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December 22, 2020                                         Tuesday 9:00 am

 

The Bourbon County Commission met in open session with all three Commissioners, the County Counselor and the County Clerk present.

 

Also present were the following: (some were present a portion of the meeting, some were present for the entire meeting), Jason Silvers with the Fort Scott Tribune, Michael Hoyt, Bobby Reed and Mark McCoy.

 

Lynne made a motion to go into a 3 minute executive session for consultation with an attorney for the body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room, Jeff seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Eric Bailey).  After the session, Clifton gave Lynne permission to sign a contract for the Thomas Quarry, Jeff seconded and all approved.

 

Jeff made a motion to approve the updated solid waste plan so that Eric can send to the State, Clifton seconded and all approved.

 

Eric Bailey and Dustin Hall discussed the quotes to repair the rock crusher; Dustin said it would be $30,000/month to rent a crusher from Murphy Tractor for the same size as we have or $35,000 for a larger crusher (both would come with a $5,000-$6,000 freight expense for moving the equipment.  He said it would be expensive to subcontract someone to crush the rock for the County and said we needed to fix what we have.  He received 3 quotes for the repairs; Berry Tractor quoted $27,181, Larry’s Diesel quoted $29,116 and Foley quoted $36,416.  Berry Tractor and Larry’s Diesel included a 6 month warranty and Foley included a 1 year warranty.  Jeff made a motion to approve the quote for Berry Tractor, Clifton seconded and all approved.

 

Eric Bailey said he and Justin Meeks had driven around the southwest part of the County and had looked at culverts in the area.

 

Eric said when the wind farm project starts Todd Foxx and he will work with this project; Jeff told Eric that there is $50,000 for engineering services available for the wind farm project.

 

Eric said Frank Young with Ag Engineering will provide a core drilling quote at Elm Creek Lake.

 

The Commissioners had scheduled to go into an executive session for personnel matters of non-elected personnel, but Lynne asked to change the reason to matters relating to employer-employee negotiations.  Lynne made a motion to go into a 10 minute executive session for matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room, Clifton seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners and Susan Bancroft).  No action was taken.

 

Lynne made a motion to go into a 5 minute executive session for matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room, Clifton seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners).  No action was taken.

 

Lynne made a motion to go into a 5 minute executive session for matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room, Jeff seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners).  Lynne said there was no action at this time, but said there would be action later.

 

Lynne made a motion to name Clifton Beth as the lead Commissioner on the medical mall process, Jeff seconded and all approved.

 

Lynne made a motion to amend the agenda for a 5 minute executive session for confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room, Jeff seconded and all approved, (the session included the Commissioners).  After the session, Lynne made a motion to sign a business contract dealing with a possible business going into the business incubator building, Clifton seconded and all approved.

 

Lynne reported that everything was going well and on schedule with the Spark funds.

 

Clifton gave Lynne permission to have a meeting with Kendell and S&P regarding the re-financing of the bonds and to discuss the sewer district bonds for refinancing, Jeff seconded and all approved.  The Commissioners wish to proceed with a bond rating engagement.

 

At 9:50, Clifton left the meeting.

 

Lynne made a motion to give Justin Meeks permission to draw up a contract for a business manager position, Jeff seconded and the motion carried.

 

The Commissioners held a 2020 budget amendment hearing; after the hearing, Lynne made a motion to amend the 2020 budget, Jeff seconded and the motion passed. The amendment was to amend the expenditure budget for Bridge & Culvert, Public Safety, Ambulance, Road & Bridge Sales Tax, Landfill and the SPARKS grant. Many of those funds needed amended to cover for expenses related to grants received or for receiving more money than budgeted.

 

Jeff made a motion to go into a 10 minute executive session for confidential data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trusts and individual proprietorships, the Commissioners will meet in another location and reconvene in the Commission room, Lynne seconded and the motion passed, (the session included Lynne, Jeff and Jody Hoener).  No action was taken.

 

Bobby Reed and Rachel Thompson (filming) with the SEKRCC met with the Commissioners; Bobby discussed the Commissioners recent approval to carryover unused 2020 vacation time to April 30, 2021 for use.  Bobby said when they did their budget they didn’t budget for prior years vacation rollover expenses.  He said the Sheriff and the Correctional Center were different in staffing due to the fact that they had to staff 24/7.  He said the Clerk told him that 2020 unused vacation time used in 2021 would come out of the 2021 budget.  Bobby said he felt that Clifton thought the vacation policy needed reviewed as well.  Bobby said his department has 221 hours of unused 2020 vacation time and if used in 2021 it would cost an estimated $2,700 + an additional $4,000 in overtime to cover the vacation time off, he said there is approximately 640 hours in the Sheriff’s department and if used it would cost approximately $8,800 + $13,000 in overtime to cover the vacation time off.  Bobby said they didn’t budget for this expense.  Bobby said a solution could be to hold money back from the 2020 budget to cover for the 2020 vacation used in 2021, he said a long term policy would be to look at the vacation policies for other businesses/counties.  Bobby suggested in the future they consider paying out for unused vacation time at the end of the year. Jeff Fischer said in a prior year they allowed carryover vacation time to be used in the next year due to a move to the new correctional facility and their employees not being able to use their vacation time, Jeff said it made sense this year to extend the date to use unused 2020 vacation time due to COVID and other employees not being able to use their vacation time.  Jeff said maybe they hadn’t thought about the long-term implications to the departments.   Lynne said maybe with a new Commission they could re-visit the vacation time policy and possibly consider a progressive wage scale.  Lynne said it would take a budget amendment to carryover budgeted money from 2020-2021.

 

Jeff made a motion to approve the on and off premises license for Sugar Valley, Lynne seconded and the motion passed and Lynne signed the licenses.

 

There will not be a scheduled Commission meeting on 12/29/20 or 1/5/2021.

 

At 10:51, Jeff made a motion to adjourn, Lynne seconded and the motion passed.

 

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS

(ss) Lynne Oharah, Chairman

(ss) Jeff Fischer, Commissioner

(ss) Clifton Beth, Commissioner

Attest:

Kendell Mason, Bourbon County Clerk

January 12, 2021, Approved Date