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Monday April 13th Mitchell County Commissioners Meeting

 

Mitchell County Commissioners

Monday, April 13, 2015

By Terry Bailey

 

The Mitchell County Commissioners conducted their weekly business meeting on Monday, April thirteenth, to oversee the needs of the county. All three Commissioners were present. Kathy File was sitting in for County Clerk Chris Treaster. Chairperson Tom Claussen extended the condolences of the Commissioners for the sudden passing of Ms. Treaster’s mother.

Claussen announced that he had received a letter from Beloit City Attorney, Katie Schroeder. The letter announced the City’s continued intent to pursue the three mile zoning provision in the Comprehensive Plan. An Open Meeting will be held by the Zoning Commission on May twelfth to solicit public input on this somewhat contentious issue. Claussen encouraged any citizen of the County with thoughts and opinions about this action to attend and voice their opinion.

Kelly Hawk, EMS Director, presented his monthly report to the Commissioners. The Delissa Billing Company, recently secured to do the billing for the EMS, has vigorously examined current and past charges and is seeking to recover money from bills long past due. At this point Delissa has recovered an amount almost equal to their yearly charge. Hawk believes the use of this company has been a wise investment.

EMS made forty-nine runs in the month of March for a total of one hundred thirty-nine runs for the year. Forty-seven of these runs were in Mitchell County, one in Lincoln County, and one in Jewell County. The time period of twelve noon to three p.m., was the busiest time for the Service with Friday being the most active day of the week.

The Commissioners had heard a rumor that the Lifewatch helicopter no longer landed at the helo pad by the hospital but instead was landing at the airport. Hawk reported that when weather did not permit the helicopter to land at the hospital a fixed wing aircraft was dispatched and it did land at the airport. The EMS crew meets the Lifewatch crew there and transports them to the hospital. The crew will stabilize the patient and then the crew and patient will be transferred back to the airport.

Hawk reported that the ambulance that was experiencing long term motor problems had been successfully repaired at a diesel shop in Salina and is running smoothly.

The Commissioners were in receipt of two Neighborhood Revitalization Grant application. They approved both. Blake and Linda Miller submitted an application for a house remodeling project for thirty thousand seven hundred sixty-three dollars for material and six thousand dollars for labor for a total amount of thirty-six thousand seven hundred sixty-three dollars. Devon Treaster had submitted an application for remodeling and an addition to his house in the amount of sixty-eight thousand dollars.

Larry Emerson, Public Works Superintendent, presented two quarterly concrete bids for the Commissioners approval. Abram’s Ready Mix submitted a bid of one hundred twenty dollars and forty-four cents per cubic yard. Beloit Ready Mix submitted a bid of one hundred nineteen dollars per cubic yard. The Commissioner voted to accept the lower bid submitted by Beloit Ready Mix. Commissioner Claussen commented that he has spoken with a county official from Alaska who reported that in that state, concrete costs over four hundred dollars per cubic yard.

Emerson said they had completed sand screening and his crews were ready to start hand patching when the weather permits.

Emerson told the Commissioners that they were short one person on the bridge crew. He will advertise the vacancy and accept applications.

His crews are preparing to begin the bridge replacement project on Walnut Creek. They will not start until after harvest. The road will be closed for at least two months.

Crews are uncovering the gravel bed at the Heller gravel pit preparing to quarry gravel for the County’s roads.

The bridge project by the Brian Jordan home is waiting for the geology report before they can proceed with the work.

County Attorney Mark Noah requested a fifteen minute executive session with the Commissioners to discuss real estate acquisition. No action was taken as a result of this session.

Noah reported that the Kansas Court of Appeals conducts hearings in various sites across the state. Hays, Concordia and Dodge City have hosted such hearings. Noah said that on July fourteenth and fifteenth the Court of Appeals will hold hearings in the Courtroom at the Mitchell County Courthouse. Such hearings have never been conducted in Beloit to the best of Noah’s knowledge. He said the activity will consist of attorneys presented legal arguments with busy days and lots of people coming and going.

Having successfully dealt with all issues on the agenda, the Commissioners adjourned the meeting.

 

 

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA