The Board of Marshall County Commissioners met in regular session with Keith Bramhall, chairman, Barbara Kickhaefer, member, Fritz Blaske, member and Sandra Wilson, County Clerk present. Chris Pannbacker with the Marysville Advocate was also present for the meeting.
Commissioner Bramhall called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. The meeting was opened with the flag salute.
Fritz Blaske moved, seconded by Keith Bramhall to approve the minutes of 11/29/2021 and agenda for today’s meeting as presented. Unanimous.
Keith Bramhall moved, seconded by Fritz Blaske to approve the following purchase orders. Unanimous.
KIPHS, Inc., Wichita, KS
For 2022 dues
$3,199.30-Emerg Prep Fund-P.O. #6293
GlaxoSmithKline
For private vaccine
$20,352.71-Health Dept. Fund-P.O. #6294
Sanofi Pasteur Inc
For private vaccine
$13,507.78-Health Dept. Fund-P.O. #6295
Brown County Treasurer, Hiawatha, KS
For share of 4-county budget
$1,218.22-District Court Fund-P.O. #6506
Slup’s Repair, Marysville, KS
For tires
$1,438.45-KDOT Fund-P.O. #6515
Community Memorial Healthcare, Marysville, KS
For November 2021 sales tax
$134,129.56-Sales Tax Fund-P.O. #6532
Steven A. Kraushaar, Marysville, KS
For contract attorney November 2021
$3,200.00-District Court Fund-P.O. #6540
Reeder & Boeh, Chartered, Troy, KS
For contract attorney (Fuemmeler)
$2,950.00-District Court-P.O. #6541
Cook, Flatt & Strobel, Topeka, KS
For Irish Creek Engineering Services (Oct 2021)
$52,957.80-Courthouse General (Other Contractual)-P.O. #6554
Fritz Blaske moved, seconded by Barbara Kickhaefer to approve the vouchers as presented and issue manual warrants. Unanimous.
Public Works Administrator Mike Craig met with the Board.
Keith Bramhall moved, seconded by Fritz Blaske to approve the following purchase orders. Unanimous.
National Sign Co, Ottawa, KS
For blank signs
$1,239.00-Road & Bridge Fund-P.O. #109287
Truck Repair Plus, Marysville, KS
For labor & parts to replace 6 injectors
$2,830.02-Road & Bridge Fund-P.O. #109286
Public Works Administrator Mike Craig met with the Board. The footings have been poured on the East River Road bridge repair. The dump truck at Frankfort has quit and needs to be taken to Reed’s to get fixed. Gage County still is not willing to work together to build the bridge on the stateline road, there is now a locked gate on that road that Mr. Craig has informed the township needs to be unlocked. The road is not a closed road, therefore, cannot be obstructed.
Agency on Aging Director Ashley Lyhane met with the Board. Previously the Board had asked for an itemized list of number of riders and stops daily. Mrs. Lyhane presented the information to the Board and informed them that they have been extremely busy and with 2 drivers, there are often times that the staff does not get a lunch hour or their breaks. The office assistant is certified to be a back up driver but then that is pulling the director away from her duties to dispatch the calls. A qualified KDOT employee must do the dispatching. There have been times that employee vacation time has been denied due to the short staff. Agency on Aging Director Ashley Lyhane asked the Board again for permission to advertise for another driver at this time. She will have a driver retire in April or May of 2022 and will be right back in this same situation. The Board wishes to wait a week to decide whether to allow the advertisement of a new driver.
Keith Bramhall moved, seconded by Fritz Blaske to go into executive session at 9:35 a.m. per KSA 75-4319(b)(2) to discuss matters of attorney-client privileged discussions regarding safety issues with the Board, County Counselors Jason Brinegar and Aaron Westbrook and Sheriff Tim Ackerman to return to open session in the Board meeting room at 9:45 a.m. Unanimous.
No action taken as a result of this executive session. County Counselor Jason Brinegar stated that although it is disappointing how we got to this point with the cattle guard issues, cannot let that determine the decision. The Board needs to think about a policy and what is best for the County and it will affect the entire County. This needs to be 100% a policy decision.
Mike, Brett & Amanda Parker joined the meeting at 9:55 a.m. County Counselor Jason Brinegar that the Board has 3 choices to consider today.
1. Adopt a policy that strictly forbids placement of cattle guards.
2. Adopt a policy that allows placement of cattle guards to meet certain criteria.
3. Adopt a policy to allow placement of cattle guards.
Fritz Blaske moved, seconded by Barbara Kickhaefer to develop a policy to allow cattle guards with conditional allowance of the Parker existing cattle guards on Unicorn Road staying until a policy is developed. Unanimous.
March is township meeting and County Counselor Jason Brinegar felt it was a good idea to have the township officers contribute to the making of the policy.
Keith Bramhall moved, seconded by Barbara Kickhaefer to put in a compete moratorium of no cattle guards allowed on any public roads until a policy is developed. Unanimous.
Public Works Administrator Mike Craig talked to the Cottage Hill Township about a fence that was placed and a sign posted stating that the road is closed. This sign was placed by a patron but the proper procedure was not gone through. The sign will be removed and the landowner will be notified.
Barbara Kickhaefer moved, seconded by Fritz Blaske to approve Resolution #20-21-12-03-1 to participate in a statewide litigation Opioid settlement and authorized agreement. Unanimous.
County Counselor Jason Brinegar presented 2022 contracts for contracted attorneys as follows:
Elizabeth Olson from $2100/mo to $2300/mo
Steven Kraushaar from 3200/mo to 3250/mo
Kelly Fuemmeler from 2950/mo to 3000/mo
Barbara Kickhaefer moved, seconded by Keith Bramhall to approve the 2022 contracted attorney contracts for Elizabeth Olson – $2300/mo; Steven Kraushaar – $3250/mo; and, Kelly Fuemmeler – 3000/mo. Unanimous.
Barbara Kickhaefer moved, seconded by Fritz Blaske to go into executive session at 11:35 a.m. per KSA 75-4319(b)(1) to discuss matters of non-elected personnel – employee evaluations with the Board and County Counselors Jason Brinegar and Aaron Westbrook present to return to open session in the Board meeting room at 11:45 a.m. Unanimous.
No action taken as a result of this executive session. The Board discussed Agency on Aging Director Ashley Lyhane’s request to advertise for a driver to begin the training process for the replacement of a retirement in the near future. The Board will require Mrs. Lyhane to write a complete job description and advertise for this position.
Helen Stuckey-Weaver addressed the Board regarding free resources she offers through Wellness Weavers, Inc.
Keith Bramhall moved, seconded by Barbara Kickhaefer to approve the following Home Sewer bills to be paid out of the appropriate funds. Unanimous.
Evergy – 2 lift stations $ 121.76
Linda Weber – salary & supplies $ 300.11
Charlie Schwindamann – contract services $1,059.18
Keith Bramhall moved, seconded by Fritz Blaske to adjourn the meeting at 12:21 p.m. Unanimous. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, December 13, 2021.
