Public Comments

Susan Walker, County Clerk

Elections: Commissioners for Districts 1, 3, and 4 are on the ballots for this year and all the clerks in the townships of Bourbon County, as well as one precinct committee man in each precinct and one precinct committee man for each of the political parties.

The deadline for candidates to file is June 1 at noon. The primary will be held Aug. 4 for the precinct positions.

Commissioner David Beerbower asked about deadlines for adding questions to the ballot. Walker said she would find that information for him.

Accounts Payable Process for Internal Controls:

Walker gave a handout to commissioners to point out to the commissioners some controls to add to the county’s accounts payable process. The first is to have the commissioners sign the vouchers they are asked to review. The chairman signs the checks.

If there are issues with things not being filled out properly, the clerk’s office will ask the departments to resubmit them for coding purposes.

“In the future if we have commissioner expenses … we will just send those to the commission and you can just have your administrative assistant fill out the information and code it how it should be coded,” said Walker.

“We are probably going to be a little bit more strict in the process,” she added.

Commissioner Samuel Tran asked why the commission’s administrative assistant would code for accounts payable. Walker explained that all the other departments do their own coding of bills.

“We may need another assistant,” said Commissioner Mika Milburn-Kee.

Walker offered to continue to code the commission’s expenses.

“I asked one question. I don’t need to open up Pandora’s box, thank you very much,” replied Tran.

Walker asked if the commission wanted her office to continue to code their expenses. Tran said he would take it under advisement.

Micheal Bryant

Last week it was mentioned that there was an external audit done on the sheriff’s department. Bryant requested a copy of that audit through the clerk’s office, but was told there was no audit completed.

“Am I missing something that’s not public that was referenced?” he asked.

Milburn-Kee handed him a document (KORA Audit). He asked if it was a completed audit. No commissioners answered.

“Until I read this, I’m going to go under the assumption that it was not completed,” Bryant said.

He then referenced a 2021 audit with three discrepancies in the sheriff’s accounting where they had 100% control of those accounts, in violation of KS281004.

He said that excluding the sheriff’s department from an audit, knowing there is a history of issues doesn’t make sense.

Empirical evidence that there is fraud afoot should go to the sheriff’s department, he said, not cause the commission to spend thousands of dollars on an audit.

Then he referred to previous allegations that went through a sheriff’s investigation and referral to the county attorney  and on to the state attorney general who determined that there was no fraud in that case.

The commission refused to respond to his questions about the accuracy of his recounting.

“We continue to have discrepancies in some of the facts that are presented. From a commission, that’s a huge issue. Obviously you guys can’t interact with the public, you can’t even answer emails, can you?” Bryant asked. “I would challenge this commission….to reopen the audit that was voted on last week and….at a minimum to include the sheriff.”

“How do we get a response from a commissioner on a question that we have? Do I need to be a part of the neighborhood club? What has to happen here?” He concluded.

Commissioner Joe Allen offered to take his call at any time.

Sewer Discussion with County Attorney James Crux

The commission conducted a work session about the sewer problem, however several county residents with an interest in the topic attended the regular meeting.

Tran summarized the work session saying that the codes are “very hard to enforce,” and the issue has not been resolved. They discussed adopting a new code making non-compliance a Class A misdemeanor. It would require a trained employee to enforce.

“It may end up going to the planning committee,” Tran said. “We are working the issue.”

Crux said that some civil suits have been filed about this issue as well.

Milburn-Kee said that there is also a possibility of adding assessments to properties. “Which gives a little bit of motivation to fix those things.”

Executive Session K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)(1) Subject: Employee Performance – 5 commissioners, Terry Halsey, Leslie Heron and Jennifer Hawkins for 30 minutes. Motion for session carried with Milburn-Kee opposing.

Returned to session no action.

Reentered for another 5 minute session.

Returned to session with no action.

Department Updates
Clerk, Treasurer, ROD, County Attorney – Courthouse Space and Destruction of Property

County Attorney James Crux asked for clarity about the basement clean out project. Beerbower clarified that files, maps, and historical books are not included in the clean out.

Crux asked who is moving the items and where they are going.

Beerbower said that any department wanting to keep their items is fine, but the goal is to “create space where space can be used.”

Crux also clarified that the evidence room is not in the list of places to be cleared out.

Commissioner Joe Allen said the plan is to consolidate the items and then asking various county departments to take what they need before disposing of the rest. The majority of the items in question are desks, chairs, and cabinets, as well as items left behind by previous tenants of a building the ER department now has use of.

Allen asked for a week to get loose ends tied up before going ahead with moving the items.

Old Business

SEK Juvenile Detention Contract

The commission moved to end the contract last year, it was too late to end it at that time. The new commission needs to decide their action regarding the letter that will official end the agreement.

Bourbon County is part owner of the detention center, has about $450,000 in equity in the center, and pays $130,000 per year to remain part owner.

Motley mentioned that the Sheriff thinks the letter of termination should be signed.

Tran read the letter and the commission decided to bring it back at the next meeting with updated dates and commission names.

Commission Comments

Motley: Will attend the SEK RPC board meeting this week.

Allen: Stay positive and remember the meaning of Easter.