE COUNTY DOESN'T PAY THEIR BILLS AND THEY SEEM TO BE DOING WELL, THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY LEFT OVER COMPARED TO WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT IT TO BE AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR.

SOLID WASTE HAS 1.2 MILLION LEFT OVER AND HAULING 750,000.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S IN COMPARISON TO THE POINT WE WOULD EXPECT THEM TO BE IN THE YEAR, NOT THEIR FUNDS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, BUT THAT'S HOW MUCH THEY'RE AHEAD AT THIS POINT BY MY CALCULATION.

ANYWAY, THAT'S A REPORT ON THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURES WITH A YEAR, A LITTLE HALF GONE.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR ANYTHING? SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING GOOD.

THANK YOU, .

I KIND OF THOUGHT WE LOOKED BETTER THAN I EXPECTED.

UM, ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

THANK YOU.

HI, MY NAME IS JASON VAUGHN.

I AM A RESIDENT OF SUBLET AND LIKE GREG BEFORE ME, I FARM IN THE NORTH CENTRAL PART OF SEWARD COUNTY.

UM, I TOO SHARE A LOT OF HIS CONCERNS WITH THE RIGHT OF WAY, UM, SITUATION THERE.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST, UH, I GUESS WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SAY IS THAT IF THE COUNTY'S GONNA MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO RECLAIM THAT RIGHT AWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO, I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE'D BE AN EQUAL COMMITMENT TO FURTHER MAINTAIN THAT RIGHT AWAY, NOT JUST A ONE TIME TRIP THROUGH THERE.

UM, FURTHERMORE, I THINK THAT IT'S NOT FAIR TO ANYBODY INVOLVED, WHETHER IT'S THE GUYS ON THE MOWERS, THE MAINTAINERS OR THE FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS ALONG THOSE RIGHT OF WAYS TO EXPECT THAT.

WE JUST GUESS WHERE THAT RIGHT OF WAY'S AT.

I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY DELINEATED WHERE THAT RIGHT OF WAY BEGINS AND WHERE IT ENDS IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.

SO, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR LISTED ALLOWING US TO, TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE AND, UH, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND YOU'LL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, WE'LL GO ON TO ITEM.

I DIDN'T THINK I MISSED ANYONE.

UH, WE'LL GO TO ITEM

[1. Approve Agenda: Additions or Deletions]

UM, I HAVE ASKED, THERE ARE MULTIPLE, UM, ADDITIONS, SO I JUST HAVE ASKED APRIL TO RECAP ALL THOSE FOR US.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

UM, WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT WE NEED TO, UM, ADD TO THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE MASONS BRIDGE REPLACEMENT FORM 1302 REQUEST FOR PROJECT.

I HAVE, UM, SUPPLIED EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, WITH THAT INFORMATION.

WE ALSO, UM, NEED TO PULL PAYROLL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ADD IT TO THE REGULAR AGENDA AND THEN ALSO YOUR JUNE 10TH MEETING MINUTES.

UH, WERE MISTAKENLY THE SAME, UH, MINUTES AS MAY 28TH.

AND SO WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH THE CORRECT JUNE 10TH MEETING MINUTES.

AND I HAVE ALSO, UH, SUPPLIED YOU A COPY OF THE CORRECTED MINUTES FOR APPROVAL AND THE TREASURES REGISTER.

UM, WE ALSO NEED TO PULL THE TREASURER'S REGISTER, UH, FROM THE AGENDA OR I'M SORRY, FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ADD IT TO THE REGULAR AGENDA AS WELL.

[00:20:02]

IS EVERYONE GOOD WITH MAKING THAT THREE FIRST AND THREE A? THE SECOND ONE, THREE B, THE THIRD ONE, THREE C AND THE FOURTH AND 3D.

OKAY.

SO CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE THE ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA? YES, I, UH, MOVE, WE ADD THEM AS THREE A, B, C, AND D IN THE ORDER RECITED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.

OKAY.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I WILL.

I HAVE A MOTION BY, UM, COMMISSIONER STANTON, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LOUDERBACK, UH, TO APPROVE THE ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

FOUR ZERO.

NOW CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED? SO MOVED A SECOND.

SECOND.

HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STANTON.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

OKAY.

AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VASQUEZ.

UH, TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

FOUR ZERO.

OKAY.

[2. Consent Agenda Minutes May 28, 2026 Fire Chief Interviews June 10, 2026 Fire Chief Interviews July 6, 2026 Work Session July 6, 2026 Regular Meeting Payroll July 6, 2026 Reg: $455,889.98 Sage:  $16,639.70 Vouchers $403,071.61 RNR Treasurer Register June 8, 2026 - June 21, 2026 $0 June 1, 2026 - July 5, 2026 $0 Treasurer Register June 8, 2026 - June 21, 2026 $36,161.06 June 1, 2026 - July 5, 2026 $79,720.99 J.E. 6CK-085 - 6CK-097 Abates and Escapes A=$63,475.98 E=$753.24 Crossing Permits None Requisitions GCH $12,862.50 RF $3,321.36 RF $2,428.48  ]

OKAY, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LOUDERBACK, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER, UM, STANTON TO APPROVE THE AMENDED CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES FOUR WITH ONE ABSENT.

I FAILED TO MENTION THAT COMMISSIONER MIDLAND IS, UM, OUT OF TOWN AND UNABLE TO, UM, CALL IN.

SO THERE WILL ONLY BE FOUR VOTES TONIGHT.

THREE A I'M SORRY, THREE

[3. New Employees]

IF, IF THERE IS A NEW EMPLOYEE IN THE CROWD, CAN YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR I'M NOT THAT ARE PRESENT.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THREE A IS THE PROJECT PROGRAMMING REQUEST FOR THE MON SONY BRIDGE AND APRIL, YOU MAY HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT SINCE THIS WAS, UM, JUST NEW GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

WE JUST RECEIVED THIS COMPLETED FORM TODAY, SO I WANTED TO GET IT ON THE AGENDA IF AT ALL POSSIBLE TO START MOVING THINGS FORWARD ON THE MASONIAN BRIDGE.

I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DAWN, AND I APOLOGIZE, I PROBABLY WILL PRONOUNCE HER NAME WRONG.

I BELIEVE IT'S HUSKA.

UM, SHE IS THE BUREAU CHIEF WITH KDOT.

SHE HAS FORWARDED THIS FORM, UM, TO SEWARD COUNTY TO COMPLETE ITS FORM 1302, WHICH IS THE FORM FOR PROJECT PROGRAMMING REQUEST.

WE HAD TO COMPLETE THIS FORM SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO MOVE THIS PROJECT OVER, UM, AND WE CAN RECEIVE THE FUNDS FOR THE BRIDGE.

UM, THE REASON FOR THIS IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STATUS OF THE PROJECT, THEIR RECORDS.

KDOT RECORDS ALSO SHOWED THAT THE BRIDGE WAS PRIVATELY OWNED BY THE RAILROAD.

UM, IF THAT WAS ACCURATE INFORMATION STILL THEN WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO, WE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS ON THE REPLACEMENT.

AND SO WE TURNED IN THE FORM TO LET THEM KNOW WE WOULD BE BUILDING A COMPLETE NEW BRIDGE.

UM, AND WE NOTIFIED THEM OF THE LOCATION THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN.

THEY ASKED US TO FILL OUT THIS FORM, WHICH WE HAVE DONE WITH THE HELP OF KIRK AND MICHAEL, WHO IS OUR ENGINEER ON THE PROJECT.

YOU WILL SEE THAT IT'S COMPLETED.

YOU WILL SEE THAT THE PROJECT TOTALS HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT OVER THE TWO YEAR PERIOD OF WHEN WE ORIGINALLY REQUESTED THIS PROJECT.

IT ORIGINALLY WAS, UM, REQUESTED FOR 2.9.

THE PROJECT TOTALS, UM, NOW LOOK LIKE THEY'RE COMING IN AT $3,030,000.

SO WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF INCREASE IN THAT TWO YEAR PERIOD.

SO I'M JUST ASKING THE COMMISSIONERS THIS EVENING TO CONSIDER PASSING THE PROJECT PROGRAM, CRAMMING REQUEST TO THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

AND THAT WILL BE ONE STEP FORWARD IN, UM, GETTING TO WORK ON THE MASONIAN BRIDGE PROJECT.

THEN AS I'VE TOLD THE MEDIA OUTLETS, I WILL CERTAINLY GET INFORMATION TO THEM AND

[00:25:01]

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY, THANK YOU.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I MOVE THAT WE, UH, SIGN THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECT PROGRAMMING REQUEST AS PRESENTED TO US THIS EVENING.

OKAY.

YOU HAVE A SECOND? I WILL.

OKAY.

WAS AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK APRIL AND SCOTT CARR, UH, FOR THEIR DOGGED DETERMINATION TO GET THIS DONE.

SOME COMMISSIONERS WORKED ON IT FOR 20 OR 30 YEARS AND COULD GET IT, COULD NOT GET IT DONE, BUT THOSE TWO, UM, WERE LIKE RABID DOGS.

I DON'T KNOW.

THEY GOT IT DONE.

SO THANK YOU.

SO ALL IN FAVOR? WELL, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STANTON, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LOUDERBACK.

ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

FOUR OH WITH ONE ABSENT.

DOES THE CLERK HAVE AN ORIGINAL TO BE SIGNED? I'M SORRY? DO YOU HAVE AN ORIGINAL TO BE SIGNED? OKAY.

OKAY, ITEM THREE, UM, B IS PAYROLL.

SO WE PULL IT OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PAYROLL AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED.

DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? I WILL.

OKAY.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER VASQUEZ, THE SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER LOUDERBACK TO APPROVE THE PAYROLL AS PRESENTED IN THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT REMOVED, UH, ANY DISCUSSION? UH, I WILL JUST NOTE THE SAME OBJECTION THAT I'VE HAD THE LAST TWO MEETINGS IS THE ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED.

OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

ALL IN OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.

THREE IN FAVOR.

ONE AGAINST AND ONE ABSENT.

OKAY.

ITEM THREE C IS THE CORRECTION OF THE JUNE 10TH, UH, SURY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FIRE CHIEF INTERVIEWS.

UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDED CHANGED MINUTES? I WILL.

I HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION BY, UM, COMMISSIONER LOUDERBACK, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VASQUEZ TO APPROVE THE, UM, DATE CHANGE ON THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 10TH SURREY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSION FIRE BOARD.

UH, FIRE CHIEF INTERVIEWS.

ALL IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

FOUR.

OH, OKAY.

ITEM 3D IS THE TREASURE REGISTER.

UH, IT'S TWO REGISTERS, UM, JUNE 8TH THROUGH JUNE 21ST IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, 36,000 161 0 6 AND JUNE 1ST TO JULY 5TH IN THE AMOUNT OF $79,720 AND 99 CENTS.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? I REQUESTED THAT THESE ITEMS BE PULLED OFF BECAUSE WE HAD NOT RECEIVED A DETAILED CHECK REGISTER.

I ASKED FOR THAT FRIDAY.

UH, I'VE ASKED FOR THAT BEFORE AND WE STILL NOT RECEIVED.

NO, YOU HAVE GOT IT.

IT'S IN YOUR THE REGISTER? YES.

CAN YOU POINT IT OUT JUST SO WE CAN IT'S A DETAILED LISTING OF THE CHECKS.

YEP.

OKAY.

IT'S A, IT'S TOTAL.

OKAY, VERY GOOD.

SO WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A DETAILED CHECK REGISTERED, SO WE'RE APPROVING A HUNDRED AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS CHECKS, UM, A HUNDRED AND OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE CHECKS ARE FOR.

SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION? ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT? UM, CAN WE ASK MARY TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE GETTING AND WHAT WE'RE NOT GETTING? JUST SO I UNDERSTAND.

SHE EXPLAINED TO ME ONE TIME THAT THEY, THEY ARE CONFIDENTIAL CHECKS.

I'M HERE TO SAY THAT THERE'S NO CHECK THAT S COUNTY WRITES THAT IS A CONFIDENTIAL CHECK.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE THAT UP WITH THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SINCE YOU'RE IN QUESTION OF THAT.

BUT THOSE THAT CHECK REGISTERS STATUTORY OBLIGATION THAT

[00:30:01]

ALL OF THOSE CHECKS THAT ARE RUN THROUGH THE OFFICE FOR THE TREASURER'S REGISTER IS FOR TAXES, REFUNDS ON MOTOR VEHICLE AND REFUNDS FOR PROPERTY TAXES.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? SO YOU'RE MERELY FOLLOWING THE STATUTE AS YOU UNDERSTAND IT.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

THAT IS NOT INFORMATION THAT CAN BE GIVEN OUT WHEN IT'S MOTOR VEHICLE.

AND THAT'S WHY THOSE, THAT 90% OF THOSE CHECKS ARE MOTOR VEHICLE, THAT IS NOT INFORMATION THAT CAN BE GIVEN OUT.

SO A TOTAL HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU EVERY SINGLE TIME IN THE BOOK.

AND IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THERE'S BEEN AN ISSUE WITH, I MEAN, HOW OFTEN DO WE SEE THIS PARTICULAR REGISTER? IS IT MONTHLY? SO EVER SINCE CHIEF GUYS HAVE SEEN IT? NO, IT'S BEEN IN THERE EVER SINCE IT WAS REQUESTED, I BELIEVE SINCE MAY END OF MAY.

WE STARTED PUTTING THAT IN THERE.

UM, AND THEN ALSO SENT OUT EMAILS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNTS OF THERE, WHEN WE DID THE R AND R, THOSE THAT CHECK REGISTER WAS IN THERE, UM, DETAILED BECAUSE THOSE WERE TAXES THAT WAS DONE ON THE REVENUE NEUTRAL RATE.

SO THAT ENTIRE CHECK REGISTER WAS IN THERE BECAUSE IT WAS TAXES.

UM, BUT IT ALSO HAD THE TOTAL FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLE, UM, FOR THE REGISTER THAT WAS DONE THROUGH THE, UM, CAMP, THROUGH THE TREASURER'S.

UM, CHECKING.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORICAL, HISTORICALLY THAT WE'VE HAD ANY ISSUES WITH IT.

WE HAVE, UM, TRIED TO ABIDE BY THE RULES THAT YOU HAVE ASKED FOR.

THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS THE CONFIDENTIALITY, UM, OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE PART.

BUT WHAT'S THE REST OF IT? YOU SAID MOSTLY WAS THAT, SO THE REST OF IT IS, UM, CONSIDERED TAX REFUND.

SO IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND DOES A, A BAD OR ESCAPE THE TREASURER ISSUES, TAX, TAX, UM, CHECKS FOR THAT AND THEN ALSO FOR DISTRIBUTION.

SO THOSE ARE BOTH, ALL OF THAT IS FOR STATUTORY.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO BY STATUTORY.

UM, SO NONE OF THIS IS TO WITHHOLD OR SAY THAT I'M DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL.

UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, TAXES PAYS FOR TAXES.

SO IF THEY'RE COMING IN WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE, THAT STUFF IS CONFIDENTIAL.

IF IT WAS FOR TAXES, THAT IS NOT CONFIDENTIAL, BUT BECAUSE IT'S COMING FROM THE SAME CHECK REGISTER, I CANNOT DECIPHER BETWEEN THOSE TWO.

SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY.

LIKE YOU CAN'T SEPARATE 'EM.

SO WE COULD SEE THE STUFF THAT ISN'T CONFIDENTIAL.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND IT IS A STATUTORY DUTY BY THE COUNTY TREASURER THAT I DON'T HAVE TO HAVE YOUR APPROVAL TO REFUND TO THE TAXES, TO THE TAXPAYER.

'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO DO.

STEVE, IS THERE A WAY TO RESOLVE THIS FOR YOUR SATISFACTION? WHAT I REQUESTED, I'VE BEEN REQUESTING THIS SINCE MAY, THAT'S GONNA START SHOWING UP ON THE AGENDA.

SO FORREST, DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION WITHOUT LOOKING, I DON'T HAVE AN OPINION ON THE, UM, WHAT'S BEING REPRESENTED IS WHAT KEN AND CANNOT BE SHARED.

WE COULD FIND THAT OUT.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU'RE YOUR, YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO ESSENTIALLY ACCEPT WHAT'S ALREADY OCCURRED.

YOU'RE NOT APPROVING SOMETHING PROSPECTIVELY.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY, I DON'T THINK IT IF, IF YOU WANT TO TABLE IT UNTIL NEXT MONTH, YOU COULD TABLE IT UNTIL NEXT MONTH.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY HARM UNLESS, UNLESS THE TREASURER THINKS THERE IS AND NOT DOING SOMETHING.

NO, THIS IS DONE DAILY.

THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT NEEDS COMMISSION APPROVAL TO DO ON A DAILY BASIS.

THIS IS WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN MY OFFICE.

THIS IS WHAT I WAS ELECTED TO DO.

I AM ELECTED TO HANDLE THE TAXES TO THE TAXPAYERS AND TO ISSUE THOSE REFUNDS TO THEM AS WELL ALSO AS DISTRIBUTION.

SO ALL OF THIS IS DONE OUT OF MY OFFICE PER STATUTORY, UM, OBLIGATION.

AND SO LIKE FOR SAID, IT'S ALREADY DONE.

IT DOESN'T NEED YOUR APPROVAL.

IT IS BEING, UM, TRANSPARENT SHOWING YOU WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.

I THINK THE, THE SENSE I GET THE, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY, COMMISSIONER HELM IS ARE YOU, ARE YOU GETTING AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AS YOU SHOULD BE GETTING OR HAS IT BEEN, IS IT BEING KEPT MORE CONFIDENTIAL THAN IT SHOULD BE? AND WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.

I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

IF THAT'S YOUR QUESTION, WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT BEFORE, BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

I,

[00:35:01]

AND I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THIS WAS EVEN BROUGHT UP IS, MARY, YOU WERE PAYING PURCHASE ORDERS OUT OF THAT ACCOUNT OUT OF THE, WHICH YOU ARE NO LONGER DOING.

CORRECT.

SO, SO, SO THEY WERE NOT SEEING YOUR PURCHASE ORDERS AND NOW THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL COMING THROUGH PAY THROUGH PAYABLES.

THAT IS TRUE.

THEY'RE NOT PAID FOR OUT OF THAT CHECKING ACCOUNT.

WELL, AND I THINK MAYBE YOU GUYS ARE CONFUSED AS TREASURER'S FUND TO TREASURER'S CHECK.

THE TREASURER'S FUND IS WHAT WE CALL IN THE OFFICE IS A FIVE 10 ACCOUNT THAT THE TREASURER HAS STATUTORY OBLIGATION AND HAS A HUNDRED PERCENT CONTROL OVER.

THAT IS WHERE WE'RE NOW SENDING THAT THROUGH THE PAYABLES, THROUGH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO PAY THROUGH THAT.

YOU GUYS ARE SEEING, THAT'S BEING TRANSPARENT.

THE TREASURER'S CHECK IS COMING THROUGH MY OFFICE FOR THE STATUTORY OBLIGATION THAT I HAVE FOR TAXES TO THE, TO THE CITIZENS OF SEWARD COUNTY.

OKAY, YOU ON A TABLE TILL NEXT TIME, FORCED TO GIVE US AN LEGAL OPINION.

I THINK HE'S, MY QUESTION HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.

I MEAN, WHAT, WE CAN'T GO BACK ON IT.

THIS IS STUFF THAT HAS TO BE DONE BY DATE EVERY DAY.

NOW IF YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT THE TREASURER'S FUND, THAT'S SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

BUT YOU'RE RUNNING INTO, YOU'RE COMING INTO A FINE LINE BETWEEN STATUTORY DUTIES AND WHAT YOU WANT TO APPROVE TO COME THROUGH THE TREASURER'S OFFICE.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

OKAY.

WELL THAT'S SOMETHING FOR FORREST TO, TO RESEARCH AND GIVE AN OPINION ON.

WELL, YEAH, AND LET ME JUST, I GUESS MAYBE, MAYBE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING, UM, MARY'S COMMENT SUGGESTS THAT YOU'RE SEEKING TO APPROVE THE EXPENDITURES RATHER THAN JUST SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT WAS ALREADY MADE.

SO WHAT, WHAT IS IT, ARE YOU, ARE YOU ASKING FOR ME TO SIMPLY LOOK INTO THE VOLUME OF INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING ABOUT THOSE EXPENDITURES AND WHETHER YOU'RE GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION OR AM I MISUNDERSTANDING? AGAIN, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

WELL, THEY'RE ON OUR AGENDA.

SO, UM, UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO WE ARE EFFECTIVELY APPROVING THOSE CHECKS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE APPROVING IT OR JUST ACCEPTING WHAT'S ACCEPTING THAT YOU'RE ACCEPTING INTO THE RECORD THE, THE REPORT FROM THE TREASURER'S OFFICE OF WHAT HAPPENED, HAVING NOT SEEN THAT REPORT OR LOOKED INTO WHAT IT CAN AND CANNOT, WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.

I'M NOT IN A POSITION TO TELL YOU TONIGHT WHETHER THAT REPORT IS RIGHT AS COMPLETE AS IT COULD BE FOR WHAT INFORMATION YOU'RE SEEKING.

BUT I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT MARY SAID.

THIS ISN'T THE YOU, YOU'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THE EXPENDITURES.

YOU'RE SIMPLY BEING MADE AWARE OF WHAT HAS OCCURRED.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION YOU'RE GETTING IS AS MUCH AS YOU'RE ENTITLED TO OR AS YOU MIGHT WANT.

OKAY.

APRIL, IF I MAY, WHEN YOU GET YOUR, UM, GENERAL LEDGER REPORT, UM, EACH MONTH FOR THE FIVE 10 ACCOUNT THAT THE FIVE 10 FUND THAT MARY WAS REFERRING TO IT, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE EXPENDITURES ON THE GENERAL LEDGER REPORT THAT SHOW YOU WHAT IS BEING SPENT OUT OF THERE.

AS MARY EXPLAINED AND STACIA EXPLAINED SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT TO HER ATTENTION AND SHE'S TRYING TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT, SHE IS NOW SENDING PURCHASE ORDERS THROUGH FOR OFFICE SUPPLIES, MEALS, TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY BEING PAID OUT OF THE FIVE 10 ACCOUNT.

SHE IS NOW PUTTING THOSE THROUGH PAYABLES SO THAT THEY ARE HITTING THE CHECK REGISTER SO THAT YOU GUYS ARE SEEING THEM ON THE CHECK REGISTER THAT YOU ARE APPROVING.

I'M NOT SURE WHEN THAT CHANGE TOOK PLACE, BUT RECENTLY, I THINK, I THINK IT WAS ALL IN MAY.

WE DID.

WE WE DID ALL OF THAT.

UM, OKAY, SO ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TREASURER'S REGISTER? WELL, I'D LIKE TO AT, AT THE SAME I'LL MAKE THE MOTION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK JUST TO EASE YOUR MIND, ASK FOR US TO JUST ASCERTAIN, YOU KNOW, IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THIS STUFF IS CONFIDENTIAL, OTHER OF IT, YOU DON'T HAVE A WAY TO SEPARATE IT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND IF, IF, IF THERE'S A CONCERN ABOUT IT, WHAT YOU COULD DO, UH, COMMISSIONER HELM HAS SIMPLY REPHRASE THE MOTION TO YOUR VOTING TO ACCEPT WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED RATHER THAN APPROVING IT.

OKAY.

SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT WHAT WAS APPRO PRESENTED IN THE TREASURER'S REGISTER BUT NOT APPROVED? UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT WHAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE TREASURER'S REGISTER, UH, TWO DIFFERENT TRANCHES.

JUNE 8TH THROUGH JUNE 21ST IN THE AMOUNT OF 36161.06.

JUNE 1ST THROUGH JULY FIVE IN THE AMOUNT OF 79,700 2099.

[00:40:03]

I KINDA, I I KIND OF AGREE WITH TODD ON THIS.

UH, I THINK IT'S FINE TO, I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED.

UH, WE CAN PASS IT AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT FOR HIS CHECKS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO I'M, I'M GONNA SECOND THAT.

OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STANTON, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VASQUEZ TO APPROVE THE, I'M SORRY, TO ACCEPT THE TRE TREASURER'S UH, TREASURER REGISTER, UM, FOR JUNE 8TH TO JUNE 21ST AND JUNE 1ST TO JULY 5TH.

UM, ALL IN FAVOR, UH, MOTION PASSES.

FOUR OH.

UM, ITEM FIVE IS THE BEER GARDEN BARRIER REQUEST.

UH, WE TABLED THIS FROM LAST MEETING.

DID WE MISS FOUR? FOUR? I SKIPPED FOUR.

I I SAW TY SOMEWHERE TOO MANY THREES.

FOUR.

.

FOUR FOUR

[4. Stepping Stone Shelter - Municipalities Fight Addiction Funding]

UH, SARAH FOREMAN.

WELL, SARAH'S NOT HERE.

TY IS HERE.

UM, THEY HAVE REVIEWED THE MUNICIPALS FIGHTING ADDICTION, FIGHT ADDICTION FUNDING, UM, WHICH IS A RESOURCE TO HELP SUBDIVISIONS IN KANSAS IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO EFFECTIVELY AND STRATEGICALLY ALLOCATE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS AND DEVELOP A LOCALIZED PLAN OF ACTION TO COMBAT SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES.

UM, IN SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2025, WE AGREED FOR A ONE TIME THE COMMISSION VOTED FOR A ONE TIME YES OPTION GRANT.

A $15,068 AND 27 CENTS TO COME FROM THE QUARTERLY OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND AND TO LOOK AT IT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.

SO YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT REQUESTING ANOTHER, UH, 26,000, 2020 $2,691 AND 31 CENTS.

CORRECT.

UM, FROM OUR FIRST SET OF, UH, OPIOID FUNDS THAT YOU GRANTED US, UH, SO FAR, UM, WE HELD ONTO THOSE FUNDS INITIALLY 'CAUSE WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR REMODEL AND WE'RE NOT PROVIDING THE SERVICES.

UM, SO SINCE WE HAVE REOPENED, WE HAVE SPENT, UH, $3,768 AND 63 CENTS OF THOSE INITIAL FUNDS.

UM, THEY HELP FUND OUR MAIN CASEWORKER.

SHE'S OUR FULL-TIME CASEWORKER THAT DOES INTAKE AND HELPS WITH GETTING THE CLIENTS, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED, WHETHER IT'S, UH, HELPING THEM GET TO, UH, SOUTHWEST GUIDANCE, UM, THAT TYPE OF THING TO HELP THEM WITH ANY ADDICTION ISSUES THAT THEY MAY HAVE.

UM, THIS SECOND REQUEST THAT WE HAVE, UH, WOULD FUND A COUPLE OF OTHER SPOTS.

UM, CURRENTLY ERIN BURTON, SHE IS, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO ALSO BE HER JOB, BUT SHE IS CURRENTLY HAVING TO COVER OTHER AREAS OF THE SHELTER.

UM, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO FREE HER UP TO CONTINUE THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES WITH THE REST OF OUR CLIENTS.

UM, FINDING THEM GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT, UM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UH, ASSISTANCE AND THE LIKE.

THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO, UH, BRING SOMEONE ELSE IN.

WE CURRENTLY, UM, WE HAVE GOT A GRANT AND WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED, UH, TO PROVIDE A TELEHEALTH ROOM FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING, UH, A DRUG ADDICTION.

IN ADDITION TO HELP.

THIS WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON SOUTHWEST GUIDANCE.

UM, THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO GET A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE WE SEND THERE AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, OVERWHELMED.

THEY HAVE A LOT TO DO.

AND SO THIS WOULD ALLOW SOME OF OUR, UH, CLIENTS TO UTILIZE THE TELEHEALTH.

THE PERSON WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THAT.

UM, THIS WOULD ALSO HELP WITH, UH, BUS PASSES, UH, TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR CLIENTS ARE ABLE TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO IN TOWN TO GET THE HELP THEY NEED.

SO THAT IS KIND OF WHERE, THIS IS ANGLED THAT WE CURRENTLY, UH, PARTNER UP WITH, UH, WELL JUST THE LIBERAL AREA COALITION OF FAMILIES.

NOW IT'S A COMMUNITY ACTION COALITION.

UM, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM, UH, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THREE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY, UH, DACA AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF NARCAN.

SO WE ARE, UH, THE RESOURCE THERE TO, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY.

SHOULD SOMEONE NEED ASSISTANCE OR SHOULD WE HAVE SOMEONE COME IN, UH, THAT IS GOING INTO OVERDOSE.

[00:45:01]

WELL, J COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS AND JACOBS, YES.

THEY DID A JOINT GRANT THAT THEY'RE USING THE FUNDS FOR.

THEY HAVE NOT REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

UM, THEY DO GIVE YOU A QUARTERLY UPDATE AND THEY HAVE NOT REQUESTED ANY ADDIT ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

AND THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS DISTRIBUTION, PROBABLY NOT AWARE OF THIS OTHER THAN IT BEING PUBLICIZED IN THE AGENDA AND STUFF.

THEY HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO ME ABOUT IT.

NO.

OKAY.

I TY'S GONNA USE THEM.

I SEE NO REASON NOT TO.

YEAH, I I MEAN THAT WAS THE, I MEAN, IT WAS A PRIOR COMMISSION, BUT, UM, I GUESS YOU WERE HERE IN 15 WHEN WE MADE IT SPECIFIC.

IT WAS A ONE TIME.

SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING TO COME BACK OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WELL, OUR, OUR UNDERSTANDING IT WAS ONE TIME, BUT WE, THAT WAS LEFT OPEN THAT WE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO REQUEST AND COMPETE FOR THOSE FUNDS.

UM, NOT THAT IT WOULD BE A GUARANTEED EVERY QUARTER WE WOULD GET THE FUNDS.

WE ALSO DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY WOULD CONTINUE OR AN WHAT AMOUNT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THE AMOUNT YES.

IS CORRECT.

YES.

YEAH.

'CAUSE THE OPI OPIOID FUNDS IS GOING TO BE A DECLINING AMOUNT EVERY QUARTER.

YES, CORRECT.

YES.

AND THEY STARTED IN 2023.

WE'VE COLLECTED $154,241 AND 9 CENTS SINCE 2023.

YOU ONLY HAVE HAD TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME FORWARD WITH A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, UH, FOR THOSE FUNDS.

YOUR CIMARRON BASIN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS AGENCY, AS WELL AS YOUR JUVENILE CORRECTIONS AND PREVENTION SERVICES, AND WHICH YOU GAVE $116,481 AND 51 CENTS TWO IN 2025, YOU AWARDED THE STEPPING STONES SHELTER ALSO IN 2025, $15,068 AND 27 CENTS.

THEY ARE NOW ASKING FOR THE REMAINING BALANCE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THERE OF 22,000 691 31.

AND WHEN WILL THE NEXT QUARTERLY PAYMENT BE? WE, WE JUST RECEIVED, UM, THIS QUARTERLY PAYMENT.

I KNOW ANNABELL PUT THE RECEIPT IN OUR BOX, I WANNA SAY MAYBE TWO WEEKS AGO.

DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT, BUT IT'S BEEN IN JULY.

SO THIS WAS ZERO OUT THE FUND EFFECTIVELY ZEROED OUT FOR NOW.

YES, UNTIL THREE MONTHS FROM NOW.

WHEN WE GET ANOTHER JUDICIAL, WHICH THEY WANT US TO USE THE, THE FUNDS, THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR.

MUNICIPALITIES FIGHTING ADDICTION.

AND THEN THEY ARE REQUIRED, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO ANNUAL REPORTS TO, UM, THE STATE EACH YEAR, WHICH WE DID IN 2025.

UM, AND THEY WERE HAPPY WITH WHAT THE MONEY, THE PROGRAMS THAT THE MONEY WAS BEING USED FOR AND OUR REPORTS.

WE, WE GOT, UH, APPROVAL BACK FROM THEM ON THAT.

AND THEN WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AS WELL.

OKAY.

I HAVE A MOTION.

UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DISTRIBUTE THE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FUNDS 22,691 POINT 31, UH, FUNDS AVAILABLE AS OF JULY 15TH TO THE STEPPING STONE SHELTER.

MUNICIPALITIES FIGHT ADDICTION, UM, AS PROPOSED BY SARAH FOREMAN WHO ASSURES US THAT ALL THE GUIDELINES ARE MET FOR ALLOWABLE EXPENSE.

AND AT ANY TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO STOP BY, I CAN PROVIDE ANY DOCUMENTATION YOU WOULD NEED.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER STANTON, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VASQUEZ TO APPROVE THE PAYMENT TO STEPPING STONE SHELTER FROM THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT.

THE MUNICIPALITIES FIGHT ADDICTION FUNDS AND THE AMOUNT OF $22,691 AND 31 CENTS.

ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

FOUR OH WITH ONE ABSENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY, ITEM FIVE IS THE BEER GARDEN BARRIER REQUEST.

WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT DECIDED WE HAD TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW RESOLUTION.

CORRECT.

SO WE, WE UTILIZED THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAD, BUT WE DID ADD THE LANGUAGE IN THAT SAID, UM, YOU'LL SEE IN NUMBER ONE

[00:50:02]

UM, UH, SORRY.

SO IT STILL COVERS THE ACTIVITY CENTER, THE SEWARD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL BUILDING AND INSIDE THE SEWARD COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS ROCK WALL.

I'M LOOKING FOR THE, THE WRONG, UH, I DON'T RESOLUTION IS ATTACHED IN YOUR FILE.

STACIA, DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE RESOLUTION THEY'RE GONNA SIGN TONIGHT? I DO NOT HAVE ANY RESOLUTION.

OKAY.

UM, COMMISSIONERS, I NEED TO GO PULL THE CORRECT ONE OFF OF THE COMPUTER.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM AND COME BACK TO THIS ONE.

I CAN HAVE IT QUICKLY.

WE CAN MOVE ON AND COME BACK.

OKAY.

HOPEFULLY I'M NOT UP FOR ANYTHING.

ITEM

[6. Acceptance of KDHE Grant Funds]