Mitchell County Commissioners Monday, June 2, 2014

The Mitchell County Commissioners held their regular weekly meeting on Monday, June 2, 2014.

The first order of business for the Commissioners was a presentation by Jerry Oetting representing the Mitchell County Fair Board. Oetting submitted the yearly budget to the commissioners for their review. This generated a discussion regarding the fair grounds, the buildings, its usage and the behind-the-scenes look at all the work that is done to get ready for the Fair, conducting the Fair and cleaning up after the Fair. It is obvious that the Fair would not be possible without the dedicated efforts of those who volunteer their time to make it happen.

Last year the Commissioners awarded twenty four thousand dollars to the Fair Board for the Mitchell County Fair. Commissioner Tom Claussen told Oetting that they would review his request and the Commissioners would at least match the funds given last year.

Ed Debesis, EMS Director, requested a fifteen minute executive session to meet with the Commissioners regarding non-elected personnel. At the end of the fifteen minute period, they entered into an additional five minute executive session. When the regular session resumed it was announced that no decisions had been made.

Next up was Larry Emerson Public Works Superintendent. He distributed information to the Commissioners regarding a previous grant submission for funding for the cable guard rail project at the Waconda Lake. John Cashatt had suggested to Emerson that it might be worth their time to apply again. In the last grant cycle, five million dollars of grant money was requested and only two million dollars was available to award. One weak point in the previous grant was the area of economic impact. It would appear that greater emphasis on the impact of the project in regard to economic impact would make it more suitable.

Emerson reported that work is progressing well on the Tice Bridge project. The recent rains will slow them down but the rains were needed and appreciated.

Kristen Kadel, interim County Health Nurse, requested a fifteen minute executive session with the three Commissioners and County Clerk, Chris Treaster for the purpose of discussing non-elected personnel. When the regular meeting was resumed it was announced that no decisions had been made.

A Neighborhood Revitalization grant application was approved for Alvin Becker doing business as Becker Auto. Approval was given for building sixty feet by eighty feet by sixteen feet in the amount of one hundred twenty three thousand nine hundred eighty four dollars.

The Commissioners discussed the Connecting Local Health Priorities With a Healthy Kansas Twenty Twenty workshop that was held at the Technical College last week. Two items of success that were mentioned were the Solomon Valley Transportation program and the Community Garden project located on the North Campus.

Commissioner Mike Cooper was a participant in the tabletop disaster study which simulated a tornado touching down in Beloit. Cooper said the biggest problem that came to light was inability of various departments and agencies to communicate with one another. He said they were assured that outside help would reach Beloit in six to eight hours but the major rescue efforts would be needed to occur in those first six to eight hours.

Having conducted all the business of the County at this time, the meeting adjourned.

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA