COMMISSION MINUTES – MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2006

 

At 8:30 A.M., all members of the Pottawatomie County Commission met for a regular session in the County Commission Room.  Present were Stan Hartwich, chairman and Tom Doperalski, vice chairman. Barbara Kolde, member was absent.

 

Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to adopt the amended agenda for today’s meeting.  County counselor will meet with the Commission at 11:00, as the County Attorney was unable to keep her appointment.  The Commissioners will meet with Leu Lowrey at 1:00 to discuss the 2007 budget for the road/bridge department.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to the absence of Commissioner Kolde.

 

Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to approve the amended minutes for June 1, 2006.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to the absence of Commissioner Kolde.

 

Gary Conklin, county counselor, met with the Commissioners to update them on the status of the County’s tax foreclosure sale and Kmart delinquent tax issue.

 

Robert Reece, county administrator, presented the Commission with resolutions for their consideration.  The resolutions are to allow sale of bonds for improvements in Timber Creek and Eagles Landing VI & VII.  Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to adopt Resolution 2006-36 authorizing the offer for sale of $660,000 GO Bonds for Timber Creek water improvements.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due absence of Commissioner Kolde.  (Attachment #1)  Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to adopt Resolution 2006-37 authorizing the offer for sale of $585,000 GO Bonds for Eagles Landing VI & VII street, sewer, and water improvements. Motion carried 2 to 0 due to the absence of Commissioner Kolde. (Attachment #2)  Bids will be opened at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, June 15, 2006.

 

Corwin Seamans, 1st District Commission candidate, was present for today’s meeting.

 

Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel issues with the Sheriff and Under Sheriff.  Session to be from 9:15 up until 9:30.  Also present will be county administrator.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to the absence of Commissioner Kolde. Regular meeting resumed.  Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to allow the Sheriff to fill the vacancy in his department and adjust the salary accordingly.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to the absence of Commissioner Kolde.  The Chairman signed a corrected copy of a KDOT Grant for funding to be used by the Sheriff’s department for dealing with underage drinking in connection with the Country Stampede.  (Attachment #3)

 

Gregg Webster, zoning administrator and John Keller, planning and zoning director, met with the Commissioners to discuss requests for rezoning.  Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to adopt Resolution 2006-38 rezoning requested by Mark Ebert from A1 to R1 for property in St. George Township.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to absence of Commissioner Kolde.  (Attachment #4)  Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to adopt Resolution 2006-39 rezoning requested by Neil Ebert from A1 to R1 for property in St. George Township.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to absence of Commissioner Kolde.  (Attachment #5)  Commissioners signed a final plat for Heritage Square South in Blue Township and for Brook Ridge in Louisville.  They also signed a replat for Hillside Acres in St. George Township.

 

The Commissioners visited with the Marshall County Commissioners via conference call.  Marshall County has received a request for hard surfacing a portion of Parallel Road from the community of Lillis west to Hwy 99.  It was also requested to hard surface the Wheaton Road north to Parallel Road.

The Commissioners stated there is not enough traffic on the Wheaton Road north of Wheaton to place such a project higher on the list.  Commissioner Doperalski asked about the reason behind the request.  Marshall County Commission stated individuals had retired and moved back into the area and requested hard surfaced roads.  The Commission agreed that at this time the project would not receive high priority.

 

Lois Schlegel, county appraiser, met with the Commissioners to discuss contract renewal with Devin Sprecker to serve as commercial appraiser for the County.  Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded sign a contract with Devin Sprecker to serve as commercial appraiser for Pottawatomie County.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to absence of Commissioner Kolde.  (Attachment #6)

 

Gary Conklin, county counselor, met with the Commissioners to discuss the Kansas Open Meetings Act.  Conklin stated all Commission meetings are open to the public.  Anytime a quorum is present, it is considered an open meeting.  In the instance of special meetings, it is not necessary to notify the public.  Only those who have requested such notification need to be contacted.  This is the responsibility of the County Clerk.  The Commission should request name, address, and phone number be given in order to be automatically notified of any special meeting.  The County Clerk is to notify individuals of time, place, and date only.  It is not required to give the agenda.  In the case of an emergency meeting, a telephone call is all that is required.  The County can require the requests of notification be renewed annually.  This would eliminate those who are no longer interested.  The Clerk will send a response to a request stating they are now on the list to be notified, but must renew at the end of the year to continue.  Gary will have forms and procedures for the Commission to review by next Monday.

 

The Commission agreed July 3rd would not be a paid holiday for the County employees.  County offices will be open and the Commission will meet in regular session on that day.

 

Leu Lowrey, public works director, met with the Commissioners to discuss scheduling bid dates for sewer, water, and street improvements for Eagles Landing VIII and for the county asphalt overlay project.  Tom Doperalski moved and Stan Hartwich seconded to schedule bid opening for sewer, water, and street improvements in Eagles Landing VIII at 10:00 on July 10th and to open bids for Project AP2006, asphalt overly at 10:30 on July 10th.  Bids will be opened in the County Commission Room.  Motion carried 2 to 0 due to the absence of Commissioner Kolde.

 

Commissioner Kolde came to the meeting at 11:20.

 

Larry Cline, a Timber Creek II resident, met with the Commissioners to express his concerns of sewer backing up in his basement.  In the last 4 years, this has happened 3 times.  He suggested the possibility of installing some type of warning system when there is back up in the manhole.  The issue could be addressed before it backed up into his basement.  Leu stated he has met with a contractor to check all of the old lines in Timber Creek I and II.  With the use of a camera, they will try to identify any problems that might exist in the lines.  He added they also do a series of flushings to try keeping the lines open.  Commissioner Kolde asked if the County’s insurance would cover an incident like this.  Robert stated it would not.  Commissioner Doperalski stated the City of Wamego had used a warning system that was audible and also had a warning light.  Leu stated to install a warning system in the Blue Township sewer area would be very costly.  The City of Wamego has helped the County with use of their equipment to address sewer issues.  With the new development in the sewer district, the County may in the future, need to look at purchasing equipment to help maintain the system in Blue Township.

 

Leu discussed improvements of Green Valley Road north to Junietta Road and Excel Road north to Harvest Road.  Bartlett and West Engineers have submitted a proposal to do a traffic study on Green Valley Road between Elk Creek and Hwy 24.  This study will analyze future traffic projections to evaluate capacity of the roadway section and an operational analysis of the intersection.  Commissioner Doperalski stated he would like to wait until we receive a study regarding Excel Road before making any decisions of road improvements.  Barbara Kolde moved and Tom Doperalski seconded to have Bartlett and West Engineers proceed with the traffic study of Green Valley Road between Elk Creek and Hwy 24.  Cost for the study will be $7,500.  Motion carried 3 to 0.  (Attachment #7)

 

Leu stated the flagpole in front of the County Office Building needs to be replaced.  There was a suggestion of placing the pole near the southwest entrance.  The Commission agreed the pole should be kept at the current location on the East side of the building.

 

The Commission discussed with Leu frontage roads and the intersection on Hwy 24 near Heritage Square North and South. 

 

Commissioner Hartwich asked Leu about the status of the request from the City of Onaga for the County’s participation of the street construction in the northwest portion of the City.  A new building is being constructed in that location. 

 

The Commission adjourned for lunch at 12:15.  They will meet in the Public Works Office with Leu Lowrey at 1:00 to discuss the 2007 road/bridge budget.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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County Clerk                                           Chairman

 

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                                                                     Vice Chairman

 

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                                                                      Member