FORD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING AGENDA

REGULAR MEETING of AUGUST 18, 2008

MEETING NUMBER 2008 – 37

COMMISSION CHAMBERS

 

                                                                                             Page 237

 

The Board of County Commissioners met in regular session in the commission chambers at the Ford County Government Center.

 

Those present were:

 

T. Kim Goodnight, Chairman                                  Edward Elam, County Administrator               

John F. Swayze, Vice-Chairman                               Karen Blankman, Administrative Assistant

Terry C. Williams, Member

  

Those absent was: Victoria Wells, Master County Clerk.     

      

Chairman Goodnight opened the meeting at 8:39 A. M. with the invocation led by Rev. Gib Botten, Christ King Lutheran Church, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

PUBLIC HEARING:

Chairman Goodnight opened the PUBLIC HEARING regarding the 2009 Ford County Budget. Mr. Goodnight asked Mr. Rick Shirley, Kennedy McKee & Company, LLC. to summarize the proposed budget. Mr. Shirley explained the 1.9 mill levy increase, and that this was the first increase in six (6) years. He pointed out several reasons for the increase, such as lower interest rates, decreased sales tax revenues and increase in fuel and material costs.

 

Goodnight moved to close the public hearing regarding the 2009 Ford County Budget. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

Swayze moved to adopt and sign Resolution No. #2008-31 “A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE PROPERTY TAXATION POLICY OF THE BOARD OF FORD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WITH THE RESPECT TO FINANCING THE 2009 ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FORD COUNTY.” Williams seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. (See copy of Resolution at the end of these minutes.)   

 

Williams moved to approve and sign the 2009 Ford County Budget. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

Goodnight moved to recess the County Commission meeting and to reconvene in chambers after the Ford County Fire District Board meeting/budget hearing. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. 

 

Goodnight moved to approve the minutes of August 4, 2008 #2008-33 as written; August 4, 2008 #2008-34 as written; August 5, 2008 #2008-35 as written and August 8, 2008 #2008-36 as written. Williams seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

 

 

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Goodnight moved to approve the additions and deductions to the tax assessment rolls as follows: Personal Property: 2007 – one hundred nineteen dollars and forty-six cents (-$119.46) and OIL/GAS: 2007 – two thousand four hundred forty-four dollars and twenty-three cents

(-$2,444.23). Williams seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

Williams moved, after examining the claims, to authorize and direct the County Clerk to issue on such different funds of the County, warrants number #78783 through #79049 totaling four hundred fifty-four thousand eight hundred twelve dollars and twenty-six cents ($454,812.26) and order the County Treasurer to honor the same. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

Mr. Goodnight asked for public comment: There was none, but Mr. Goodnight thanked Ms. Ada Bogart for the wonderful donuts.

 

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT:

     2. Friendship Meals - Virginia Brown: Ms. Brown, Vice President of Friendship Meals, introduced herself and on behalf of Friendship Meals & Meals on Wheels, thanked the Board for amending the Ford County Council on Aging by-laws, and for allowing more representation of senior citizens of Ford County. Ms. Brown also mentioned for the record, that for the past four (4) years their group had been trying to establish a new kitchen and were so far unsuccessful.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

a)      Easement – United Telephone: Mr. Elam explained the revised easement between United

      Telephone and Ford County and in consideration Ford County would receive the sum of

      two hundred forty dollars ($240.00).

 

Swayze moved to approve and sign the Easement for Buried and Underground Facilities between United Telephone and Ford County. Williams seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

b)      Ford County Council on Aging By-Laws: Mr. Elam explained the option to delete item #7 under the guidelines. Mr. Swayze recommended an additional change, in which each center would nominate one (1) person instead of three (3) because of the difficulty getting people to volunteer.

 

Swayze moved to amend the Ford County Council on Aging By-Laws as follows: under Guidelines: delete item #7, and under By-Laws: article III, section 1. “Each organized Senior Citizens group in the county is requested to nominate one person who can be appointed to the Ford County Council on Aging by April 1st of each year.”. Williams seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.   

 

c)      Vacate 109 Road from Park Street to North Bank of Arkansas River: Mr. Elam explained

       the situation and asked that the Board remove this item from the agenda until the land

       owner and tenant have had a chance to discuss a proposed solution.

 

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT:

1.      ITC-Great Plains Project Update: Mr. Carl Huslig and Mr. Jeff Risley, ITC representatives,

      introduced themselves and explained their company, who handles electric transmission lines

      in Kansas. They further explained the proposed plans for Kansas, which would include Ford

      County. Much discussion was held.

 

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3.      Employee Recognition: Mr. Goodnight asked the following employees to come forward and

accept Years of Service certificates: Jim Reneau- 10 years, Fire/EMS; Karen Dressler – 10 years, Register of Deeds and Janice Askew – 10 years, Register of Deeds.

 

4.      SFTCC Carryover: Mr. Klecker explained the unexpended funds carryover from fiscal year

      2007/2008, how it would be spent and indicated the Advisory Board had approved the plan.

 

Williams moved to sign the Santa Fe Trails Community Corrections Fiscal Year 2009 Carryover Reimbursement Plan Budget Summary for Fiscal Year 2009 in the amount of thirty-four thousand five hundred seventy-six dollars and thirty-seven cents ($34,576.37). Goodnight seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

5.      Terracon Proposal – Jail: Mr. Elam explained the Terracon proposal for testing at the Ford County Jail and Sheriff’s Office construction site.

 

Williams moved to approve and allow Chairman to sign the Terracon proposal for testing at the Ford County Jail and Sheriff’s Office, not to exceed twenty thousand five hundred dollars ($20,500.00) to come out of line item #8-057-101-5354. Goodnight seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

6.      2009 Holidays: Mr. Elam reviewed the proposed holidays. Mr. Goodnight asked that county

      holidays be in line with State of Kansas and City of Dodge City holidays. Mr. Goodnight 

      asked to confer with the City of Dodge City’s scheduled holidays and revise the proposed

      holidays to coincide.

 

Goodnight moved to table the 2009 Ford County Holidays until the next commission meeting. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

7.      E911 Landline & Cellular Phone Tax: Ms. Linda Smith, Communications Director, explained

      the proposed motion. This tax pays for updating and maintenance of the E911 system.

 

Goodnight moved to adopt an annually assessed emergency landline telephone tax for calendar year 2009 which shall be seventy-five cents ($0.75) per month per exchange access line or its equivalent and emergency cellular phone tax for calendar year 2009 which shall be fifty cents ($0.50) per month per access line or its equivalent, noting the rate was the same as 2008, pursuant of Ford County Resolution #1993-03. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

8.      Annual KS Wind & Renewable Energy Conference: Mr. Elam reported and recommended that he and one (1) or two (2) county commissioners attend. Mr. Goodnight encouraged Mr. Williams and/or Mr. Swayze to attend. It was the consensus of the Board to allow Mr. Elam to attend, and any County Commissioner who would like to attend should contact Mr. Elam or the County Clerk’s office, to make arrangements.

 

9.      2008 Tri-State Surveying Conference: Mr. Elam explained it would be the only time that he could receive continuing educational units to keep his land surveyors’ license active.

 

Goodnight moved to allow the Ford County Surveyor to attend the 2008 Tri-State Land Surveying Conference in Springfield, Missouri, October 16-18, 2008. Williams seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

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10.  Tornado Siren Request – Bucklin: Russ Smith, Emergency Services Chief, explained a

      request to replace two (2) sirens in the Bucklin area. He had been in contact with the City of

      Bucklin and they indicated they were willing to do a cost share of 50/50 with

      the County to replace two (2) sirens. Further discussion was held.

 

Goodnight moved to allow Chief Smith to purchase two (2) 2001-130 sirens with battery backup, not to exceed fourteen thousand two hundred twenty-two dollars and seventy cents ($14,222.70) each, for a total cost in the amount of twenty-eight thousand four hundred forty-five dollars and forty cents ($28,445.40), subject to the City of Bucklin willing to cost share 50/50 with Ford County. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

Goodnight moved to place the CEO issue on the agenda. Swayze seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

 

Sheriff Bush explained that the current Community Education Opportunities (CEO) program would no longer exist. He further explained that a joint “Project Educate” program had been formed by the  Juvenile Justice Authority, Ford County Sheriff’s Department, Area Mental Health and USD 443. The purpose of this program would be to work with juveniles and try to keep them on the right track and out of the detention program. Sheriff Bush requested donating ten thousand dollars  ($10,000.00) out of the DARE fund to the “Project Educate” program. This would help cover staff salary.

 

Goodnight moved to allow Sheriff Bush to donate ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) from the DARE Fund #8-007-201-5602 to Project Educate. Williams seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. 

 

Sheriff Bush mentioned that moving the CEO program out of the Ford County Jail and Sheriff’s Office, space could be utilized for family inmate meeting rooms.

 

COUNTY COMMISSIONER’S REPORT:

Mr. Goodnight expressed this thoughts and prayers for Ford County Employee John “Butch” Alexander and family.

 

Mr. Elam stated that plans to pour concrete this week for the Ford County Jail and Sheriff’s Office had been postponed due to the much needed rain.

 

Mr. Goodnight mentioned that an informational meeting would be held at Mariah Hills Golf Course Meeting room today from 4-6 pm regarding the City’s proposed waste water treatment plant site.

                                                                                       

                                                                                        BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION

                                                                                        FORD COUNTY, KANSAS

   

    Signed by: T. Kim Goodnight, Chair

 

I do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the proceedings of the Board of County Commissioners held on the above date.        

                                                                                        Victoria Wells, County Clerk