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MITCHELL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - Monday, December 23, 2024

By Terry Bailey

The Mitchell County Commissioners conducted their final meeting of 2024 on Monday morning, December 23. All Commissioners and the County Clerk were present. Commissioners elect-Mike Reiman and Cole Eberle were in attendance to familiarize themselves with the operational process of the meetings.
The majority of the meeting time was devoted to end of year transfers. This occurs when it becomes obvious that the general fund of a department will have money left over at the end of the year. At that point they transfer excess funds to a specific budget item such as capital outlay.
End of year transfer actions included:
• $200,000 from the Road and Bridge general fund to the Road and Bridge Special Equipment fund.
• $50,000 from the Road and Bridge general fund to the capital outlay fund.
• $50,000 from the Road and Bridge general fund to the special equipment fund.
• $35,000 from the noxious weed capital outlay fund to the noxious weed general fund.
• $6,000 from the Tipton rural fire department general fund to the special equipment fund.
• $3,000 from the EMS general fund to the special equipment fund.
• $175,000 from the Health Department general fund to the capital outlay fund.
County Clerk Heather Weston said there will be additional fund transfers at the January 21 meeting.
Missy McGinnis, Director of the Emergency Medical Services, request the Commissioners take action to write off uncollectible debts. In spite of sincere and dedicated efforts, a total of $11,851.89 are outstanding and are uncollectible. The Commissioners voted to write off that debt as uncollectible.
Casey Frasier from Foley Equipment, the local Caterpillar dealer, was present to touch base and make himself available to discuss future purchases. At this point the County does not have any equipment needs to discuss.
Missy McGinnis, EMS Director, reported that as of this date, the ambulance service has completed 711 runs. This compares with a total of 699 runs for the entire year of 2023.
David Dohe, Emergency Management Director, requested permission to purchase a panel trailer from Winkel Manufacturing. This trailer would be used to transport livestock panels to the site where livestock were involved such as a wreck of a large cattle transport trailer. The panels would be used to contain the livestock to keep them from running all over. The cost of the trailer would be $2.100. The Commissioners voted to approve the purchase noting that the Winkel name means a quality product.
Keegan Bailey from the Regional Planning Commission was present to discuss the balance of the County's AARPA grant funds. This money must be allocated by December 31, 2024, or it will be lost. Evaluating the alternatives, the Commissioners took Bailey's advice and voted to allocate this money to the Auditor's fund. Directing the money to that fund allows the Commissioners to spent it for other purposes at a later date.
The Commissioners voted to renew their K-Camp liability insurance for 2025. The cost of doing so amounted to $114,547.
Water pollution control permits were reauthorize to Fletchall Feed Lot and to Steve Winkel. They passed the yearly inspection with no problems.
There will be no Commissioners meeting on December 30 because that will be the fifth Monday of the month.
County Clerk Heather Weston announced that the new Commissioners will be sworn in on Monday, January 21, 2025.
Having addressed all the items on the printed agenda, the meeting was adjourned.

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA