The commission concluded their work session on county goals to inform the budget process just before beginning their regular meeting.
Work Session Notes
Commissioner Samuel Tran read through notes.
The purpose of the work session was to discuss goals for the county.
- Commissioner Mika Milburn’s goal was to lower the mill levy, proposing a 10% cutoff.
- Commissioner Gregg Motley’s goal is to restore trust in the employees, the public, and the financial market.
- Commissioner Joe Allen agreed with both of those positions.
- Commissioner David Beerbower’s goal is to reduce property taxes by 15% and to rebalance the county’s services, including proactive road maintence and adding a recycling center.
- Tran wants to maintain current tax rate, add in a cost of living raise for county employees, modernize the county’s procedures and processes, modernize equipment and standardize the county’s inventory, modernize staffing, modernize zoning and codes, and streamline the budget process. In addition, he said the commission should be keeping track of all that is presented at their table.
After reading over those notes, the commission discussed the possible need for more work sessions to refine goals further.
Public Comments
Mr. Parks – There’s still a lot of trash blowing out of those trucks heading to Iola. He suggested tarping it up a little better.
Parks then thanked the commissioners for their time and effort.
“I think you’re doing a fabulous job,” he concluded.
Department Updates
Culvert Permit Tuchscherer 874 210th – Kenny Allen, Public Works Director
Beerbower made a motion to allow the public works director to handle culvert applications without seeking the commission’s approval. The motion carried, Tran voting against.
ADM Agreement Transfer Station – Kenny Allen, Public Works Director
In 2025 the county lost about $4,000 on the bean program. If they continue with the same amount they will loose $34,000 because of the need to buy a tractor to turn the beans with annual payments of about $30,000 per year. They need a tractor that is 120 HP with creeper gears to go slow enough not to destroy the transmission or clutch.
“I don’t see why we’re doing this,” he said. “To get on board and do it right, we need to get sawdust from the Amish, which is free – no big deal – but it takes seven guys, a skid steer, a loader, five dump trucks, and five to seven days, when it’s available.” They also have to haul manure from Fort Scott Community College. All of these components are necessary to properly compost the beans.
“Without the tractor we took in $73,343 last year in beans, but it costs us $7,416.” he said.
Kenny Allen said that dedicating someone to the flipping the beans reduces the number of workers available for all the other jobs at the transfer station. Tran said that it will take an additional employee to water and flip the beans. Historically the beans have stayed behind and the process was never complete.
“I’m asking you to do away with it,” said Kenny Allen to the commission. He said that the people who work out there also want to do away with it. He said they have plenty of dirt, which is preferable to the beans in his opinion.
Tran agreed.
Beerbower asked how much the county is paid to use the beans, because it would have to be enough to pay for a fifth employee and a new tractor.
Kenny Allen also said that the rest of the landfill equipment is in poor shape and it doesn’t seem wise to pour so much money into the bean system.
Beerbower made the motion to stop doing the bean program. Motley seconded it. In discussion, Milburn said she would want outside counsel before making the change.
Motion carried with Commissioner Joe Allen and Mika Milburn opposed.
Next, Kenny Allen, Public Works Director, mentioned that they had to take a load of trash to Arcadia for a cost of $1,602 because the regular place in Iola, Allen County was closed due to wind. The cost of that same load at Allen County would have been $630. He said that if the wind is closing their regular drop off, they will have to close the Bourbon County Transfer Station as well in order not to completely blow their budget.
Milburn asked how closing due to wind serves the people. Beerbower suggested raising rates for the Bourbon County Landfill if the Iola location is closed. The commission decided that it was logistically impossible to make that change.
Kenny Allen also brought up the need for a new excavator, as all the parts for the one they currently have must come from Korea. He said he has spent $30,000 on it to get it ready to remove the overburden from another blast at Blake Quarry.
He found a 2019 excavator with 4,000 hours on it for a yearly payment of $34,000 at a 4.9% interest rate. It can be paid for from the sales tax and road and bridge, $17,000 from each account per year.
Motley asked if he had checked with local banks to see if he could get better rates. He offered to call the five banks in Fort Scott that could bid on it and see if they can beat the 4.9% rate.
Commissioner Joe Allen moved to allow Motley to make those calls, followed by a brief meeting of the commission to vote on the lease agreement.
Motion passed with Milburn voting against.
Old Business
Elevator Package – Tran
Tran said he spoke to Otis and they are going ahead with to “roll with it.”
Vending Machine Placement – Allen
Commissioner Allen said that after discussing it with those who work in the courthouse, consensus was to install a new machine on the first floor of the courthouse, where more people will use them.
Title IV-E County Reimbursement Opportunity – Motley
Asked permission to apply for the grant which covers 23% of the cost of foster care services for children in need of care including attorney’s fees and social workers. Motley said there’s a substantial number of children in need of care in Bourbon County.
Beerbower moved to allow him to apply for the grant and the motion carried unanimously.
Audit RFP – Tran
Tran read a list of potential person’s of contact outside the county, which included several law enforcement personnel from counties in the region.
The commission said they preferred going with best value rather than sealed bids. Tran then explained how the best value method works.
Motley said he has a problem with Baker Tilly bidding, as they drew up the RFP. Tran said they would deal with that at the time of the bid. Motley also has a problem with a county employee being the point of contact. He suggested choosing someone like Kaety Bowers, Republican Party Chair for Bourbon County, since she is outside the system.
Tran asked the vice-chair of the Republican Party, Tim Emerson, who was at the meeting, if he would work with Bowers on the process. Tran had already spoken with Bowers and gotten her verbal consent. Emerson also agreed.
Motley was concerned about the hourly cost of a “fishing expedition,” and suggested the commissioners list the transactions they want audited instead.
Allen expressed a like concern regarding cost and the idea of a fishing expedition as well as using Baker Tilly.
Tran said the minimum cost estimate he was given by Baker Tilly is $20,000.
Motley motioned to use the Greenwood County Sheriff, Heath Samuels, as the outside POC on the recommendation of Bourbon County Sheriff Bill Martin. The motion carried.
Tran then moved to be allowed to start the RFP process using the following dates:
Issue date of April 6.
Deadline for written questions of April 20.
Answers will be due April 27.
Proposal due date will be May 4.
Intent to award will be May 18.
Allen asked why the Sheriff’s department and corrections were not on the list of auditable departments per the RFP. Tran said that those departments had already been audited by Baker Tilly. Allen then said if they are left off, he wants to know why the others are included. Tran said that would drive up the cost of the bid.
“I think everybody should be listed,” said Allen.
The motion carried with Allen voting against.
Update on Benefit District on 190th St. – Motley
Kenny Allen said the price the county quoted the neighborhood to improve their road was $144,000. That information was shared with the residents and they did not get back to the county with a decision. Motley said he would tell his constituent that.
New Business
Hay Bids – County Clerk
Susan Walker said she would post it and then the county would take sealed bids to be opened April 20th in the commission meeting. The Elm Creek location has been removed from the list of available locations because of its proximity to the quarry.
Future Agenda Topics
Intent to terminate contract for Juvenile Detention Center in Gerard
Auction
Work session for sewer
Commission Comments
Joe Allen: A bus driver sent her thanks to public works for cleaning up her route so quickly.
Also, he attended the CORE Community graduation and was very impressed with the program.