November 22, 2022, Tuesday, 9:00 a.m.
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all commissioners and the County Clerk present.
Anne Dare and Rob Harrington were present for some or all of the meeting.
Clifton made a motion to approve the minutes from the previous week. Nelson seconded. All approved.
Eric Bailey stated that the sidewalk project was underway. They had to dig a little bit deeper than originally planned to find a solid sub-base. Will try to get the pour done this week if possible. We are in the final stages of getting the bean pad built. Had a meeting with representative from ADM to look at our area and waiting to hear back. Eric stated they had a dump truck tip over on its side. The operator was unhurt. We set the truck back up ourselves and added fluids and were able to drive it off. A little bit of cosmetic damage. Eric requested an executive session. Clifton made a motion for executive session KSA 75-4319(b)(6) for preliminary discussion for acquisition of real property including three commissioners, Eric Bailey, Dustin Hall, and Justin Meeks for five minutes returning here at 9:09 a.m. Nelson seconded. All approved. Clifton made a motion to return to normal session with action. Nelson seconded. All approved. Clifton made a motion to allow Eric Bailey to pursue some road right-of-way with 3 different owners around 160th between Fern & Grand on a bridge we got a grant to redo the bridge so it’s approximately 3/4 of an acre. Nelson seconded. All approved. Clifton made a motion for executive session KSA 75-4319(b)(2) for consultation with attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship including three commissioners, Eric Bailey, Justin Meeks, and Dustin Hall for ten minutes returning here at 9:21 a.m. Nelson seconded. All approved. Clifton made a motion to return to normal session with no action. Nelson seconded. All approved.
Section 1 Handbook – Discussion of approval. Discussion regarding Mission/Vision statement ended with decision to exclude statement. Ashley suggested references to the Mission/Vision statement throughout Section 1 be removed. Commission agreed.
Jim asked for an executive session. Clifton made a motion for executive session KSA 75-4319(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individuals nonelected personnel to protect their privacy job performance including three commissioners and Justin Meeks for 15 minutes returning here at 9:38 a.m. Nelson seconded. All approved. Clifton made a motion to return to normal session with no action. Nelson seconded. All approved.
An amended copy of Section 1 of the handbook was presented to the commission. Clifton made a motion to approve. Nelson seconded. Clifton stated he had some issues with the history part of this section. The statement “it is 638 square miles with open prairie comprising 90% of the area. The native forest comprised of remaining 10% of timber belt contains hackberry, hickory, oak, pecan and walnut trees.” Clifton stated he feels this is an untrue statement and should be removed. Clifton made a motion that part be redacted. Nelson seconded. All approved.
Justin Meeks was contacted by an attorney yesterday regarding assignment of lease for the hospital building. Justin requested an executive session. Clifton made a motion for executive session KSA 75-4319(b)(2) for consultation with attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship including three commissioners and Justin Meeks for three minutes returning at 9:47 a.m. Nelson seconded. All approved. Clifton made a motion to return to normal session with action. Nelson seconded. All approved. Clifton made a motion to allow Justin to do the leases to finish up the lease assignment for the hospital building. Justin stated he is working on the deeds for the property of 201 S. Crawford. We are working on the deeds now and should be done next week and should be transferred into the county. I’ve been in it and it is in very bad shape. I think it should be scrapped. With your permission I’ll get with Eric to get in his que to get that ready to be torn down. Discussion regarding the future of the lot was had. A parking lot with a possible basketball hoop to give the youth a place to play. Justin continued with discussion of the Land Bank with shared services in that the person would work for the land bank but also help with tax sales. The Land Bank is requesting that the county supply an office space in the courthouse. I’m asking permission from the commissioners to allow this person to use office space and will also make it convenient to be close to the Deed’s office as deeds and abstracts are worked on. They plan to open this position in a few days. Jim made a motion to allow the Land Bank Manager to share Justin’s office with him. Nelson seconded. All approved.
Shane Walker – No Comment.
Public Comment: No comment
Commission Comment: Jim stated that he would like to schedule a town hall meeting in the River Room in January. One of the topics will be housing. I’m going to invite the city commissioners, contractors and real estate people. The public is encouraged to attend. Other topics can be included as well. Clifton made a motion to allow all three commissioners to attend a work session with the city commissioners. It will be an open meeting. It will be at noon with public welcome. There will be no action taken. Nelson seconded. All approved.
Brian Allen announced from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the hospital in the McAuley Room and discuss the flood plain maps for Bourbon County. Anyone who is concerned about their property are encouraged to attend. All public is welcome. This is Federal and State not Bourbon County.
At 10:01 a.m. Clifton made a motion to adjourn.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
___________________, Chairman
___________________, Commissioner
___________________, Commissioner
ATTEST:
Ashley Shelton, Bourbon County Clerk
_______________, Approved Date
Since when is it okay to use time paid for by OUR taxes on attorney, client privilege? Especially considering the patriot act. This is not okay. This is the united states of America, and you all continue to abuse your power, and rub it in our faces while laughing. Why hasn’t Laura Kelly and the KBI stepped in to advocate for this community? People live in fear everyday from the LEOs and our leaders, and there’s still been zero hope and change, and it’s been decades now. How about building this very sick and suffering community a rehab and a domestic violence shelter, plus giving us better mental health services? You’ve been promising to fix the roads and sidewalks for over a decade now. We know that splash pad isn’t going to happen either, cuz the roller rink ended up being only one night at buck run. You cannot continue to abuse your power like this. If you do then you have to stop calling yourselves conservative or christian. Cuz your behavior these past few years has been nothing but fascism, and we live in a police state at this point. Conservatives are supposed to be strongly against big government, but look at you all. The government should live in fear of it’s people, not it’s people live in fear of their government. This is not the fourth most dangerous town in Kansas because of the addiction problems or the citizens. That is all a reaction to your abuse, lies, and manipulation. We as a community deserve so much more from you. Yet, you continue to do more work breaking the law, than the work it would take to do the right thing in the first place. It’s exhausting for us. How do you all justify your behavior? How do you sleep at night knowing women and children are living in fear because of all of the men’s minds you have poisoned in our community? What would Jesus do? I don’t think he’d be impressed with any of you. I don’t know how anyone could be. You all make a mockery out of our constitution and the very laws you wrote yourself. The hypocrisy runs deep, and you all need to take a long, look into the mirror and ask yourselves if any of this has been worth it. Everyday is a new opportunity and chance to do better. Positive growth and healing is something everyone should do, no matter what age. And this community is begging our leaders and law enforcement officers to get some therapy and training. Where does all our money you have stolen and money from all these grants go? It’s not making any sense. I have lived in so many different places in the US, but bourbon county is on a whole different level of greed and corruption. What’s the point in a pretty downtown and fort, if people are too afraid to visit, and the citizens are too poor to engage in the economy? Clearly, common sense isn’t that common. And instead of doing the right thing, you’ve been focused on punishing the people brave enough to speak out. Showing other victims what will happen if they speak out themselves. Shane on all of you. What used to be a community known for its positive contribution to the civil war, is now a community known for Nazis, child abusers, thrives, corrupt LEOs, racism, misogyny, homophobia, and ableism. It’s 2022, how was this community more accepting in the 1860s than it is in 2022? What would Gordon parks say? Oh, he probably wouldn’t be even the least bit surprised considering y’all tried to run him out of town before he got famous too. It’s a disgrace. Please, get therapy and training and the bare minimum amount of common sense and empathy you need to run a community, instead of whatever the heck you’ve been doing. I want my children and my friends’ children to grow up with a chance of hope. Right now, the only hope people have is if the move away