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There will be no Nemaha County Commissioners meeting held on Monday, November 22nd. The commissioners will be attending the Kansas Association of Counties Conference. The next commissioners meeting will be held on Monday, November 29th. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 11/15/04 Nemaha County Commissioners approved a joint resolution with Brown County Commissioners in support of the continued existence of the Native American Casino's located in Brown County. Commissioners are concerned about a new gaming compact that would allow the Kickapoo and Sac and Fox Tribes to open a joint casino complex in Kansas city, Kansas near the Kansas Speedway. The new compact contains a provision whereby the 1995 compacts for the tribe's existing casino's in Brown County would terminate 7 years after the joint casino opens. Commissioners say the closing of the casino's in Brown County would have a devastating impact on the economy of Northeast Kansas. The resolution encourages state, Federal and Tribal officials to do everything in their power to insure that the local casino's remain open regardless of whether a joint casino is opened in Kansas City. Brown County Commissioner approved the resolution last week. A motion was approved to sign the joint resolution. Commissioner Leo Bindle abstained from voting; however he did sign the resolution. In other business county recycling director, Matt McFall met with commissioners to report that he had selected a 1998 “Yale” forklift for the recycling department and asked for permission to purchase the equipment. McFall said the cost of the forklift is $8,500 and would close out the grant that was awarded to the county for the purchase of equipment for the recycling department. Commissioners gave their approval for the purchase of the forklift. McFall also mentioned to commissioners that state regulations regarding Freon coolants are getting stricter and he is currently calculating the amount of the fee that the recycling department will be charging in the future to accept appliances. McFall said that the fee would be necessary because his department will have to hire local appliance dealers to come out to the county land fill to pump the Freon from the appliances that are dropped off. No amount was given for the fee, or for the date that the fee would go into effect. Mark Wessel, who was voted into the 3rd District position currently held by Frank Kuckelman in the last election sat in on the meeting. Wessel will be sworn in at the Monday, January 10th 2005 commissioners meeting. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman mentioned that a road and bridge employee had approached him with the request that the Nemaha County truck drivers be paid the same amount as the blade operators are currently getting. The hourly wage for truck drivers is $10.99 and blade operators make $11.26 per hour. Kuckelman said that he didn’t know why the two job classifications would be paid a different wage, and asked the other commissioners to take the matter into consideration at the next budget discussion. There will be no commissioners meeting on Monday, November 22nd because the commissioners will be attending the Kansas Association of Counties conference. The next meeting of the Nemaha County Commissioners will be on Monday, November 29th at their regular time of 9:00 AM. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 11/08/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, commissioners reviewed a bill from Hensley Coating of Manhattan for patching the Nemaha County Community building roof for $735. The company representative said that the roof leak is fixed and it should not be necessary to re-roof the building. In other business, commissioners opened one bid for the storage building extension. Only one bid was received, Stallbaumer Lumber of Seneca bid $14,956. The building currently stores lawn care equipment. The extension portion will be used to house equipment used by the emergency preparedness equipment. Commissioners briefly discussed the Wetmore township board positions. Cory Blume was voted in as Trustee and Gary Frang was elected at Treasurer. County Road and Bridge employee Gale Nightingale met with commissioners in executive session to discus employment matters. No decision was made after the executive session. Nightingale had requested to go from a full-time position to a part-time position. Commissioners will discuss the matter at a future meeting. Commissioners took time to discuss road work projects that the road and bridge crew would work on next year. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman suggested that the commissioners make a list of things that needed to be done in their district and bring their list to a future meeting to discuss project priorities. Nemaha County Sheriff, David Mee met with commissioners to request permission to request bids for the Sheriffs 1998 Ford Explorer. Commissioners gave their approval. The Sheriff’s office plans to give the Explorer to the appraiser’s office for their use. The vehicle to be traded in for the new sheriff’s vehicle will be the 1993 Chevy Caprice. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 11/01/04 Commissioners approved a motion to recommend Cook, Flatt and Strobel of Topeka as inspection engineers for the next bridge project to begin in the spring of 2005. The bridge is located 2 miles north and 2 miles east of Seneca. The recommendation will go to the Kansas Department of Transportation for final approval. K-dot will also set the fee that Cook, Flatt and Strobel will charge for their inspection service. Commissioners also lifted the burning ban in Nemaha County due to recent moisture received. Commissioners recommend that any resident planning a controlled burn should still inform their local fire chief before burning. Nemaha County Recycling Director, Matt McFall joined the meeting to request permission to look at forklifts in Kansas City the next time he has a delivery scheduled to drop off in Kansas City. McFall said that he has $8,500 dollars in grant funds left to spend on a forklift, and the equipment that he plans to look at in Kansas City is priced at that amount. Commissioners gave their approval. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 10/25/04 At Monday's Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Nemaha County recycling director was present at the request of the commissioners to give an accounting of the Departments budget. Commissioners told McFall that the Recycling Dept is 120% over budget and asked how that situation occurred and told McFall that the budget would have to be brought in under or at budget before the end of the year. McFall said that part of the shortfall comes from unpaid bills from vendors who purchased recycling materials and the rest comes from money that has been spent to purchase equipment that will be reimbursed from grant funds that have not been deposited yet. McFall went on to say that he has an estimated $20,000 from material sales that will come in before the year is up. After an executive session a motion was approved to take the pay for one employee from the General Fund account instead of the recycling account. The Nemaha County Recycling Department employees 3 fulltime people and one part-time person. In other business, commissioners discussed the details of building an extension to the existing lawn equipment storage building and agreed to move ahead on the project. The extended portion of the building will be used to store emergency preparedness equipment and the Nemaha County voting machines. The building will be wired for electricity and will also have a heating and cooling unit installed for the voting machines, which must be kept at a stable temperature. Commissioners directed Emergency Preparedness Director Dave Carlson to put together bid specifications and send them out to local construction businesses. Gabriel Thompson, Managing attorney for the Manhattan service Area for Kansas Legal Services met with commissioners to request funding. Thompson said that the state of Kansas has had the grant funding from the Federal violence against women act cut from their budget. Thompson said that her office serves the elderly and low-income residents of 10 Northeast Kansas County’s and she is asking for $2,000 from each county. Commissioners said that they would consider her request and may make a contribution of rental space rather than a cash contribution. Kansas Legal Services served over 120 clients in 2003 and has served over 130 clients so far this year. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 10/18/04 Nemaha County Sheriff, David Mee and Representatives from the Nemaha/Marshal Electric Cooperative - Kathy Brinker, Office Manager and Carl Koch, Line Superintendent met with Nemaha County Commissioners to discuss a proposal from the electric coop. Brinker said that most electric coop’s use an answering service or have the local city or county dispatch’s answer calls for the coop. Brinker also said that having the county Sheriff’s dispatch answer at least the preliminary calls during storms or emergency situations would help a great deal by improving communication and freeing up their linemen from having to take turns being on call. Commissioners approved the proposal with a minor change, they stipulated that the $100 per month fee for the service would be deposited into the Sheriff’s Departmental budget and not be divided between the dept employees as is common practice in several neighboring counties. In a related matter, Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness Director Dave Carlson suggested that the funds from the Electric Coop, along with the $44,000 per year dispatch service charge that the City of Seneca pays, might go into a special equipment fund to be used for the Sheriff’s dept dispatch equipment and computer needs. Commissioners thanked Carlson for the suggestion and will discuss the matter in a future meeting. In other business, Nemaha County Training Center Director, Alice Lackey met with commissioners to request that the bathrooms at the training center located on 11th Street in Seneca be remodeled. Lackey said that some of the training center consumers needed easier access to the restrooms and requested permission to remodel the bathrooms to be handicapped accessible. Lackey had one bid from Kramer Construction for the work, and another bid from Eisenbrath plumbing for the facilities. Both companies are located in Seneca. The total of the two bids came to just over $5,200. Lackey also asked commissioners to replace carpet in one of the offices for $400. Commissioners approved a motion to allow Lackey to move forward with both requests from the training center. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 10/11/04 Nemaha County commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the formation of a 3-county extension district. Brown and Doniphan County Commissioners are to vote on forming the extension district Tuesday. Nemaha County Extension agent David Key presented the resolution to form an extension district with Brown and Doniphan Counties. He also presented an operational agreement for the district, which commissioners agreed to review and discuss at a future meeting. The resolution will now be published twice in the official county newspaper, followed by a 60-day comment period. If a valid protest petition is filed, then the district will go to a vote in the next election. The extension district would become operational on July 1st of next year. In other business, Seneca councilmen Tom Kramer, Dave Carlson and city administrator Glen Rodden met with commissioners to request that they consider allowing the city to place an air curtain burner on the county landfill. Rodden said that the city would like to close the current burn pile for lawn waste and has had problems locating a suitable site. The county commissioners requested more information before making a decision. A 12-person board would govern the extension district with four members from each county. County Commissioners would make the initial appointments. Rural Development Association of Northeast Kansas Director, Nancy Gafford presented paperwork for the Baileyville sewer extension grant application. Gafford said that it would be necessary for commissioners to agree to provide assistance to any residents of the land that Baileyville will require for their sewer extension. Commissioners approved a motion to sign the paperwork. Commissioners briefly discussed getting bids to trade in the van that county employees use to go to training and other meetings around the state. Commissioners said that the van has over 100,000 miles and they do not feel comfortable allowing employees to drive long distances. A bid request will be made to Nemaha County vehicle dealerships.
Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 10/04/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting the Wetmore Township Treasurer, Gary Pfrang met with the commissioners to recommend replacements for the clerk and trustee positions for the board. Pfrang recommended Deb Nisson for the clerk position and Dennis Pfrang for the trustee position. Leonard Nissen who had the clerk position gave his resignation to the commissioners at their last meeting on September 27th and Corey Bloom, the former trustee resigned his position effective September 24th. Commissioners took no action, they will discuss the matter at a future meeting. Residents of Red Vermillion Township including Bill Koelzer, Tim Grossnickle and Judy Neihues met with commissioners to request that their road be paved. Residents said that the dirt road has become a safety hazard because of the 8 or more semi trucks loaded with tires for the tire cutting business that travel on that road. Commissioners informed the residents of the cost of $25,000 to $30,000 dollars that it takes to chip and seal each mile of county roads and told the residents that they would consider putting the road on the list of county roads to be paved in the next 5 years. The road in question is a 2 mile strip from Hwy 63 west. There are 9 homes and 2 businesses in that length of county road. Nemaha County Extension agent, David Key met with commissioners to inform them that the items that belong to Nemaha County that are being used by the Nemaha County Extension agency will be included in the new Northeast Kansas Extension District Office space rental agreement that will be brought before the Commissioners along with the resolution to form the district at their next meeting on Monday, October 11th. The other participating counties will be closed on that day to observe the Columbus Day holiday, however they will meet on Tuesday, October 12th to sign the resolution to approve the proposed extension district. Commissioners approved a burning ban for Nemaha County due to excessive dry conditions. The ban goes into effect today and will remain in effect until sufficient moisture has been received to lift the ban. Nemaha County Sheriff, David Mee approached the commissioners with a request to donate the old county posse badges to the Nemaha County Historical Society Museum. Commissioners gave their approval. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 9/20/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting a public hearing was held to consider a Community Development Block Grant application to re-roof the Nemaha County Community Building. Northeast Kansas Rural Development Association Director Nancy Gafford said that the grant application requests $75,000 in funding; the county’s match will be $15,000 if the grant is approved. The commissioners also included a recommendation with the CDGB grant application for the re-roofing project for the Nemaha County Community Building to select the RDA as the grant administrators for the project if awarded. The RDA was the only applicant for the position. In other business the USC LLC of Sabetha met with commissioners to hold a grant hearing closing. In May of 2003 the company was awarded a $225,000 CDBG Grant. The company closed the project early due to the company having met the employment requirements. Nemaha County Extension Board member Teresa Jones met with commissioners to discuss the multi-county extension district that is in the process of being formed. Jones asked if the commissioners had any questions regarding the extension district agreement. Commissioners wanted to know if representation from each county will be equally distributed amongst the board members. Jones replied that each county will have equal representation. Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness director met with commissioners to inform them that the proposed addition to the storage shed is against city code and that he will be requesting a variance to proceed with the project. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 9/13/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Sheriff David Mee met with commissioners to inform them that relief dispatcher Jody Harter of Sabetha has taken a job in Kansas City effective immediately. Mee said that his office has several applications on file from the last time an opening was advertised. Commissioners gave their approval to move ahead with the hiring process. Nemaha County Extension agent, David Key approached commissioners with a request to replace the heating and air conditioning thermostat with a programmable thermostat. Key said that the current one is no longer working. Commissioners gave their approval to install the programmable thermostat. No cost estimate was given. Commissioners held a brief discussion on what type of events the County should plan to celebrate the 150 anniversary of Nemaha County. Commissioners decided to contact cities and organizations in the county to get their input. Mary Ann Holsapple discussed some legislation that is up for vote at the upcoming KAC meeting. David Key also discussed with commissioners the ability of the proposed Northeast Kansas Extension districts ability to tax residents to finance the district. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman asked if the district could tax each county a maximum of 2.5 mills or if that was a total between all the counties involved. Key assured commissioners that the 2.5 mills was a total of all the counties combined. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 9/7/04 Nemaha County Commissioner met Monday. Sheriff David Mee met with commissioners to inform them that relief dispatcher Jody Harter of Sabetha has taken a job in Kansas City effective immediately. Mee said that his office has several applications on file from the last time an opening was advertised. Commissioners gave their approval to move ahead with the hiring process. Nemaha County Extension agent, David Key approached commissioners with a request to replace the heating and air conditioning thermostat at the extension office with a programmable thermostat. Key said that the current one is no longer working. Commissioners gave their approval to install the programmable thermostat. No cost estimate was given. David Key also discussed with commissioners the proposed Northeast Kansas Extension districts ability to tax residents to finance the district. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman asked if the district could tax each county a maximum of 2.5 mills or if that was a total between all the counties involved. Key assured commissioners that the 2.5 mills was a total of all the counties combined. Commissioners held a brief discussion with county employee Carolyn Huerter and Register of Deeds Mary Ann Holsapple on what type of events the County should plan to celebrate the 150 anniversary of Nemaha County. Commissioners directed Huerter and Holsapple to contact cities and organizations in the county to get their input. The celebration will be held in the summer of 2005. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 9/7/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Nancy Gafford, Director of the Northeast Kansas Rural Development Association and the board members of the Baileyville Improvement District met to hold a bid opening for the administration and engineering of the proposed Baileyville sewer extension project. Cohorst Engineers of Marysville was selected as engineers and the RDA was selected as the grant administrator. Commissioners agreed last month to apply for a grant through the Kansas Department on Commerce on behalf of the Baileyville Improvement District to help fund the expansion of their current sewer lagoon and the construction of a new lagoon cell. In other business a motion was approved to hire Hensley Coating Incorporated of Manhattan to patch repair the roof of the Nemaha County Community Building for $735.00. The Board of Directors of the North East Kansas Area Agency on Aging offered a one year extension of their contract with Nemaha County. The contract extension will run from October 1st 2004 to September, 30th 2005. The meal re-imbursement will remain the same for the first 6 months at $1.10 per meal. Commissioners will reply with a letter of acceptance of the contract. Nemaha County Extension board member, Teresa Jones met with commissioners to ask if they had any questions about the upcoming meeting regarding the forming of an extension district. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman asked what would happen to the vehicles and equipment owned by the county that the Nemaha County Extension office is currently using. Jones assured commissioners that any vehicles and equipment owned by Nemaha County will continue to be used here in the county. And, that when new vehicles or equipment is purchased by the District the current equipment being replaced will be returned to the county. Nemaha County Noxious Weed Director, Todd Swart met with commissioners to discuss a change in the wording in the Noxious Weed Department Operating Plan. Swart said that there is money available from the state to clean up “orphan waste” in the county and he changed the wording in the operating plan to take advantage of those funds. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 8/30/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting a public hearing was held regarding the 2005 county budget. Commissioners voted to approve the budget as published. The budget calls for an estimated tax rate of 49.5 mills, with the amount of tax to be collected at nearly 3.8 million dollars. In other business a bid opening was held for the replacement of the heating and cooling units on the Nemaha County Community Building. A bid of $67,480 was received from Tebbutt Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning of Seneca and $55,645 from Eisenbarth Plumbing of Seneca. Both bids are for high efficiency equipment. Commissioners approved the low bid from Eisenbarth’s with work to begin as soon as possible. Nancy Gafford RDA director met with commissioner to discuss applying for a CDGB grant to fix the roof of the Nemaha County Community Building. Gafford said that the grant would be 80 – 20 matching funds. Commissioners asked Gafford to get price estimates on fixing the roof. Tom Gudenkauf from P&J Solid Waste Management met with commissioners to ask if commissioners were interested in selling the Nemaha County Transfer Station. Commissioners replied that they didn’t believe the sale was feasible because it would be too complicated to separate the Nemaha County Recycling Center from the Transfer Station. Gudenkauf then asked commissioners for their permission to build a transfer station in Nemaha County. Gudenkauf said that KDHE required the commissioner’s signatures on the application paperwork. Commissioners said that they would check with Brad Lippert, Nemaha County Attorney for liability reasons before signing the application. Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness director, Dave Carlson met with commissioners to remind them that the Hospital Annex building has been sold and that he must move the equipment that he has in storage there by the first of the year. Carlson said that the commissioners had suggested earlier that they could build additional storage on to the north side of the lawn equipment storage shed and asked if that was still a possibility. Commissioners asked Carlson to get price estimates from Suther’s Building Supply in Seneca to build an addition to the shed and wire the building for electricity. Commissioners said that they plan on storing the county voting machines in the building in the future. Carlson also informed commissioners that a Foreign Animal Disease informational session and table top training would be held on September 30th at 7:00 pm at the community building. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 8/23/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, a public hearing was held with the Northeast Kansas Rural Development Association and the Baileyville Improvement District for the purpose of expanding the Baileyville sewer lagoon. No protestors appeared at the hearing and commissioners approved the signing of the intergovernmental agreement to proceed with a CDGB grant application, which is due October 15th. Nancy Gafford RDA Director said that the Baileyville Improvement District plans to expand the current lagoon cell and build one new cell for an expected cost of $237,500. The improvement district has $60,000 in funding on hand and is applying for a CDGB grant for the balance. Since the Baileyville sewer lagoon was built - 18 homes have been added to the city and more are planned. The new system is expected to last at least 20 years. In other business, Phil Boeding from Eisenbarth Plumbing and Heating met with commissioners regarding their bid for heating and air conditioning units and installation for the Nemaha County Community Building. Commissioners requested that their bid be re-calculated to reflect the use of high efficiency equipment so that the commissioners can compare the new figures with the bids submitted by Tebbutt’s plumbing and heating. Both companies are located in Seneca. Jane Sunderland, Nemaha County Home Health Director met with commissioners regarding their 2005 contract with the county. Commissioners did not give the Home Health department a 6% raise as requested, however they did agree to fund the dept with the same amount as 2004 at $19,340. The contract will be signed next week pending some minor contract changes. Nemaha County Extension agent David Key and the Nemaha County Fair board met with commissioners to discuss the fair expenses for 2004 and the projected estimate of cost for 2005. Key said that there were many improvements to this years fair, including new display racks, a new hog gate trailer, upgrades to the PA system, and the fair board paid for a portion of the new horse arena fence. The cost for all the improvements came to $2,231. The fair board spent $13,058 dollars on the 2004 fair, and expects to spend at least $9,700 on next years fair. There are no improvements scheduled for the 2005 fair so far and many of the expenses will be less next year such as judge’s fees, dues and premiums. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 8/16/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, county auditor, Gary Stecker met with commissioners regarding the final approval of the 2005 budget. The budget calls for an estimated tax rate of about 49.6 mills, with the amount of tax to be collected at nearly 3.8 million dollars. County Auditor, Gary Stecher said he was able to lower the mill levy due to an increase in the county's assessed valuation and because county departments are doing a good job of cutting back. The commission will consider adoption of the 2005 budget following a public hearing at their August 30th meeting. In other business the president of the Seneca golf club, Joe Schmelzle met with commissioners to request permission to store peat moss on the community building parking lot. Schmelzle said that the peat moss will be used on the new golf course and will only stay on the parking lot for one month, beginning September 4th. Commissioners gave their approval. Schmelzle also said that he had replaced a face converting at the recycling center that had burnt up for lack of oil. Schmelzle said he replaced the part with sealed bearings that did not require maintenance. Nemaha County Sheriff, David Mee met with commissioners to request permission to have the tile floors in the County’s Law enforcement building stripped and waxed. Mee said that the floor cleaning service had been cut back three years ago when the Sheriff’s dept. had been asked to cut expenses. Mee said that the floor hasn’t been stripped and cleaned since that time and it is starting to get in bad shape. Mee also said that Rosenball of Summerfield will do the work for $550. Commissioners approved the work to be done on the floor. Commissioners approved a motion to sign a letter relinquishing any claim of ownership of the old school building that at one time had been planned to be used as a Nemaha County Visitors building. Virginia Dienstbier met with commissioners to give them a quarterly financial report on the Micro Loans in Nemaha County. Bob Hilske from the Nemaha Natural Resources district met with commissioners to discuss the proposed Pawnee County Lake to be located south of Pawnee City in Nebraska. Hilske said that the proposed 36.4 million dollar project is being planned as a flood control measure, possible public water supply, recreation use and for possible economic development. Hilske said that he wanted to know if any of the project benefits would be of interest to Kansas residents. Hilske said that part of the project would be paid for with government funds and he would like to have some interest and support of the project in northeast Kansas. Commissioners opened bids from 3 local companies to replace the air conditioners at the Nemaha County Community Building. Tebbutt Plumbing Heating & Air conditioning of Seneca bid $70,964. Broxterman heating & air conditioning of Sabetha bid $67,232 and Eisenbarth plumbing of Seneca bid $48,578. Commissioners took no action; they discussed getting a third party opinion on the bids. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 8/9/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Tom Bennett representing BG Consultants of Manhattan, met with commissioners to submit the bridge inspection report. Nemaha County had 360 bridges inspected this year, that number does not include bridges under 20 feet long. Bennett also asked that commissioners sign a letter informing the Kansas State Department of Transportation of the bridges in Nemaha County that had been converted from bridges to crossings with culverts and listing the bridges and culverts that had been replaced with bridges over 20 feet long. Commissioners approved a motion to sign the letter after Bridge Supervisor; Dennis Ronnebaum reviews the list to make sure the information is correct. In other business, employees of the Sheriff’s dept met with commissioners to request holiday pay for holidays that fall on the weekends and holiday pay for the following Monday that the court house is closed. Commissioners said that they would take the request into consideration and discuss the matter at a future meeting. Matt McFall, Nemaha County Recycling Director met with commissioners to inform them of the amount of recycling that comes into the Nemaha County Center from surrounding counties. McFall said that he had calculated that 80.86 tons of recyclable materials had come in from January of 2004 till July 1st from Brown, Marshall and Pott counties. McFall said that he was watching closely the cost of processing these materials, and that he had met with Gary Stecker, Nemaha County Auditor to go over the books and Stecker had found no unnecessary expenses. Stecker said that the amount of materials that comes from outside Nemaha County represents 20% of the total amount of recyclables that Nemaha County Recycling receives. Gary Stecker met with the commissioners to talk about two costs that may be increasing in the near future. Stecker said that the county should prepare for increased fuel and health insurance costs in their 2005 budget. Commissioners will wait until the next meeting to approve the 2005 budget for publishing because Commissioner Leo Bindle was not present this morning. The hearing date is tentatively set for Monday, August 30th. Transfer Station Manager Diane Sowers met with commissioners to deliver the July budget balance for the month of July for the solid waste dept. Sowers also informed commissioners that KDHE had approved the renewal of the solid waste permits from June of 2004 to June 30th of 2005. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 8/2/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting Nemaha County Emergency preparedness director, Dave Carlson met with commissioners to inform them that he had a price estimate of $6,700 to move the emergency siren from Baileyville to Kelly and install a new, larger siren at Baileyville. However, Carlson said that he had just been made aware of a grant that is available specifically to purchase emergency sirens. Dave Carlson said that the grant offered by USDA Rural Development and is a 25% matching grant. Carlson said that he didn’t have any other information about the grant, and that he would also have to meet with each of the communities in Nemaha County to discuss their need for new sirens before he applied for the grant. In other business, Tom Gudenkauf from P and J Solid Waste Management met with commissioners to request that the landfill fee be decreased. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman said that because the landfill must be self supporting – a decrease in fees would not be possible. Gudenkauf then asked for permission to start his own transfer station and asked if the county’s current station was for sale. Commissioners said that would take Gudenkaufs request into consideration and discuss the matter at a future meeting. Nemaha County Auditor, Gary Stecker met with commissioners to review the 2005 budget. Commissioners asked Stecker to make some changes to the budget and get a copy of the revised version back to them for review before next Mondays’ meeting. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 7/26/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting the county employee advisory board met with commissioners to request a 75 cent per hour raise and an additional $1.00 for longevity pay. Commissioners said that they would take the request into consideration during the planning for the 2005 budget. Commissioners informed the county employee advisory board that they had received a letter from Blue Cross/Blue Shield to inform the county that they should expect an increase in health insurance for the next year. The County Employee Health Insurance policy renews in January. County Auditor, Gary Stecker met with commissioners regarding the 2003 budget audit. Stecker said that there were no budget violations in the 2003 county budget audit. Commissioners were informed that the Nemaha County float won first place in the Nemaha County Fair Parade in the commercial division. A Bid sheet was prepared by Tebbit Plumbing of Seneca to replace the air conditioning units on the community building. The cost for the bid sheets was $750. Nemaha County Sheriff, David Mee met with Commissioners to inform them that he had received a bill from Haug Communications to repair a tower located at the land fill. The tower was damaged last year by high winds; the bill from Haug’s was just over $2,500. Mee said that he would submit the bill to the insurance company. Mee also mentioned that he would like to install a 100 watt repeater on the tower using some of the grant money that County Emergency Preparedness Director, Dave Carlson had received. Jeff Conner, representing Koch and Co of Seneca met with commissioners to request that they consider negotiating the cost of dumping scrap wood at the Nemaha County land fill. Conner said that Koch and Co takes 25 tons of scrap wood to Brown County every month for $16 per ton and he would like to negotiate a lower price than the $20 per ton that Nemaha County land fill charges. Commissioners said that they would talk to Matt McFall, Nemaha County Land fill director and then would get back to Conner. Nemaha County Noxious Weed Director, Todd Swart met with commissioners to inform them that he had a request from Lorenstine Schmelzle to mark the locations of the County cemetery with road signs. Commissioners gave their approval to put up directional signs to county cemeteries that do not have signs. Swart also mentioned that 3 county road signs were damaged over the weekend. 2 signs were vandalized and 1 was hit by a vehicle. Diane Sowers Nemaha County Transfer Station Manager met with commissioners to inform them that it was time to trade in the Bobcat. Sowers had a bid from Flentie’s for $3,000 per year, the same price that the county has been paying for a bobcat. The bobcat is traded in every 2 years. Fern Odum, Nemaha County Senior Services director met with commissioners to request that the steam table at the Seneca Meal center be replaced. Odum said that the table had been purchased in Sept 1985 and was no longer working. Commissioners approved a motion to allow Odum to purchase a new table for $1,500 for the Seneca Center. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 7/19/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Alice Lackey director of the Nemaha County Training Center presented her budget request for 2005. Lackey asked commissioners to restore their budget to the 2003 funding that would be an increase of $16,000 over this year’s budget of $72,000. Alice Lackey also brought a price estimate to remodel two bathrooms in the Seneca facility. Lackey said that she has not received all the bids, however she estimated that the cost would be approx $1,500. Commissioners approved remodeling both bathrooms. Lackey also said that the Kansas Fire Marshall inspected the facility and required that 4 of the exterior doors have panic hardware installed. Lackey said that Ackerman lock and Key gave her a price estimate of $294 for each door. Commissioners approved the expense. Lackey also requested that now that the building in Sabetha is paid off, would the commissioners discontinue collecting rent on that building. Commissioners said that they would look into the matter. Lackey also requested that the ¼ mill that is set aside for the building payments be left intact and used for building remodeling. Nemaha County Sheriff David Mee brought the 2005 budget request for the County’s law enforcement department. Sheriff Mee did not ask for an increase, his budget request for $642,500 will be the same amount budgeted for this year. Sheriff Mee also mentioned that he planned on using some capital outlay funds to help pay for the dispatch office remodel. The sheriff’s dept received a grant last year to cover some costs in updating the dispatch office and equipment; however the grant will not cover all expenses. Mee also said that he planed on replacing his 1998 Explorer with 98,000 miles with another used vehicle. Commissioner Bindle suggested that his current vehicle be used by the appraiser’s office and the gray Impala be used for a trade-in. Sheriff Mee also requested the $500 reward that is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons who vandalize county road signs be increased to $1,000. Mee said that his request was due to the large number of road signs that were vandalized last week and over the weekend. Glen Rodden, Seneca City Administrator met with commissioners to discuss the drainage problem on South 8th Street. Rodden asked commissioners to help with the $5,300 cost of having BG Consultants survey the problem because most of the land is in the county. Commissioners said that they would place rip-rap where there was erosion, but that was the extent of what they would do to remedy the situation. Jane Heinen, Clerk of the District Court met with commissioners with the budget request for 2005 for the District Court office. Her request will not change from 2004; the request was for $40,900. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 7/12/04 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Sheriff David Mee met with commissioners along with representatives from the National Rifleman’s Association who presented a check to the Sheriff’s Dept for $4,600 to purchase equipment for the Dept. Sheriff Mee said that the funds are from a grant from the NRA that he applied for in December of 2003. Sheriff Mee said that he applied for $7,000 of grant funds
from the NRA and received $4,600. The grant funds come from the “Friends of the
Foundation” of the National Rifleman’s Association. The Foundation sponsors
banquets and other fund raisers across Kansas to raise money which is to be
spent specifically on law enforcement equipment to be used to apprehend drug
offenders. The foundation has raised $495,000 in grant money since it’s
inception in 1991. Sheriff Mee said that the $4,600 in grant funds to Nemaha
County Law Enforcement will purchase two night vision optics, which cost $2,300
each. Bill Persinger from Kanza Mental Health met with commissioners with the budget request for 2005. Persinger said that he is asking the commissioners to increase their budget from the $38,700 that he received in 2004 to the $43,000 that Kanza Mental Health received in 2003. Persinger said that since they have moved from their free space in the Community Building to a new office he now has to pay $250 per month on rent in Nemaha County and the increase would help pay for that expense. Persinger also said that the organization takes in between 900 to 950 clients every year and Nemaha County represents 20% of that number of clients. Betty Kohake gave the commissioners a request for an increase for her dept from $150,000 which was the 2004 funding to $185,000 for 2005. Kohake said that she is expecting some major expenses in the near future. Kohake also requested permission to purchase a new laser printer for $1,500 to $2,000 because the old one is no longer working. Commissioners gave their permission to purchase the printer. Dave Carlson, Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness director met with commissioners to request a siren for Baileyville. Carlson said that Kelly is the only town in Nemaha County that is without a siren and he would like to take the current Baileyville siren which is too small for that town and install it in Kelly, and then purchase another siren for Baileyville. Commissioners asked Carlson to get a cost estimate on the purchase and installation of a siren for Baileyville. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 7/6/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Gary Stecker, Nemaha County Accountant met with commissioners to discuss the 2003 county audit and to begin work on the 2005 budget. Commissioners approved a motion to pay off the loan on the Nemaha County Training Center Work Shop building located on North 11th Street in Sabetha. The amount of the loan plus interest is $16,431.84 as of 7/60/04. In other business, commissioners met with Bruce Boettcher from BG Consultants of Manhattan to discuss options concerning the county’s landfill water runoff control. KDHE has required that counties have a land fill erosion control plan in place and implemented by April 1st of this year. Commissioners discussed several options to control the water runoff at the current landfill site. All plans included building 18 inch high berms around the landfill to keep outside water from running into the pit area. Water that falls on the landfill will be collected in a pit at the bottom of the landfill and must be removed by tanker truck for uses approved by KDHE. Boettcher said that the current land fill should last up to another 15 years, and that the county should start looking for other possible sites. The current landfill has been open since 1974. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 6/28/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, County Appraiser Betty Kohake met with commissioners to request their authorization to hire 3 part-time employees. Kohake said that the county soil testing is complete and she needed help preparing to enter the soil data into the County Assessors computer data base. Commissioners gave their approval. Kohake said that 2 of the part-time employees will be paid minimum wage and the third would be Sharon Rieneke from the Register of Deeds office who offered to help with the work. The part-time employees would be entering the county waterways onto the county aerial maps that were taken in 1991. Kohake said that she is researching having a contract person do the work of downloading all of the information into the computer system. Kohake said that the cost would be from $1,500 to $2,000. The deadline to have the work done is January 1st and is required by the Kansas Dept of Revenue. In other business Darlann Rial and Les Droge, Nemaha County residents met with commissioners regarding the ownership of the Prairie Grove School Building. Rial and Droge said the building needed to be moved and they requested the ownership information on the building. Commissioners directed Rail and Droge to the County Assessors office for the information. The Prairie Grove School Building had been planned to be used as a Tourist Information building on Hwy 36 and was tentatively planned to be moved to near the Markley property West of Seneca north of Hwy 36. After the grant application was not awarded to fund the project, the project was dropped. Rial and Droge said that they plan to contact the Nemaha County Historical Society to see if they would be interested in taking ownership of the building and perhaps revive the project. Tom Bennett from BG Consultants of Manhattan brought the commissioners the landfill plan for their review. The plan is required for all landfills in Kansas by KDHE. Nemaha County filed a 90 day extension and must submit the plan by the end of July. Jim Ronnebaum from SBS Insurance of Seneca met with commissioners to inform them that he was changing the name that the County’s policy was filed as from Nemaha County to Nemaha County Treasurer on behalf of Nemaha County. Ronnebaum also brought by a note book with photos and descriptions of all 22 County property locations. Jennifer and Troy Melvin, Nemaha County janitors and groundskeepers met with commissioners to inform them that the cost of landscaping the building at 207 Main Street that houses the Extension office and Senior Services office was $550. Commissioners commended Melvin’s on the attractive job they had done on the property. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 6/21/04 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Jane Sunderland representing Nemaha County Community Health services met with commissioners to request a 6 percent increase in the 2005 budget request. The budget amount for 2004 was $19,340, with a 6% increase the 2005 budget request is $20,500. Sunderland said that their WIC state funding had been cut by $2,700. Sunderland said that the 140 to 150 women and children that are enrolled in the WIC program, and are served by the agency take about 40% of the nursing staff’s time. Sunderland said that was a large percent of their services that would be affected by the cut back. In other business, Nancy Gafford and the Rural Development Association of Northeast Kansas board met with commissioners to request their 2005 budget funds. Gafford said that the RDA would like a $5,000 increase, bringing the funding total from $20,000 in 2004 to $25,000 for 2005. Gafford said that in the past 4 years the RDA has been instrumental in bringing $13,600,000 into both Brown and Nemaha County’s in grant and loan funding. Gafford also said that 63 ½ jobs had been created. Steve Cohorst of Cohorst Engineers of Marysville and Merlin Deters representing the Baileyville Sanitary Sewer Improvement District met with commissioners to request that the county submit an application for a CDBG grant for the district. Cohorst said that the district had told by KDHE that they must enlarge their lagoon to meet current standards. Cohorst said that the district has $60,000 to apply towards the cost of the estimated $150,000 project, and that the application may not be made by the district itself. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman recommended that the district contact the RDA to discuss their grant application services. The sewer lagoon currently serves 90 customers. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 6/14/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Virginia Dienstbier representing the Rural Development Association of Northeast Kansas and Andy Renyer from USC LLC met with commissioners to sign documents regarding the changes that USC is requesting in the CDBG grant they received to expand their business. County attorney, Brad Lippert also joined the meeting to provide the commissioners with legal counsel. A motion was approved to sign the change documents. Lippert also advised commissioners on the legalities and procedures to implement load limitations on county roads. No decisions were made. Nemaha County Sheriff Mee met with commissioners to request that county deputies receive overtime after 40 hours of work per week. Mee said that the current policy states that the officers must work 43 hours to receive over time. Mee also said that he called the Sheriff’s departments in surrounding counties and found that all but one county paid overtime at 40 hours. Sheriff Mee added that he keeps a close watch on overtime hours and can validate all overtime claims. Commissioners approved a motion to change the policy for the Sheriff’s dept from requiring 43 hours worked per week by deputies before earning overtime to only requiring 40 hours before paying overtime pay. The change will go into effect on Monday, June 21st. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 6/7/04 Todd Swart, Nemaha County Noxious weed director, met with commissioners with 2 bids to replace the air conditioning unit in the Noxious Weed office. Swart said that he had received a bid from Tebbitt Plumbing of Seneca for $1,075 without wiring costs included, and a bid from Roger & Son Electric also of Seneca for $3,351 including wiring. Commissioners directed Swart to accept the low bid from Tebbitt Plumbing and to get a cost estimate from Mitchell Electric of Seneca for the wiring. Swart said that the present air conditioning unit had just quit working completely. Lynn Neihous, representing 3 Rivers Assisted Living from Wamego met with commissioners to ask for a letter of support for a grant application that 3 Rivers is seeking for the purpose purchasing educational materials for public education on the advocacy for the disabled. Commissioners agreed to provide a letter of support. Niehous said that the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities will give $40,000 in grant funds to the entire state of Kansas. Neihouse said that the 3 Rivers application will ask for between $2,000 to 3,000. The application deadline is later this year. Matt McFall Nemaha County Recycling director met with commissioners to inform them that two of the county’s recycling trailers had been blown over in high winds. McFall asked if someone from the bridge crew could help right the trailers using a county backhoe. McFall said that the older trailer of the two is demolished, but that the newer trailer could still be used if it is not damaged during the righting process. Commissioners gave their approval for a bridge employee to help McFall with the downed trailers. McFall also mentioned that an article about the Nemaha County Recycling program had been featured in the May edition of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment newsletter. Commissioners were informed that the old Nemaha County Jail and Sheriff’s House located at 113 N 6th Street has been entered into the National Register of Historic Places on May 19th of 2004. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 5/24/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Judy Adams from the Nemaha County Conservation district met with commissioners with the Conservation districts request for the 2005 budget. Adams said that the office had cut costs by changing a full-time position to a part-time position and she asked for $32,000 for the 2005 budget. The conservation district had received a 10% cut in their 2004 budget and had received $28,000 for that year. Commissioners said that they would take the request into consideration. Todd Swart Nemaha County Noxious Weed Director who is heading up the Enhanced 911 project for the county met with commissioners to discuss some problems that he is having addressing some of the smaller towns. Commissioners will meet on Tuesday, June 1 with a delegation of residents from Baileyville to discuss their concerns with their address changes. Swart also requested that a new air conditioner be purchased for the noxious weed department office. Swart said that the old one is no longer working and that a new air conditioner will be needed before summer. Commissioners gave their approval to Swart to collect bids for a new air conditioner. Matt McFall, Nemaha County Recycling Director met with commissioners to request their permission to purchase 8 new tires for a truck used by the recycling department. McFall said that the tires will cost $289 each for Goodyear’s and requested that the cost be split by the road and bridge dept for tires that they had used from a recycling truck that is no longer being used. Commissioners gave their approval. Virginia Dienstbier representing the RDA and Jim Renyer representing the USC LLC met with commissioners to inform them that the CDGB grant for expansion of their existing business had come in $66,800 under budget and that the USC had requested from the Kansas Department on Commerce that the excess be used to purchase additional equipment. Dienstbier asked commissioners to sign an amendment to add the change to the current grant contract. Commissioners approved a motion to agree to the change. Dienstbier said that because the City of Sabetha had done much of the work of installing the 3-phase electric lines that cost of the project came in much lower than expected. Diane Sowers Nemaha County Transfer Station Director met with commissioners to inform them that insurance will cover $7,706 of the cost of replacing their door that was damaged by wind two weeks ago. The cost to the county will be the $1,000 deductible and $181 for some installation charges because a larger door was selected than the original. Sowers also told commissioners that she had received a cost estimate from Floyd’s truck repair of $2,547 to fix the green truck that is used by both the transfer station and recycling departments. Sowers asked that the cost of the repair be split between the two departments. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 5/17/04 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, commissioners were informed by email from the State of Kansas that house bill 2575 of the 2004 legislation states that no state general fund demand transfers will be made to Kansas county s for fiscal year 2005. In other business, commissioners viewed a bridge located south and west of the Oneida lagoon that has had on end badly eroded. No decision was made. Commissioners informed Nemaha County janitor and groundskeeper Troy Melvin that the Lambert Heiman, Nemaha County Road and Bridge supervisor will make a pick-up truck available to Melvin to haul the lawnmower around to the different county properties. Betty Kohake, Nemaha County Appraiser met with commissioners to give them prices on County mapping and soil samples. Kohake said that Kimball Mapping of Manhattan will charge $1,800 for plotting the soil surveys that has been done by the NRCS office and $2,160 for 180 composite check maps of each of the townships in the county. Kohake said that the information is required by the State of Kansas dept of Revenue to be entered in the Appraiser’s office computer system by January 1st. Kohake said that her dept will not be able to get the data entry work done in time and requested that commissioners hire an additional person for the appraisers office. Kohake said that 2 people in her office will be retiring in a few years and she would like to have someone trained to take one of the openings as well as help with the current data entry work. Commissioners will discuss the matter at a future meeting. Kohake also said that Dave Carlson, Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness Director and Patty Schmelzle who is helping with the enhanced 911 addressing requested that the Appraisers office also have aerial photos done. The cost for aerial photos is $4,800. Commissioners directed Kohake to talk to Dave Carlson to see if the emergency preparedness dept has grant funds available to help pay for the cost of aerial photos. Commissioners reviewed a 1995 resolution to offer a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who damages or destroys county owned road signs. Commissioners determined that the policy is still in effect. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 5/10/04 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Patty Schmelzle from the Noxious weed department, who is helping with the 911 addressing project, came before the board with a letter that would be sent out to Nemaha County residents regarding their 911 addresses. The letter will ask residents to confirm the address information and make any necessary corrections. Schmelzle said she would be sending out the letters one township at a time to give herself and resident’s time to make the necessary corrections. In other business, Bill Persinger, CEO of KANZA Mental Health met with commissioners to discuss his 2005 budget request. Persinger said his agency had taken cuts in funding for 2004 from each contributing county. He said KANZA saw a total reduction in funding of about $17,000. Persinger asked the board if they would consider replacing the 10% cut in funding that Nemaha County cut from the KANZA budget in 2003. Persinger said that he would appreciate the replacement of funding or help with the rent in their downtown Seneca office. KANZA's 2004 allocation from Nemaha County is $30,700. The board said they'll keep the request in mind when they prepare their 2005 budget. Kirby Stallbaumer met with commissioners to request a pay raise from $9.70 an hour to $10.99 per hours. Stallbaumer said that the other employees at the landfill are making $10.99 and he would like a raise to the same pay level. After an executive session to discuss personal matters, the commissioners tabled a decision on the request until next week when Recycling Director Matt McFall can be in attendance. County Extension Director David Key and Janitors Jennifer and Troy Melvin met with commissioners to discuss landscaping the area around the Nemaha County Services Building located at 207 Main. Key had submitted bids he had received for landscaping. He said he had no problem if the Melvin's were willing to do the work. The Board agreed to have them do the work. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 5/3/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioner meeting, Lambert Heiman, Road Department foreman, asked commissioners if the road dept. could begin working 10 hour days on Monday, May 17th. Commissioners gave their approval. The road dept will work 10 hour days, 4 days a week until Labor Day. Commissioners passed a resolution that every rural residence and business in Nemaha County will have a designated Nemaha County address. The resolution also states that the destruction or theft of a road sign is a class C misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of up to $500. The resolution is part of the enhanced 911 system that the commission is establishing in Nemaha County. At 10:00 am Commissioners viewed a driveway entrance
concrete tube in Dave Carlson, Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness Director, met with commissioners to inform them that the 2003 allocation of the Department of Justice Grant of $280,000 cannot be used to remodel the Nemaha County Sheriff’s dispatch and install the enhanced 911 system. Carlson said that he has been told that the 2004 grant allocation is to be used for that purpose, and that those funds will be available in November of this year. Carlson said that the 2003 funds must be spent for other purposes, and he proposed that the commissioners consider purchasing a suburban response vehicle for his dept. The vehicle would have emergency lights, radios, a towing package and storage areas for emergency items. Carlson said that the funds must be spent by July 1st. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 4/26/04 Nemaha County Sheriff, David Mee met with commissioners to propose that a shooting range be built east of Seneca for the purpose of target practice for Nemaha County Law enforcement officers. Mee said that there was an acre of land that is available for lease and could be used for the purpose. Commissioners requested that Mee gather more information about the proposed project and bring it to a future meeting. Tom Bennett from BG Consultants of Manhattan met with commissioners to discuss this year’s bridge project that was listed on the 5-year plan. Bennett said that he had met with land owners adjacent to the bridge and discussed the project and answered any questions that they had. Bennett also mentioned that the county was behind in their 2-year bridge inspection requirement, and suggested that his company be hired to do the project. Bennett said that the inspection did not require that bids be let. Janet Linden, Office Manager for the Road and Bridge dept. said that in the year 2001, BG Consultants had inspected all 354 bridges in the county for a total of just over $14,000. Commissioners said that they would wait until Galen Steinlage could attend the meeting before making a decision. Commissioners requested Brad Lippert to be present at a drainage tube viewing in Washington Township at the next meeting on Monday, May 3rd. Commissioners said that there was a dispute regarding whether the county or the township was responsible for replacing the tube. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 4/19/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Dave Carlson, Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness Director and Betty Kohake, Nemaha County Appraiser met with commissioners to request permission to purchase two licenses for their current software. Kohake said that both offices use the same software and will share the cost of just over $1,100. Carlson said that purchasing the software thru the county assessor’s office would save his department over $3,000. Commissioners gave their permission for the purchase. In other business, commissioners met with David Key, County Extension Agent and members of the Nemaha County Fair Board to discuss improvements to the Nemaha County Fair grounds. Key said that the fair board will not receive a STEP Grant this year and that the amount of funding that they are applying for is not large enough to qualify for a KAN-STEP Grant. Key said that they felt they should continue with some improvements beginning with rebuilding the horse arena fence and also build two pen gate trailers before the fair begins. The fair board said that they will receive about $1,500 in donations from the Team Penning Association and asked the Commissioners to approve $1,472.50 in funds from the county for the arena. The fair board also asked for $1,402.06 for the two trailers. The Nemaha County Commissioners approved a motion to give the fair board a total of $2,874.56 in funding for the two projects. Mark Fuson representing Valic Corp of St Joe, Mo. met with commissioners to ask their permission to present information on a new investment fund to the county employees. Valic Corp. provides the investment portfolio for the county employee 401K plans. Commissioners gave their permission for Fuson to meet on Wednesday with employees. Brad Lippert, Nemaha County Attorney met with commissioners. Commissioners asked Lippert to look into state statutes regarding the maintenance of township roads. Several residents of Red Vermillion Township had asked the county commissioners who was responsible for their field access road. Lippert will present his findings on the matter commissioners at a future meeting. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 4/12/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting a resolution was passed on the recommendation of Nemaha County Attorney, Brad Lippert to charge a booking fee of $45 for adults and $25 for juveniles. The fee will be imposed by the judges in Nemaha County at the time of sentencing. The fee will become effective upon publication. Funds raised by the fee will be deposited into the Nemaha County General Fund. Nemaha County Commissioners received a final total on the cost of the Enhanced 911 signs that have been installed on county roads. The work has now been completed, 1,615 road signs have been installed at a cost of $54,627.78 for labor and materials. The total number of hours spent on the project is 1,299.5 hours at a cost of $14,294.50. Commissioners visited both the county extension building on Main in Seneca and the Nemaha County Community Building to view and discuss landscape options. Commissioners directed Troy Melvin, County janitor and groundskeeper to get price estimates on rock and weed blocker. Commissioners approved a motion to appoint Ival Haslick as treasurer of the Sabetha Fire District #5 to replace Gale Miller who is deceased. Doug Edelman was appointed as a board member to replace Jim Kaeb who resigned. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 4/5/04 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Brad Lippert Nemaha County Attorney and David Mee, Sheriff met with commissioners to request that booking fee be charged. The fee amount has not been established as of yet. Lippert will draw up a resolution to be presented at the next Nemaha County Commissioners meeting Dave Carlson, County emergency Preparedness Director met with commissioners to inform them of a grant available from Kansas Emergency Management Dept. Carlson said that the grant would pay for a comprehensive Analysis of the county, but that the analysis must be done in 3 months. Carlson told commissioners that he would prefer not to apply for a grant with such a short time limit. Commissioners agreed with Carlson’s decision. Fern Odum, Senior Services Director met with commissioners to request that the part-time employees in her department with 1,000 hours be eligible for K-pers. Commissioners agreed that part-time employees that work at least 1,000 hours per year be eligible for K-pers effective immediately. In other business The Nemaha County Appraisers office wants to remind residents of Nemaha County that the 2nd half of Real estate and property taxes ore due on May 10th this year. Also, The Nemaha County Courthouse will close at noon on Good Friday, April 9th Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 3/29/04 Nemaha County Community Health Services Director Patty Remmers is resigning effective April 1st. Remmers informed Nemaha County Commissioners that she will be moving into a full-time position with the health agency to develop hospice care in the county. Remmers has been with Nemaha County Community Health since it began 25 years ago. On the recommendation of Remmers, Commissioners approved the appointment of Jane Sunderland to replace Remmers. Sunderland has been with the agency for five years. In other business, County Recycling Director Matt McFall informed commissioners that he had been to Kansas City over the weekend to look at trailers to purchase for the recycling department. McFall said that he had selected four trailers for a total cost of $12,000. McFall says he has $10,000 left from a grant his department received which will be used to help purchase the trailers. He said two of the current trailers may be sold after he purchases the four trailors. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 3/22/04 Nemaha County Commissioner accepted a proposal from a Manhattan engineering firm for a survey and construction of berms to meet new construction and demolition landfill regulations. The Kansas Department of Health and environment now requires that run-off water be kept out of construction and demolition pits. BG Consultants will survey the property and build the necessary berms to divert the run-off water at a cost not to exceed $9,190. In other business, County Road Supervisor Lambert Heiman gave commissioners a list of chip and seal projects he plans to complete this summer. Dist. #1 will have 24 miles of roads done: dist. #2, 9 miles and Dist. #3, 24 miles. In addition, the Kelly road in both Dist. #2 and #3 will have five miles of new construction. Commissioners received a report on the cost of the enhanced 911 addressing and signage project up to this point. The total cost of the project so far- including labor, equipment, training and materials is just over $42,000. Sheriff David Mee informed Commissioners that he has hired Dean Zartman of Centralia as a full-time dispatcher. He will replaced Jody Hartter of Sabetha who will become a relief dispatcher. Zartman will begin work Wednesday. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 3/15/04 Nemaha County commissioners accepted a bid for plumbing repairs and replacement of some water pipes in the county jail. Commissioners accepted the low bid from Elliott Electrical and Plumbing of Centralia for $7,300. It was among three bids presented by Sheriff David Me.. Commissioners also discussed bids received to modify the east lobby door in the sheriff's building by adding a crash bar. Two bids were received. The door modification was listed on a recent state fire marshal inspection report. A motion by Commissioner Galen Steinlage to move ahead with the project died due to the lack of a second. Sheriff Mee also reported that an additional six rural addressing signs have been stolen over the last two weeks. In other business, County Register of Deeds, Mary Ann Holsapple met with commissioners to request that they approved and sign a contract for maintenance of the computer software in her office at a annual fee of $2,240. Holsapple said the funds will come form the department's technology fund. She said the money in the fund comes from an additional $2 fee on each page that's filed with the Register of Deeds office. Commissioners approved signing the contract. County Recycling Director, Matt McFall met with commissioners to request that county employee Kirby Stallbaumer be moved from the maintenance department to the recycling department. McFall said that Stallbaumer made the request. Commissioners approved the request, however Stallbaumer will continue to fill in for Maintenance as needed.
Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 3/8/04 At the Nemaha County commissioners meeting, Todd Swart, Nemaha County Noxious Weed director met with commissioners to request authorization to purchase a new machine that is a combination copier, printer, scanner and fax machine combined. Swart said that their machine has been shipped to the manufacturer in New York twice and has been returned both times still not working. Swart said that the company has paid $280 for the warranty and asked commissioners to purchase a new machine for $550 to $600. Commissioners approved a motion to allow Swart to purchase the new equipment. Representatives from the Nemaha County Sheriff's Department, County emergency Preparedness and the City of Sabetha met with Nemaha County commissioners to discuss a proposal for the upgrading of the county's existing 911 system. The county plans to upgrade it's existing 911 system, which is a basic phone line with caller ID, to an enhanced 911 system. The enhanced system would give sheriff's dispatchers the callers number, address and other information, such as medical conditions. The initial cost for the upgrade is just over $214,000, plus a monthly maintenance fee of nearly $2,800. The proposal recommends that the enhanced 911 equipment and software to be purchased from Southwestern Bell Company. The proposal provides enhanced 911 services and hardware for both the Nemaha County dispatch and Sabetha dispatch centers. The system will consist of two answering positions in the sheriff's dispatch and one answering position in Sabetha's dispatch. All three positions will be linked together and capable of answering 911 lines, receiving enhanced 911 information on all 911 lines, and also be set up to communicate between each position by intercom. In addition, upgrades are planned to the Nemaha County dispatch to add computerized radios, computer aided dispatch and furniture. The entire project is planned to be complete by the end of the year of January of next year. Plans are to utilize grant money awarded to the Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness Department several months ago by the US Department of Justice and to supplement the project, where necessary, with other funding such as the enhanced 911 phone tax fund or capitol outlay. Nemaha County has been collecting a 75 cent tax from each phone line in the county for about two years. Currently, the fund contains just over $48,000 and the yearly income from the tax is about $45,000. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 3/1/04 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, a bid opening was held for road oil. Two bids were received, one from Koch Pavement Solutions of Salina for 73.4 cents per gallon with a pump charge of $60. The other bid was from Vance Brothers of Kansas City with a bid of 70.8 cents per gallon with no pump charge. The bid chosen was the Vance brothers bid; commissioners said that they calculated the difference between the bids at over $8,000. In other business, Betty Kohake Nemaha County assessor, informed commissioners that tax notices will not go out until March 15th. Kohake said that the bad weather this winter prevented her from viewing some rural properties. Kohake said that she had already filed for an extension. Kohake also asked commissioners for their permission to purchase a new computer for the Assessors office. Kohake said that their old computer is old and she is afraid that it might crash before they are able to purchase another one. Kohake said that she had received a cost estimate from Infinitech of Topeka of $2,500. Commissioners asked Kohake to get other prices for computers and meet back with them. Dave Carlson, Nemaha County Emergency Management Director, met with commissioners to inform them that he was on his way to St. Benedict to inspect some damage to roofs in the area due to high winds over the weekend. Carlson also said that he was getting new maps of the county laminated. The new maps have the 911 street addressing, and will be distributed to all emergency services in the county so that they have a chance to become familiar with the new addressing system. Patty Remmers, Nemaha County Home Health director met with commissioners to request an increase in the annual amount that the county budgets to the Home Health agency. Remmers said that next year’s health service grant from the state will be $7,805. That amount is based on the population of each county in Kansas. Remmers said that last years county match funds was $19,340 and that she is requesting $20,500 for the 2005 year budget which will run from July 1st 2004 to Jun of 2005. Commissioners will take the matter into consideration. Guy Kabill from NEKS Environmental Services met with commissioners to summarize the agency’s accomplishments in the county. Kabill said that 370 permits had been issued since Nemaha County had adopted a county sanitation code. Kabill said that that means that over 60 million gallons of waste water had not been released into the groundwater, wells and waterways of the state. David Key, Nemaha County Extension agent and members of the Fair Board met with commissioners with a list of items that the board would need to complete the improvements that they have planned for this year. Key said that the board had applied for a STEP-grant to improve the horse arena, and build a concession stand and announcers booth for the fair grounds. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman also suggested applying for a KAN-step grant for other misc. improvements that the board plans to complete this summer. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 2/17/04 Sheriff David Mee informed commissioners that Jody Hartter of Sabetha has been hired to take a full-time dispatcher position. Mee says Hartter began training over the weekend. He also reported some of the county roads are still down to one lane in some areas where the drifts have been deep. In other business, Steve Korth with Victor Phillips Company met with commissioners. Korth presented information on a Case Wheel loader. The board told Korth they weren't sure that they were in the market for a loader at this time. County Register of Deeds, Mary Ann Holsapple met with commissioners. Holsapple told commissioners she would like to join the International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers. Holsapple said belonging to the association would be an advantage to her position because of the computer information that she could take advantage of as a member. Commissioners approved Holsapple's request to join the association for an annual membership fee of $135 and to attend their national conference in July. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 2/9/04 Nemaha County Commissioner agreed to sign a letter of support for a grant St. Mary's Church in Saint Benedict plans to seek. Elmer Ronnebaum, representing the church, met with commissioners to make the request. Ronnebaum says the church is having some structural issues and they had a historical masonry architect look at the church building. The church was built between 1889 and 1893. Ronnebaum says they plan to seek a Heritage Trust Fund grant through the Kansas State Historical Society to help pay for a structure evaluation and repair plan. He said he doesn't know at this time how much the grant request will be for. In other business, Sheriff Dave Mee informed commissioners that the State Fire Marshall had just finished inspection the Sheriff's building and found that it was up to code except the east door needs a panic door opener that can be used in case of an emergency. Price quotes are being gathered to determine the cost of getting that door up to code. Nemaha County Commissioners will meet next week on Tuesday during the President's Day holiday on Monday. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 2/2/04 The Courthouse was closed on Monday, February 2nd due to inclement weather. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 1/26/04 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Nancy Gafford, Director of the Rural Development Association of Northeast Kansas met with commissioners to inform them that the RDA board had approved a micro-loan application from Off-Road Service and Repair of Seneca. Brenda Sowers, owner of the company applied for a $15,000 loan to obtain a Kawasaki dealership. Nemaha County Commissioners approved a motion to approve the micro-loan of $15,000 to Off-Road Service and Repair of Seneca. The county was awarded a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant in 2001 to establish a revolving loan fund in the county, which allows the county to make loans of up to $15,000 to small business operations. David Mee, Nemaha County Sheriff met with commissioners to inform them that the new full-time dispatch employee, Letty Rothers of Seneca had made a written request to have her position changed from full-time to a relief position. Rothers said that the reason for the request was that she had expected to sell the family business, and since that has not happened she is not able to work at both places. Mee said that he would begin advertising for another full-time dispatch employee. Mee also requested permission to purchase a new computer and monitor for the county deputy. Mee said that his computer is 6 years old and is not working very well. Mee also said that his department has budgeted in the 2004 budget to purchase a new computer for the deputy and that he has a price of $779 from Jeremy Martini of Dubois Nebraska for a new computer and monitor only. A motion was approved to go ahead with the purchase. In other business, County Attorney Brad Lippert, Road and Bridge Foremen Lambert Heiman and Dennis Ronnebaum along with Russ German from Midwest Steel of Schyler Neb met with commissioners to discuss a mistake that Midwest Steel had made on their bid submitted last week for misc. steel. Midwest was awarded the bid. Due to an addition mistake the bid was $6,000 less than it should have been. Lippert told commissioners that in his legal opinion once the bid was opened and awarded, the company had to honor the bid as it was presented. After a lengthy discussion, the board agreed that Midwest would have to stand by the bid submitted. Tom Gudenkauf of P&J Solid Waste requested to serve Nemaha County buildings with trash pick-up service. Nemaha County currently pays for trash pick-up at the courthouse, the community building and the county shop. Frank Kuckelman requested that bids be sent out to all county solid waste companies. The bid opening will be held on Monday, February 23rd at 10:00 in the Nemaha County Commissioners room. Bill Persinger Director of KANZA Mental Health met with commissioners to ask for a letter of appointment for Trudy Olberding to the KANZA Mental Health board. Persinger also gave commissioners his “end of the year” 2003 report. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 1/20/04 Nemaha County Commissioners approved a pay raise for County Emergency Preparedness Director, Dave Carlson. At the request of Carlson, commissioner voted to raise his salary from $11,300 a year to $12,500 a year for the part-time position. Carlson told commissioners that he had worked for the county for four years and hadn't had an increase in pay. Carlson reported on the countywide first responder training that's going on now. About 100-125 first responders will be trained in the First Responders Incident Management Training. The training has been held in Goff, Seneca and it's in progress this week in Sabetha and will be held next week in Centralia. Carlson also informed commissioners that he and Nemaha County Extension Agent, David Key plan to hold a series of meetings throughout the county with livestock producers. Carlson says the purpose is to make livestock producers aware of what action will be taken by emergency preparedness in the event of a contagious livestock disease in the county. In other business, bids were opened for the purchase of steel and other bridge materials. Bids were received from five companies. Commissioner accepted the low bid submitted by Midwest Steel in the amount of nearly $34,000. Commissioners accepted the low bid submitted by Oden Enterprises for H-piling in the amount of just over $34,000. bids were opened for a new pickup truck for Road and Bridge Foreman, Lambert Heiman. Commissioners accepted the low bid submitted by Nemaha Valley motors of Seneca on a 2004 Dodge Ram 4X4 pickup for just over $18,000. It was among three bids received. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 1/12/04 Nemaha County commissioner accepted a bid for the purchase of a new patrol car for the Sheriff's department. Sheriff David Mee and deputy Bob Cross met with commissioners for the opening of bids. Two bids were received for a 2004 Crown Victoria. Commissioners accepted the low bid submitted by Honeyman Ford of Seneca for $18,947 with the trade-in of a 1998 Crown Victoria. County Emergency Preparedness Director, Dave Carlson informed commissioners that he has applied for a $3,500 grant through the Kansas State Emergency Preparedness office in Topeka. If approved, Carlson says the grant will be used for the purchase of a lap top computer and to pay for data entry of hazardous material information into the computer. The grant requires a 20 percent match which Carlson says that he can easily meet with in-kind labor. The county should learn in March if the grant application is successful. Commissioners learned a community development block grant the county had applied for through the Kansas Department of Commerce to help build eleven bridges in the county wasn't awarded. And commissioners worked on reorganization for 2004. Galen Steinlage was elected as chairman. Leo Bindel will serve as co-chair. The reorganization was gone over and reviewed. It will be typed up and presented for approval at the next commission meeting. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 1/05/04 County Transfer Station Manager, Diane Sowers met with commissioners to request that a separate power meter for the recycling department be installed. Sowers said that the cost would be approx. $264 and would make the bookkeeping for both departments more accurate. Commissioners approved the meter installation. Commissioners agreed to hold their annual re-organization at their next meeting on Monday, January 12th. In other business Commissioners met in executive session with County Attorney, Brad Lippert, County Recycling Director, Matt McFall, County Transfer Station Manager, Diane Sowers, Road and Bridge Supervisor, Lambert Heiman, and Recycling employee Richard Sudbeck regarding personal. No motion was made after the session, commissioners said that it had been determined that Richard Sudbeck would be moved permanently from Road and Bridge to Recycling. Dave Mee met with commissioners to explain that the bid deadline for a new Sheriff’s department vehicle would be delayed until Friday to allow county dealerships the opportunity to view the trade-in car. The bids will be opened at the next County Commissioners meeting held on Monday, January 12th. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 12/31/03 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, commissioners met with Eldon Swant and Nancy Gafford representing the Nemaha County recycling committee, Brad Lippert, County Attorney was also present. Commissioners and committee members discussed the committee’s ability to deposit $1,200 into the solid waste budget to prevent a 2003 budget violation in that department. The recycling committee agreed to deposit $2,000 and keep a balance of $800 to fund the committee’s projects in 2004. David Mee, Nemaha County Sheriff met with commissioners to inform them that his department had worked hard over the year to keep expenses down and had an ending balance of $41,550. Mee asked for permission to transfer $35,000 into capital outlay and use the balance to pay for the last of the 2003 bills. Commissioners approved a motion to transfer $35,000 from the County Sheriff’s account into capital outlay for future sheriff dept equipment purchases not to exceed cash basis law or the budget. Dave Carlson, Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness Director met with commissioners to inform them that his budget has extra money left in the account from the State and Local Assistance Program. Carlson requested that between $2,000 to $3,000 be transferred to the capital outlay to purchase a new or used siren for the Saint Benedict community. Commissioners asked Carlson to get them a price estimate on the cost of a siren before 12:00 noon. Carlson reported back that a new siren and installation would cost approx. $5,000. Commissioners gave their approval to transfer the extra cash into capital outlay for the purpose of purchasing a new siren for St. Benedict. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 12/29/03 The Nemaha County Commissioners approved an amended 2003 budget. Approval followed a public hearing drawing no comment. The solid waste fund was amended because the amount of revenue the department generated over the year was more than expected. The solid waste fund was increased from $178,000 to nearly $256,000. The amendment has no effect on property taxes. County auditor Gary Stecher met with commissioners to discuss the 2003 budget along with the solid waste and recycling budget for 2004. The recycling fund is showing a deficit balance in the 2003 budget of nearly $1,200. The board agreed to contact the recycling committee to see if they still had funds available to reimburse the recycling fund to cover the deficit. County Transfer station manager, Diane Sowers came before the board to report that her computer had crashed at the landfill and request permission to replace it. Commissioners voted to give Sowers approval to order a new computer at a cost of $800, with a $100 rebate. The cost is to be covered either out of the general fund or from the recycling committee fund reimbursement. Commissioners approved an application for a beer license submitted by Charles and Annette Koch of Baileyville, doing business as Chuckwagon Bar & Grill and Grocery. In other business, Sandra Huey and Rita Harsh from the Manhattan office of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, presented commissioners with a certificate of Appreciation thanking the commissioners for their support in establishing SRS access points in Nemaha County. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 12/22/03 Nemaha County sheriff David Mee informed County commissioners that he had been contacted by Pottawatomie County to enter into a contract to house inmates from their facility. Me said the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's department has sent two inmates than they can hold in their facility. Mee said that he could take six additional inmates. Nemaha County has agreed to house the overflow of inmates for Pottawatomie County at a cost of $35 per day per inmate. In other business, County road and Bridge Department Office Manager Janet Linden informed commissioners that the Kansas Department of Transportation had called her office in regards to a bid letting for a bridge replacement project on the Sabetha-Wetmore road, about two miles south of Hwy 36. She said KDOT advised that Stuber Construction had submitted the lowest bid at $377,937. Bids were also received from Midwest Construction for $378,244 and Ebert Co0nstruction for just over $400,000. Linden said KDOT wanted the commission to notify them what bid they wanted to go with. Commissioners advised to accept the bid from Stuber Construction. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 12/15/03 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Commissioners approved the updated Strategic plan prepared by the rural Development Association of Northeast Kansas for Nemaha and Brown counties. RDA Director Nancy Gafford met with commissioners to get their signatures in support of the annual Strategic plan revision. Gafford said that the revision was necessary to keep the Non-Metropolitan business Zone designation for both Nemaha and Brown counties under the Kansas Enterprise zone act. Gafford also said that the Non-Metro Zone designation is a benefit to new businesses and expanding business in both counties. Gafford said that the RDA is not the entity that is responsible to write the Strategic Plan, however, the RDA does it to save the counties the $15,000 cost to hire a professional service to write the plan. Commissioners received a letter from James Beckwith from NEK-AAA informing them that the annual meal site assessment of the Sabetha meal site was complete. He wrote that Linda Middendorf is doing a superb job providing excellence in all aspects of serving meals. The total score that the Sabetha site received is 124 out of a possible score of 126 points. NEK-AAA will present the Sabetha meal site with a certificate of commendation in the spring. Sheriff Mee met with commissioners to introduce the new fulltime dispatcher Letty Rothers of Seneca. Mee also asked if the commissioners would give their permission to sell the 1985 Blazer. Mee said that the vehicle was confiscated from a drug bust and kept for use during bad weather. However, Mee said the vehicle is not suitable for bad roads and would like to sell it. Commissioners gave their approval for Mee to advertise the vehicle and take bids, but are not required to accept the bid if it is too low. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 12/08/03 An open house has been set for the new Nemaha County Services Building in Seneca. County senior Services Director Fern Odum met with Nemaha County Commissioners Monday to invite them to the open house which will be held next Monday, December 15th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the building located at 207 Main Street in Seneca. Odum Says the open house is to celebrate the new building the county purchased to house Senior services and extension. The public is invited to the open house and refreshments will be served. In other business, County Emergency Preparedness Director Dave Carlson met with commissioners to request permission to hire Connie Winkler of Kelly for the Assistant Emergency Preparedness director Position. Carlson said he would like to pay Winkler $375 a month and that his budget has the funds to cover the salary. Commissioners gave their approval. Winkler will replace Melissa Libby who took another position. And Sheriff Dave Mee informed commissioners that full-time dispatcher Kim Kloepfer had submitted her resignation, which was effective Monday. Mee says relief dispatch Leddy Rothers of Seneca has agreed to take the full-time dispatch position. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 11/26/03 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Todd Swart, Noxious Weed Director met with commissioners to inform them that KDOT had sent him a letter requesting to be let out of an agreement with Nemaha County to spray the State right-of-ways in the county for weeds. Commissioners agreed to void the agreement. Swart said the reason given for the request to withdraw from the agreement is that the current service contract that KDOT has with another provider will not end until 2007. Swart also informed commissioners that he has begun flagging intersections for the 911 rural addressing sign posts. He said that the townships will be flagged one-by-one. In other business County Clerk Leanne Jones reported to commissioners that the majority of county employees would prefer to stay with the current Blue Cross/Blue Shield employee health policy. No decision was made. Premiums will increase 24.3 percent under the current plan which is up for renewal on January 1st. A representative of Blue Cross and Blue Shield last week presented two options that represent a smaller potential premium increase than the current plan. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman stated that a 40% insurance increase had been anticipated in the County’s budget for 2004. And, that the current policy increase is 24% County employees pay part of their monthly premiums, $100 for single coverage and $220 for family coverage. The county pays the rest. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 11/17/03 A representative from Blue Cross and Blue Shield meet with Nemaha County Commissioners, county department heads and the county employee advisory board to discuss options for reducing health insurance costs. Two options were presented. Under option one, premiums would increase 20.8% and under option two 23%. If the County stays with it's current plan, premiums will increase just over 24%. The county's current policy is up for renewal on January 1st. Commissioners directed the department heads and employee advisory board to discuss the options with employees and gather their input for a future meeting. Following an executive session with county recycling director Matt McFall, commissioners announced that Gerald Kohake resigned effective this past Friday from the recycling department. Richard Sudbeck will be moved from the Road and Bridge Department to the recycling department to replace Kohake, effective this Thursday. Commissioners voted to have Edleman's in Sabetha replace the doors and frames at the Nemaha County Training Center in Sabetha for a cost of nearly $1,200. And Nemaha County Commissioners voted to re-appoint Ed Stewart and Lester Niehues to the Governing Board of KANZA Mental Health and Guidance. Center. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 11/10/03 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioner meeting, Betty Kohake, County Appraiser requested permission to purchase a new computer and digital camera for her department from Infinitec of Topeka. The computer will cost just over $1,800 dollars and the camera $700. Kohake said that both pieces of office equipment are old and no longer working properly. Kohake also requested permission to purchase a tracking phone from Radio Shack of Seneca for $130 per year. Kohake said that she has been using her personal cell phone. Commissioners gave their permission to make all three purchases. Commissioner received payment of just over $400 from KDOT for it’s use of a quarry road during summer road construction done in the area. Commissioners received a letter from Larry Emig Project Engineer with the KDOT Bureau of local projects regarding the proposed Federal Highway Bridge Inspection Revisions. The letter stated that the revisions would increase the cost of bridge inspections to the county and place more control of local bridges under KDOT. Commissioners signed the letter to disagree with the bridge inspection revisions. John Waltner, Mayor of Heston Kansas and Craig Clough, Harvey County Appraiser met with commissioners to enlist their support of the “Property Tax Fairness Coalition” which seeks to lobby with Kansas legislators close a tax loop hole which allows not-for-profit high end independent living to be tax exempt. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 11/03/03 At this mornings Nemaha County Commissioners meeting Jane Heinen, Court Clerk met with commissioners to inform them that in order to comply with state mandated new software, her dept will have to purchase a new lap top computer as well as upgrade a computer that they currently use. Heinen had no cost estimate for the purchases, she said that the new lap top computer will be used by Judge O’Conner to take with him. Both the new computer and the upgrade on the current computer will have to be purchased before the first of the year. David Key, Nemaha County Extension agent met with commissioners to request a new sign from DeSigns of Baileyville for the new office located on Main Street in Seneca. The cost would be from $220 to $250. Commissioners also approved new cabinets and a counter top for $3,100 from Classic Woodworks of Sabetha for the office. Key said that the new sign for the Extension office was designed by K-State, and that the Road and bridge crew has agreed to put a couple of inches of gravel on the parking lot as soon as they have the time. Key said that the wall that was proposed to be built for the new office to create a meeting space has been cancelled. Key said that they will use cabinets to section off an area to hold meetings. Matt McFall met with commissioners to ask their permission to join with Washington County recycling in combining baling wire orders. McFall said that the dept can save $1.50 per bundle by ordering larger quantities. Commissioners calculated that the savings would be approx $180 per year and gave their permission to combine orders. Washington County Recycling will pick up the wire from the Nemaha County Facility for each order. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 10/27/03 Dave Carlson Nemaha County Emergency Preparedness Director met with Nemaha County Commissioners to inform them that the State mandated county wide mitigation report and the re-evaluation of the county’s emergency readiness report have been completed. Carlson also said that his dept will receive approx. $2,000 from the state to cover the cost of the reports. David Mee, Nemaha County Sheriff informed commissioners that he has hired two new dispatchers. Miranda Young of Sabetha was hired as a full-time dispatch and Letty Ruthers of Seneca was hired as a relief dispatch. Both have already begun their training for the position. Mee also said that he had combined two part-time dispatch positions to create the one new full-time dispatch position. Lisa Toyne a Blue Cross/Blue Shield representative met with commissioners to discuss options to lower employee health insurance costs. The county employee health policy will renew on January 1st of 2004. No decision was made. Commissioners informed Toyne that they expect to make a decision by mid-December. Venice Sloane Community Corrections Director for the 22nd Judicial district came before the board of commissioners to discuss Senate bill number 123 which provides mandatory certified drug abuse treatment for first time qualifying non-violent adult drug offenders who have been convicted of a drug offense. Offenders will pay for their own treatment as much as possible. The 22nd Judical District has a budget of $89,000 to provide treatment for those who have no way to pay for treatment. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 10/20/03 Nemaha County commissioners were notified by blue Cross/Blue shield that the employee health insurance will go up a little over 24%. Family insurance fees will go from $903 per month to $1,122. Single insurance will go from $408 to $507 per month. Nemaha County pays for 100% of the single plan and employees that chose the family plan pay for $287 of the insurance payment out of pocket. A representative of BlueCross/BlueShield will meet with commissioners during their next meeting on Monday, October 27th. The employee health insurance policy will be up for renewal on January 1st of 2004. In other business, Commissioner Leo Bindle presented a bid to replace doors at the Nemaha County Training Center in Sabetha from Edelman’s of Sabetha. The bid was for just over $2,300. No action was taken. More bids will be sought. And Bindle was selected as the voting delegate to the Kansas Association of Counties Convention. Commissioner Frank Kuckelman was selected as first alternate and Commissioner Galen Steinlage as second alternate.
At the Nemaha county commissioners meeting John Morrison from the land fill department met with commissioners to inform them that the track loader is leaking oil and that the cost to repair the equipment could be as much as $2,600. Matt McFall County recycling director said that he didn’t believe that the equipment was worth repairing and that the dept. could use a bull dozer instead. McFall also informed Commissioners that Scott Rokey in the recycling department has given his 2 weeks notice. Commissioners asked McFall to hold off hiring until the first of the year. And, to fill in with road and bridge department employees as needed. Commissioner Leo Bindle said that he had visited the Sabetha NCTC facility and agreed with the staff there that a new door and door frame needs to be installed. Commissioners suggested that the Sabetha facility manager should get estimate to replace the door and frame and bring that information to a future meeting. Bindle also said that the facility management would like to have a tree removed from the parking lot. Commissioners will contact the road and bridge department and ask them to remove the tree. Nemaha County Commissioners meeting 10/06/03 At the Nemaha County Commissioners meeting, Lambert Heiman the road and bridge supervisor informed commissioners that the bridge located on the west edge of Oneida has been closed for repairs. No date was given for the work to be completed. In other business Matt McFall, County recycling director requested permission to purchase 8 tires for the department’s over-the-road trailer. McFall said that the tires could be purchased from Agee’s of Sabetha for just under $200. Commissioners gave their approval for the purchase. Dave Carlson stepped in to let commissioners know that he had a bid of $350 dollars to repair the roof of an emergency services building in Centralia that had been damaged earlier in the year by high winds. Amy Lierz, Sheriff’s Secretary met with commissioners to inform them of a grant that the County Sheriff’s department has applied for. Lierz said that a law enforcement grant is available for up to $10,000 to be used for the purchase of law enforcement equipment. The grant requires a 10% match, and the dept plans to use the funds if awarded to purchase two video cameras for two deputy's patrol cars. The cameras and installation would cost almost $10,000. Brad Lippert met with commissioners to advise them on what their best course would be regarding the ending of a contract with the County Sheriff's department and the City of Centralia to provide law enforcement services for the city.
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