LINCOLN COUNTY COMMISSIONER PROCEEDINGS
March 13, 2017
The regular meeting of the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners was held in the commission meeting room of the courthouse Monday, March 13, 2017. Chairman Al Joe Wallace called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. with Vice-Chairman Terry Finch and Member Alexis Pflugh present. County Clerk Dawn Harlow was in attendance.
Others present for portions of the meeting: David Dohe, Cynthia Nelson, Katie Black, Darrell Oetting, Jim Wiebke, Tim Kissick, Norman Mannel, Howard Wehrman, Dwight Heller, John Tyson, Jeff Lyne, Ladonna Reinert, Delbert Wacker, Tony Wacker, Jeremy Wiebke, Rod Tromble, Sarah McKinney, Leon Klaus, Michel O’Hare, Jennifer O’Hare, Dustin Florence, Mike Weigel, Jerry Miller, Jeff Bender, Brian Standley and Chad Blackwood.
The chairman recessed the meeting to the basement meeting room at 10:00 a.m. The chairman reconvened the meeting at 10:01 a.m. in the basement meeting room.
Emergency Manager David Dohe provided a breakdown of responding fire districts from within the county that responded to fires in Ellsworth, Lincoln and Russell counties, as well as identifying business and farmers that provided equipment and water, relating that the county can request funding assistance for expenses, but will need to pass a Proclamation of a State of Local Disaster Emergency to qualify. Dohe inquired if the board will be enacting a fire ban due to the extreme conditions.
Health Nurse/Administrator Ladonna Reinert presented a combined grant application for the board’s approval. Reinert requested that the board consider meeting as the Board of Health, and requesting the presence of all stakeholders within the medical community. The board scheduled a Board of Health meeting on April 10 at 2 p.m. Alexis Pflugh moved to approve the chairman signing the grant application for the following grant funds: State Formula, Maternal & Child Health and Public Health Emergency Preparedness and to provide signature approval for the Mitchell County Hospital Foundation’s application for the Chronic Disease Risk Reduction Grant, seconded by Terry Finch. Motion carried.
AT&T representative Sarah McKinney and Phone Connection representative Leon Klaus provided information on the county’s current phone plan and phone system, identifying cost saving potential if the county would discontinue the current Plexar system and move to a PBX system which would operate County department phone lines, in the City of Lincoln, over the internet or installed fiber.
The board forwarded David Bell’s request for a shoo-fly to Director of Public Works Michel O’Hare. O’Hare provided information received on a 1999 Rosco chip spreader, located in Oklahoma City. After discussion, Alexis Pflugh moved to send Tyler Reno and Michel O’Hare to look at the 1999 Rosco chip spreader in Oklahoma City, seconded by Al Joe Wallace. Motion carried. O’Hare provided an additional bid from a local vendor to supply all outlying shops with a portable restroom. No decision made this date.
O’Hare provided cost estimates received to complete eight fracture critical bridge inspections. Terry Finch moved to contract with Kirkham Michael to complete fracture critical bridge inspections, in the amount of $6,500, seconded by Alexis Pflugh. Motion carried. Members of the public identified several stone arch bridges that are missing stones and need repaired.
O’Hare inquired about a decision in regards to Steve Schneider’s previous offer to pay $1.00 per yard for gravel, noting that the current rate being harged residents who haul directly from the pits is $5.50 per yard. Commissioner Finch related that at this time he is not willing to approve graveling the road based upon the current proposal of $1.00 per yard, Commissioner Wallace concurred with Commissioner Finch. Clerk Harlow inquired if she should contact Mr. Schneider to ask him to come to a future meeting, no decision was made this date.
Foley Tractor representatives Jeff Bender and Brian Standley and Murphy Tractor & Equipment representative Chad Blackwood fielded additional questions regarding their respective bids submitted for the purchase of two motor graders. Commissioner Finch discussed his concerns with the model of John Deere motor grader that was bid due to its overall weight versus the specifications that the county requested the vendors bid. After a lengthy discussion, Alexis Pflugh moved to purchase two John Deere motor graders from Murphy Tractor in the amount of $453,000, seconded by Terry Finch. Motion carried.
John Tyson related that the last time his road was graded they did an excellent job.
First Rural Fire Chief Michel O’Hare expressed his appreciation to the Spears, Wiebke and
Oetting farms who provided water tankers to assist with the fires March 6-7.
Terry Finch moved to approve and adopt Resolution 2017-08, declaring a State of Disaster
Emergency Proclamation for Lincoln County, Kansas prohibiting controlled burns, seconded by
Alexis Pflugh. Motion carried.
Alexis Pflugh moved to approve and adopt Resolution 2017-09, proclaiming a State of Local
Disaster Emergency for Lincoln County, Kansas, effective March 6, 2017 through March 13,
2017, seconded by Terry Finch. Motion carried.
Al Joe Wallace moved to approve and adopt the minutes of the March 6, 2017 regular meeting as corrected, seconded by Terry Finch. Motion carried.
Commissioner Pflugh forwarded the following concerns regarding the commission meetings
that were issued at the town hall meeting: follow parliamentary procedures more strictly, add
old business and new business to the angenda, and consider holding one meeting per month at a different time to accommodate residents’ working schedules.
Questions, comments and rhetoric ensued from meeting attendees concerning the nursing
home operations.
Terry Finch moved to adjourn the meeting at 12:57 p.m., seconded by Al Joe Wallace.
Next meeting will be at 9:15 a.m. Monday, March 20, 2017 in the commission meeting room of the courthouse.