KVSV

MITCHELL COUNTY COMMISIONERS MEETING MONDAY NOVEMBER 24TH

 

Mitchell County Commissioners

Monday, November 24, 2014

By Terry Bailey

 

The Mitchell County Commissioners conducted their regular business meeting Monday morning, November twenty-fourth, two thousand fourteen. All Commissioners as well as the County Clerk were present.

 

After meeting with County Emergency Medical Services director Ed Debesis in a ten minute executive session, the Commissioners announced that Debesis had tendered his verbal resignation effective immediately. They further announced that when they receive his written notice of resignation they would accept it.

Commissioner Mike Cooper stated, “We want to make it clear that Ed leaves the employ of Mitchell County in good standing. He has served us for over fifteen years and has provided strong leadership in that position.”

Eric Hamel was named as the interim EMS Director until a new full-time director can be hired. Hamel will continue at his current rate of pay unless the search for a new director continues for an extended period of time.

Bill Bunger, former County Commissioner and a rural Fire Chief, recently contacted County Clerk, Chris Treaster, and asked that the public be reminded that everyone must contact the dispatch office at 785-738-3523 to receive a Burn Permit if they intend doing any burning within the County. Bunger said there was case of a burn being done over the weekend and it got out of hand. No permit had been issued for the burring. The public is also reminded that burning without a permit may result in a fine. The purpose of the permit is to insure that rural fire departments are aware of burning and will be able to respond much better should a fire get out of control.

Representatives from AGCO and the law firm of Gilmore and Bell addresses the Commissioners regard the issuance of Industrial Revenue Bonds for the expansion project at the AGCO plant on the east side of Beloit.

Sara Steele, attorney for the law firm of Gillmore and Bell from Wichita and Curt Frazier, local attorney for AGGO, presented documents that have been over a year in making to the Commissioners for their signature. This plan finalized the sixteen million six hundred thousand dollar issuance of industrial revenue bonds. Ron Harris and Tim Kresky, representatives from AGCO also attended the meeting. Mitchell County will have no liability in the IRB process.

Courtney Murrow, Mitchell County Health Nurse, addressed the Commissioners regarding physical therapy services provided to the clients they serve. In cases where a client requires physical therapy, a member of the Mitchell County Hospital accompanies the County Health personnel on the visit and provides the service. Murrow had a contract for the Commissioners to sign that formalizes the agreement stating the County Health Department would reimburse the Hospital for the services provided by the Hospital’s Physical Therapy Department.

In the recent election there were ties in two township clerk positions. In both cases there was no name on the ballot and the votes received were write-in votes. By law, when a tie occurs, a coin flip is conducted by the County Commissioners to decide the winner.

There was tie in the Plum Creek Township clerk position with Eric Kadel and Jerry Wessling each receiving one vote. In the coin flip Jerry Wessling was declared the winner of this position.

A tie was also recorded in the Solomon Rapids Township clerk position with Rick Vetter and Connie Cyr each receiving one write in vote. The coin flip went to Connie Cyr and she was awarded the position.

A document was signed by the Commissioners naming Rick Horn, Emergency Management Director, to the Homeland Security Council.

The Commissioners approved a contract with the auditing firm of Lindberg, Volker, Pierce, Ferris and Company, Chartered to continue with the two thousand fourteen audit and the two thousand sixteen budget preparation.

The Commissioners met with Melinda Latham, County Appraiser in a fifteen minute executive session to discuss pending litigation. No action was taken.

Larry Emerson, Public Works Superintendent, was on hand to update the Commissioners on the activities of his department. He said his crews would go back to working eight hour days for the winter months rather than the nine hour days they work during the more busy summer months.

Emerson said they had purchased salt at the Kanopolis plant for road use this winter. He told the Commissioners that the salt was two hundred dollars a load last winter and the price had been raised to six hundred dollars a load for the current purchase.

According to Emerson, the upcoming year will be a bridge inspection year. By law the bridges of the County must be formally inspected every two years.

Road crews are spot graveling the roads where needed. Commissioner Tom Claussen passed on a compliment from a patron in Lulu Township. According to Claussen he was told, “This is the best condition our roads have been in years.”

A Neighborhood Revitalization Grant was approved for Ashley D. Clausen for a new home at 1901 B Road near Glen Elder. The amount of the grant was four hundred thousand dollars.

Heather Hartman wanted to remind the public of the public meeting Monday night, November 24, at the Trail Room in the Municipal Building to discuss Rehabilitation and Demolition grant program. The emphasis of the program is fixing up homes worthy of rehabilitation and demolishing structures that were beyond fixing up. Anyone who has applied for a grant in the past must reapply.

David Luke, a representative from KCAMP the county’s property and liability insurance provider, presented three checks to the Commissioners. One was for one hundred sixty-two thousand, eighty-two dollars for damage done to County buildings in the hailstorm. The second was for ninety-one thousand, twenty-five dollars for damage to County vehicles by the hail. The third check of six hundred dollars was a bonus for having a loss-ratio of four point six three percent for last year. Bonus checks are issued to counties having a loss-ratio of less than ten percent.

Mitchell County Sheriff, Doug Daugherty, spoke briefly regarding the damage done to sheriff department vehicles in the hail storm. They agreed to meet at a future time to finalize plans for the vehicles.

Having addressed all the items on the agenda, the Commissioners adjourned the meeting.

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