2005, SIXTy second MEETING




CRAWFORD COUNTY COURTHOUSE, COMMISSIONERS’ BOARD ROOM
Girard, KS. Friday August 12, 2005, 10:00 AM

The Crawford County Board of Commissioners met pursuant to Kansas Statutes Annotated Chapter 19, Article 2, Section 18 in due and regular session with open doors. Commissioner Anthony Pichler served as the presiding officer.

Commissioner Bob Kmiec and Commissioner Tom Moody were present.

Don Pyle, Deputy County Clerk and County Counselor Jim Emerson were present and seated with the Board.

Chairman Pichler led the Pledge of Allegiance.

UNDER THE HEADING BUSINESS FROM A PREVIOUS MEETING
CONSENT AGENDA
On motion (05-246) of Commissioner Kmiec and the second of Commissioner Moody that the consent agenda be approved including:
1. Approval of the August 9, 2005 minutes of the Board of Commissioners’ meeting.
Yeas: Commissioners Kmiec, Moody and Pichler
Nays:
Present but not voting:
Absent or not voting:
The motion prevailed and the consent agenda was approved.

SIGNING OF MOTIONS
The County Clerk presented the following motions for Commissioners’ signatures.


Motion 05 -241 That the consent agenda be approved including: Approval of the August 5, 2005 minutes.
Motion 05 -242 To approve a Conditional Use for Lots of Tots Day Care.
Motion 05 -243 To approve a Conditional Use for Roxan Harvey Kennels.
Motion 05 -244 To approve the July, 2005, Crawford County Clerk’s Report. On a Roll Call Vote.
Motion 05 -245 To approve a Burning Ban for Fire District #2 and Fire District #4.



UNDER THE HEADING NEW BUSINESS
OPENING OF SEALED BIDS
MESSAGES FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS
MESSAGES FROM APPOINTED OFFICIALS
MESSAGES FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES
MESSAGES FROM THE PUBLIC
PROCLAMATIONS AND ORDERS OF THE BOARD
NEW BUSINESS

Item One: Mr. Jim Emerson, County Counselor, presenting a letter from Public Wholesale Water Supply District #11 requesting an easement. Mr. Emerson stated that the Water District is asking for a 20 ft. by 280 ft. easement to build a driveway to an area on which they will construct an elevated water storage tank, which is adjacent to one of the Fire District Number 3 fire stations. Mr. Emerson explained that this had changed from previous plans as KDOT had told them they could construct an entrance from the highway, however since the highway had been rebuilt KDOT would not allow them to construct an entrance from the highway. Mr. Kmiec stated that Fire Dist. #3 board had met and had no objections. Mr. Emerson stated that the property is under a lease purchase agreement with Community National Bank and will need them to sign off on it before approval will be final. Mr. Pichler stated that we can approve the easement with a stipulation that approval is received from Community National Bank.

On motion (05-247) of Commissioner Kmiec and the second of Commissioner Moody to approve an Easement for Public Wholesale Water Supply District #11, subject to the approval of Community National Bank, and authorize the chairman to sign.

Yeas: Commissioners Kmiec, Moody and Pichler
Nays:
Present but not voting:
Absent or not voting:
The motion prevailed.


Item Two: Mr. Pichler stated that with the renewal of our health insurance coming in January he would like to form a committee of county employees to survey all employees about the coverage they would like to see and to send those specifications out to several health insurance companies in order to receive bids on health insurance. Mr. Kmiec added that a few employees had expressed interest in looking at other coverage and that he thought we should look at other options for health insurance. Mr. Pichler added that he would like to have Tom Ragonese to head this up. All the commissioners agreed that if we are going to have options at renewal time, we need to have research done already.


UNDER THE HEADING OLD BUSINESS
OLD BUSINESS
Item One: Mr. Moody was answered by Mr. Emerson that he had contacted the railroad companies about the crossing on Gooding Road and that they were to inspect the crossings and get back in touch with Mr. Emerson. Mr. Moody also asked Mr. Emerson about the status on the old landfill and was answered that they were working on putting the information together to put this property up for sale.

Item Two: Mr. Pichler mentioned that we need to get the budget process going and need to make a decision on this. All commissioners agreed that they need to decide on this now. Mr. Moody was answered that nobody had seen a budget because no one had been hired to prepare it. Mr. Pichler mentioned that with the time needed to publish the budget and then prepare tax statements to be mailed out in November, time is very short. Mr. Pichler stated that we have an offer to do this year’s budget for free and next year’s budget for $4,800 and that we have a bid from a CPA firm to do this year’s budget for $2,900 plus any extra expenses and next years amount was unknown, but will surely be at least $2,900. Mr. Pichler added that he felt that this year’s budget was critical because the auditors were not helping in the process, but that Mr. Kovacic had been involved with this process for many years as well. Mr. Kmiec mentioned that he felt the county was being held over hot water by Mr. Kovacic on this. Mr. Moody mentioned that he did not like being behind on this and that overall the county would be paying only $4,800 for two budgets and that it would cost more to go with the accounting firm for both years.


On motion (05-248) of Commissioner Pichler and the second of Commissioner Moody to approve the hiring of John Kovacic to prepare the budget in 2006 for fiscal year 2007.
Yeas: Commissioners Kmiec, Moody and Pichler.
Nays:
Present but not voting:
Absent or not voting:
The motion prevailed.


Item Three: Mr. Pichler asked if this was a letter from W.W. O’Brien about auctioning off properties for the county. Mr. Kmiec stated that if we were going to have a tax sale then we could add the other properties to the tax sale. Mr. Emerson mentioned that there were several pieces of property that have been held over by the county for several years that needed to be sold and that the City of Walnut has expressed interest in a couple of properties. Mr. Emerson mentioned that the county would have as many as 10 properties to sale, but that none of them involved houses or other property that would justify hiring an auction firm to do the sale. Mr. Emerson mentioned that all of these properties had been in a tax sale previously but had not received any bids and that he would probably keep them separate from the regular tax sale. The commissioners agreed to continue on their present course in terms the sale of this property.



UNDER THE HEADING FUTURE BUSINESS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
FUTURE BUSINESS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Item One: August 18, 2005 -- 7:00 PM The Planning and Zoning Board, with David Yearout as consultant, will meet at the courthouse in the zoning office to discuss the future of zoning regulations in Crawford County. There will be a FEMA representative there to discuss how to read flood maps. The public is welcome to attend.

Item Two: August 26, 2005 – 9:00 A.M. The Crawford County commission will hold a work session with leaders from Crawford County cities, water and sewer districts on installing disconnects in buildings that could use emergency generators for power.

UNDER THE HEADING MOTION TO ADJOURN
MOTION TO ADJOURN
Item One: Adjournment
On the motion of Commissioner Pichler and the second of Commissioner Moody to adjourn the August 12, 2005 meeting at 10:26 AM.
Yeas: Commissioners Kmiec, Moody and Pichler
Nays:
Present but not voting:
Absent or not voting:
The motion prevailed.


Witness my hand in the taking of these minutes and my submission of the same for the approval of the Board of Crawford County Commissioners:




____________________________
Don Pyle
= Seal = Deputy County Clerk


Taken DPP 8/12/05 10:26 AM, Amended DPP 8/15/05 10:07 AM