October 30, 2023 Monday, 5:30 p.m.
The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners and the County Clerk present.
Dale Bollinger, Ron Brown, Jason Silvers, Michael Hoyt, Patrick Wood, Clint Walker, Jared Pollock, Floyd Feezel, Patty Ropp, Gary Herrin, and Rachel Walker were present for some or all of the meeting.
Jim Harris opened the meeting with the flag salute followed by a prayer led by Nelson Blythe.
Clifton Beth made a motion to approve the consent agenda which includes approval of minutes from 10/23/23. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.
Dale Bollinger spoke about comments that were in the newspaper regarding the cost of adding additional ambulances to our fleet to accommodate an EMS barn in the western part of Bourbon County. Mr. Bollinger said he felt the totals listed were excessive and doesn’t like the idea of giving a $1,500,000 subsidy to someone without being able to track where and how it is spent and suggested putting the issue on the ballot. Mr. Bollinger also suggested looking at purchasing the dialysis center as he feels the current medical facility building is not feasible for us, talking to Wal-Mart about location for a helipad, and possibly building something smaller with a partnership with Amberwell for their Medicare and Medicaid billing. Clifton said they had looked at the dialysis center and it is currently still under rent and have spoken to Wal-Mart regarding a helipad. Troy Felt spoke about Medicaid expansion and how he feels about subsidizing a healthcare company. Mr. Felt suggested the Commissioners say who the representatives at the state that residents need to contact are and list their phone numbers on our website. Clint Walker suggested the Commissioners do what he calls public promotion and allay fears by laying our what our plan is. Michael Hoyt encouraged everybody to vote.
Ronnie Brown and Jared Pollock with the Bourbon County Conservation District came to get an update on the status of funding for 2024. Currently, $40,000 has been set aside in a contingency fund for the Soil Conservation District. Mr. Pollock said they are state funded as well as county funded and have to list the amount they will receive from the county on paperwork that must be submitted to the state. Mr. Pollock also stated the Conservation District is okay with moving forward with adding a representative from Bourbon County and that the Commissioners can decide whomever they choose. Jim made a motion to move $40,000 from the contingency fund to appropriation for the Soil Conservation District and to allow the County Clerk to sign any documentation needed for 2024. Clifton seconded the motion. Nelson opposed. The motion passed 2-1.
Eric Bailey, Public Works Director, said that Eagle Road west of the railroad tracks is now complete. A culvert was replaced at 230th Street and Eagle Road and said the road will have to be closed to try to get prep work done for asphalt and that they will post when it will be closed. Jim thanked Eric and the crew for working hard through breakdowns and mother nature to get the work done on Eagle Road. Eric said the two new graders are in at Humbolt and should be here next week. Eric said he will be out of town Wednesday thru Friday this week so to reach out to Dustin Hall if there are any issues. There was discussion held over lowering the speed limit on gravel roads from the current 55 mph. Clifton asked if they changed the speed limit if they would then have to post signs and Justin said yes, signs would have to be placed throughout the county. Eric said he was concerned over the cost of placing signs as it would be approximately $50.00 per sign for the post and the sign not including labor. It was decided to table the discussion of lowering speed limits on gravel roads.
Jennifer Hawkins, County Clerk, presented a letter received from the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center requesting a letter of support for a KDOT grant they are applying for. Rebecca Bilderback, Executive Assistant at SEKMHC, stated that transportation services include appointments (psychiatric, therapy, case management, primary care physician, dental) grocery shopping, personal needs shopping, out-of-town specialist appointments, hospitalization admissions and discharges, education group attendance, children’s field trips, and exercise groups. Services that utilize transportation are outpatient mental health, psychiatry, case management for adults and children, chemical abuse services, and crisis services. Clifton made a motion that all three Commissioners sign the letter of support for Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center for their application for a KDOT grant. Jim seconded the motion and all approved. Jennifer asked for the Commissioner’s decision on voting delegates for the Kansas Workers Risk Cooperative for Counties meeting that will be held during the Kansas Association of Counties meeting in December. It was decided Jim will be the voting delegate and Clifton will be listed as an alternative. Jennifer said 149 voters have taken advantage of early voting at the Courthouse and asked Commissioners to not hold a meeting next Monday as the Clerk’s office will be busy preparing for the General Election the next day. Clifton made a motion to cancel the November 6th Commission meeting. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.
Clifton made a motion to go into a 10-minute executive session under KSA 75-4319 (b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy to include all three Commissioners and Justin Meeks and will return at 6:41. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved. Clifton made a motion to resume normal session at 6:41 with no action. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.
Clifton went over the holidays during the next few months and discussion was held as to which days to hold meetings. Clifton made a motion to cancel the commission meetings on November 20th, December 25th, January 1st, and January 15th. Jim seconded the motion and all approved. If something comes up a special meeting will be called. Clifton addressed comments made during the meeting and said there are multiple people working on the healthcare issue and have been for several years but NDAs are signed so a lot cannot be discussed in public. Clifton also stated CHC has been spoken to in the past, the cost to build a new facility would be 10-20 million dollars, and the dialysis center is still be rented. Nelson said he received a phone call from a citizen expressing their frustration on a bridge we are receiving KDOT funds to repair as he does not feel it needs repaired. Jim stated in general if KDOT feels it is time to replace a bridge then it is time and they are willing to give us a grant to replace the bridge. Clifton said he received a lot of phone calls and emails about an incident that happened in the northeast part of Fort Scott concerning helicopters, machine gun fire, and an explosion. Clifton said he takes it very seriously that citizens, constituents in his district, were interrupted in the middle of the night and he is absolutely looking into it.
Clifton made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:50. Nelson seconded the motion and all approved.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
___________________, Chairman
___________________, Commissioner
ATTEST: ___________________, Commissioner
Jennifer Hawkins, Bourbon County Clerk
Approved Date