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MITCHELL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS – Monday, October 28, 2024

By Terry Bailey

The Mitchell County Commissioners conducted their regular weekly meeting at the Courthouse Monday morning, October 28. Commissioners Mike Cooper and Tom Claussen were present as was the County Clerk Heather Weston. Commissioner Jim Marshall was absent.
The Commissioners re-appointed Barb Wise to another term as a Mitchell County representative to the Pawnee Mental Health Board of Directors.
The Commissioners approved a letter of support for Dunstan's equipment grant bid. This is necessary because there was only one bid for a piece of equipment for their grant application.
Emily Benedick, Mitchell County Economic Development Director, and Hally Roberson, City of Beloit City Manager, were present to discuss an opportunity to present the City of Beloit and Mitchell County in a positive light via the PBS program, VIEWPOINT. This opportunity is in its formative stages where it could be paid advertising aimed at a national audience or more of an informational offering aimed at a more local audience.
Anthony Roy is the executive producer of the VIEWPOINT series. A continued discussion with Mr. Roy will be necessary to work out the expectations and provisions of a relationship between VIEWPOINT and Mitchell County.
Julie Willoughby, representing the Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas (DVACK). Willoughby pointed out that a working definition of domestic violence is control by one partner over another in a current or past dating marital or live-in relationship. Methods of control include physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse as well as intimidation, and/or isolation. It can happen to anyone regardless of size, gender, strength, or social class, yet is all too often overlooked, minimized or denied. Domestic violence is much more than black eyes and bruises. The effects of verbal and emotional abuse can be equally damaging, if not more, leaving deep lasting scars.
While there is a lengthy list of benchmarks for Domestic Violence Willoughby offered five simple questions a person should ask their self. They are:
1.) Are you afraid of your partner?
2.) Has your partner ever hurt or threatened to hurt someone you love?
3.) Do you worry about your partner's mood?
4.) Do you feel helpless, trapped, alone, or isolated?
5.) Do you fear going home?
There are numerous other "red flag" questions associated with domestic violence, but the answer to these preliminary questions might be food for thought.
The toll-free phone number for DVACK assistance is 1-800-874-1499.
Because NOTHING you say or do EVER gives anyone the right to hurt you EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY OR SEXUALLY.
To quote a well-known local mental health consultant, Ron Willis, "Where there's smoke, there is at least smoke."
Jim Lohmeyer, Group Sales Advisor for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, was on hand to give the Commissioners the quote for the 2025 year's medical insurance. He told the Commissioners the County's health insurance would go up next year. The good news was that the raise would be 1.54%. Everyone agreed that was, indeed, good news.

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA