By Terry Bailey
The Mitchell County Commissioners conducted their weekly meeting at the Courthouse on Monday morning, October 3. Commissioners Tom Claussen and Mike Cooper as well as the County Clerk, Chris Treaster, were present. Commissioner Jim Marshall was absent.
Eric Hamel, Emergency Medical Services director, was present to report that the new ambulance should be completed by October 19th. A representative of the company that is building the ambulance will come to Beloit and drive Hamel to the factory in Missouri where he will take possession of it and drive it back to Beloit. The building process has taken a while, and everyone is anxious to have the new ambulance put into service and helping the people of Mitchell County.
Three ladies were on hand to discuss public transportation with the Commissioners. Susan McConaughy from Solomon Valley Transportation and Angela Sanchez and Michelle Griffin from the transportation division of OCCK discussed the collaborative efforts between the two agencies. The history of the Solomon Valley Transportation has been a very successful endeavor. The program started with a thought by David Dick at the hospital and has grown to a very well-regarded public transportation organization.
McConaughy said SVT will transport people anywhere they can drive to and return from during normal business hours and there is some flexibility in those hours. She said medical needs are the most common transportation concerns, but they provide rides to people for a wide variety of reasons. They have taken people to the Tammy Walker Cancer Center in Salina, airports in Wichita and Kansas City, appointments at the Veteran Administration Hospitals, trips to the library, grocery shopping, dentist appointments and on and on. She encouraged people to check out their Facebook page and their website for additional information.
Angela Sanchez, administrative coordinator for OCCK, said, "We can get you there." She said last year OCCK made 72 trips with Mitchell County people and have logged 104 trips so far this year. She emphasized that the two agencies intend to complement the efforts of one another to best serve the needs of the people of North Central Kansas.
Michelle Griffin, mobility manager for OCCK, told the group that the drivers will assist passengers who need help getting in and out of the vehicle. Griffin also reported the rent-a-bike service is being well utilized. They have bicycle rentals in eight counties in North Central Kansas.
Marty Hernandez, Superintendent of Public Works, gave the Commissioners an update regarding several on-going projects. The Commissioners and Hernandez discussed the vandalisms of public and private machinery of recent days. Everyone felt confident that the perpetrators will be apprehended and be held to account.
Having addressed all the items on the printed agenda, the meeting was adjourned.