Allen County Commissioners' Meeting Minutes

IOLA, KANSAS
OFFICE OF THE ALLEN COUNTY CLERK
June 29, 2004

The Allen County Board of Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. with Chairperson Kent Thompson, Commissioner Dick Works, Commissioner Walt Regehr Jr., and Sherrie L. Riebel, County Clerk.

Commissioners corrected and approved the minutes of the June 22, 2004 meeting.

Sharon Utley, Allen County Treasurer, discussed an individual with personal property who stated he no longer owns the personal property. Commissioners state if he owned it as of January 1, 2003, he still owes the taxes.

Commissioners were requested to open the courthouse for restroom use on Thursday evenings for the band concert. They decided they would not be opening for the restrooms due to the liability of opening the courthouse without supervision.

Commissioners discussed the Fourth of July holiday. The county has designated July fifth as the holiday; therefore any county employee working on July fourth will not be paid holiday time, only straight time.

Commissioner Works moved to go into executive session for five minutes to discuss non-elected personnel. Commissioner Regehr seconded, motion passed 3-0-0. Those in the room will be Commissioner Thompson, Commissioner Works, Commissioner Regehr, Bill King, Public Works Director, and Sherrie L. Riebel, Allen County Clerk. The time is 9:00 a.m. Commissioners reconvened at 9:05 a.m. No action was taken.

Bill King, Public Works Director, reported on a pre-conference on bridge project #1C-3664-01 (Fair View Cemetery Bridge) at 10:00 a.m. at the KDOT building to be held on June 30, 2004. Discussion followed.

Bill presented a design-engineering contract with Schwab Eaton for bridge project #1C-3942-01 (Hegwald Bridge). Discussion followed on the contents of the contract. Commissioner Works moved to approve the contract with Schwab Eaton. Commissioner Regehr second, motion passed 3-0-0. Commissioners signed the contract.

Bill discussed the Noxious Weed department was having problems with the spraying because it has been wet and windy.

Bill discussed the handicap parking in the official’s parking lot. No action was taken.

Bill discussed a billing problem in the Noxious Weed Department that surfaced when the audit was done. He had discussed solutions with the auditor.

Bill discussed write-offs at the landfill. Discussion followed. Bill will bring the items to the attention of the commissioners and ask for approval to do the write-off.

Bill discussed requesting information on a compactor for the landfill. Discussion followed. Commissioners approved gathering bid information on cost and lease. He will try to get demos into Allen County to try out.

Steve Womack, City of Iola Police Chief, discussed recommendations from the E911 Advisory Committee. One recommendation was the County authorizes the purchase of a recorder (Nice Call Focus II from Voice Product s Inc.) for $17,892.00, in addition to a five-year contract for General Maintenance Agreement for a total of $26,160.00. Discussion followed on other companies that had submitted bids. Second was for consoles for the dispatch center to replace and update. A grant is being applied for to cover the cost of this equipment. The total for the three consoles would be approximately $79,415.00. Discussion followed on other items like mobile data equipment that will be future requests. Commissioner Works moved to approve the purchase of the recorder plus five year contract for $26,160. Commissioner Regehr second, motion passed 3-0-0.

Chief Womack requested $10,752.00 for the current year 2004 for dispatch services. He discussed the personnel cuts for dispatch and police officers. Discussion followed. Chief Womack requested $142,440.00 for budget year 2005. He presented an estimated 2005 budget of revenue and expenditures. Discussion followed on the recommendation from the E911 Advisory Committee and use by the county and city. Commissioners will take the requests under consideration.

Judge Fred Lorentz, Judge Daniel Creitz, and Janel Downey, Court Clerk, presented a 2005 proposed budget for unified court and court indigent defense. Discussion followed on line item requests. Each line item except for the district expense, which is what the travel pay expense is paid from, remained the same. They are in the process of replacing the court reporters equipment.

Judge Lorentz discussed his past request for the current Sheriff’s office for CASA. Discussion followed. The space would be small and the county would pay the cost of the utilities. They would have only one director and maybe one secretary to begin CASA in Allen County.

Bob Chase, Southeast Kansas Mental Health Executive Director, and Ed Miller, Secretary of the Executive Board, presented the proposed 2005 budget. SEK Mental Health is requesting $100,000.00 for 2005. Discussion followed on the funding for last year. It had been requested to receive $100,000 but received only $90,000. Bob discussed the largest portion of employees are Allen County residents. Allen County has the seconded largest percent of clients utilizing SEK Mental Health, with Neosho County being the largest percent. Discussion followed on the totals of events per county. Commissioners will take under consideration when looking at the overall budget.

Maury Thompson, Tri-Valley Development Services Executive Director, and Bill Fiscus, Associate Director, and Scott Mann, Tri-Valley Development Services Executive Board Vice President presented information on their license, copies of new pieces, community impact, Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation, Home projects, and information on 2005 budget. He presented information on their Mission Statement, Direct Supervision information, the Geographic Service Area, Service/Support Type and Number served living in Allen County, information on Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), and Community Developmental Disability Organization Staff and Individuals Served information. Maury requested $52,500.00 for 2005 Budget. Discussion followed on the match for state funding and line item requests. Commissioners stated they would take under consideration.

Rodney Burns, Hutinett Schlotterbeck & Burns, discussed the recently completed 2003 audit. First he discussed the noxious weeds computer program. Discussion followed. He suggested a program be updated to give out a certificate to someone who purchases the chemicals. He discussed three individual tickets that had been refunded; he suggested the Treasurers office pay out the refund. Discussion followed.

Rodney reported the overages for 2003 budget were: Sheriff’s office was $32,000 over budget, jail was over $86,000.00 and the attorney’s office was over $2,000.00.

Rodney questioned the Sheriff having 37 cell phones when only 16 are being used. His concern was the possibility of rebates for new cell phones, and who got those. He discussed extra fraud interviews required by state that he had preformed which brought to light an incident in the Sheriff’s office where the Sheriff was violating the purchasing policy. He purchases inventory over the amount authorized by putting it on three separate invoices. Rodney sited this as a violation. He reported an item on the jail fund, which was transferred into the General Fund. Discussion followed on monies collected by the Sheriff’s office for jail board.

Commissioner Regehr moved to approve the Chairman’s signature on a representation letter to Hutinett Schlotterbeck & Burns. Commissioner Works seconded, motion passed 3-0-0 Commissioner Thompson signed.

Donald Leapheart, Allen County EMS Director/City of Iola Ambulance Director, and Judy Brigham, City of Iola Clerk, discussed city ambulance revenues for past years. The revenue was anticipated as the ambulance revenues coming in would increase causing the ambulance funding to raise but the fact was they have not increased enough to cover the difference in expenses. Discussion followed on ambulance runs comparing the last five years. Judy asked for cost raise consideration at budget time. Commissioners requested she pass on to the City Commission the County’s willingness to negotiate ambulance contracts.

Donald discussed the Rescue Vehicle not billing charges when sent out to accidents. They suggested charging a users fee like the ambulance charges. Discussion followed. Donald stated he would like something to be worked out that would be good for everyone.

Alan Weber, Allen County Counselor, discussed the current ambulance contracts with the cities. Commissioners asked him to draw up a contract that could be used as a basis for discussion.

Lloyd Houk, Allen County resident, discussed a foreclosure on a residence located on US Hwy #54. Discussion followed as to who has the right to mow the lawn. Commissioners discussed the Nuisance Abatement Act. No action was taken.

Commissioners discussed with Alan the report from the auditor concerning the abuse on the county purchasing policy.

Commissioners approved the following documents:

a) Clerk's vouchers totaling $179,456.17

b) Clerk's Journal Entries #46-47

c) Payroll Vouchers

d) Payroll Changes

 

With no further business to come before the board, the meeting was adjourned until July 6, 2004 at 8:30 a.m. in the Commission room of the courthouse.

Please remember, minutes are unofficial until approved by the commissioners' at their next meeting.