The Stevens County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session Tuesday, September 2 2014 with all members, Pat Hall, James Bell and Dave Bozone present. Also present were County Clerk Pam Bensel, County Counselor Robert Johnson and RoGlenda Coulter from The Hugoton Hermes. The following is just an agenda for the morning with a few of the unofficial highlights. Official minutes will be published at a later date.
The commissioners’ agenda included 8:30 – bills; 9:00 – Jack Rowden and Gary Gold; 9:30 – Tony Martin/Kirk Spikes; 10:00 – Brandon Kolb; 10:30 – Stachia Nordyke; 11:00 – Paula Rowden; 11:30 – Hospital Board; and 12:00 – lunch.
When this reporter arrived around 8:50 the commissioners were discussing refinancing with Jack Rowden and Gary Gold. They presented a shared plan with the commissioners and discussed the details. Bob expressed the board’s appreciation for their modifications. The commissioners will look, compare their alternatives, then get back with them.
Tony Martin came in with his report from Road and Bridge. He told Bob the sprinkler letters Bob sent out seem to be helping some. He told the commissioners how many tons of asphalt they had produced and the costs. He also reported the new phone system had been installed. The shop has been doing repair work to the mowers.
Kirk Spikes came in to talk about opening a section line road to gain access to a field where Abengoa is storing bales. Bob said this would be a matter of getting easements from the landowners. He will draw some up and Kirk will talk to the landowners. It was agreed that only a half mile road will be needed as it will only lead to more sand if any further.
Sheriff Ted Heaton came in with officers TJ Steers and Duane Topliss. They reported all is well in their department.
After some discussion about the recycling bins located on Main Street it was decided and motion was made to have the bins removed. They constantly have broken glass all around them with all kinds of other trash. The county shares the cost of these bins with the city and the city employees are always having to clean up the mess. Pat said Tom Hicks had expressed their desire to have them removed.
Brandon Kolb was next on the agenda. He came in asking for a section line road to be opened and maintained better so he can get in and out with his grain trucks. Bob said he will talk to the landowner about it. If this is not agreeable, a notice can be put in the paper and the road maintained since it is on a section line.

Stachia Nordyke and Linda Crawford came in and requested a 15 minute executive session for non-elected personnel.
Hospital board members started coming in and so did Paula Rowden. Commissioners said they wanted all of them there at the same time if possible – Paula and the hospital board. Hospital Board members Warren Willis, Dean Van Horn, Joyce Baughman and Milton Gillespie were present along with Health Department Administrator and County Health Officer Paula Rowden. They all commenced with a lengthy discussion about the Well Woman Services being offered at the Health Department. Both sides offered their views of the situation. Paula has a Nurse Practitioner who will come in Fridays. The practitioner will not charge if there are no patients. The hospital has a Nurse Practitioner who is on staff and being paid at all times. Neither entity wants to be in competition with the other. No agreement was reached except more research needs to be done into legalities of the matter by the hospital board. Commissioners asked the two entities to come back to the next commissioners’ meeting in two weeks with more information. Paula is upset because, in the meantime, women are going without care.
Paula had a few other matters to discuss with the commissioners. Meeting adjourned.

Official Minutes Commissioners Meeting
August 18, 2014

The Stevens County Board of County Commissioners met Monday, August 18, 2014  with all members present.  Also present were County Counselor Bob Johnson, County Clerk Pam Bensel and Marie Austin from The Hugoton Hermes  Dave called the meeting to order.  Jim moved to approve the minutes of the last meeting.  Pat seconded.  Motion carried. Jim moved to approve the county vouchers.  Pat seconded.  Motion carried.  The clerk was instructed to draw warrants on the Treasurer chargeable to the various funds of the county for the following amounts: General .. 120,511.20; Road & Bridge .. 19,129.56; Building .. 22,558.25;  Noxious Weed .. 11,516.39; Diversion .. 237.05; Insurance Agency-Damages .. 3,822.28; Community Health .. 16,738.67; Fire Bequest .. 53.95; Employee’s P/R Misc W/H .. 73.32
Pat moved to go into executive session for contract negotiation for ten minutes with County Counselor Bob Johnson present.  Motion carried. Meeting reconvened.
Rodney came in to discuss the only bid he received for cement work between the EMS/Fire buildings. Pat moved to accept the bid from McBride Construction in the amount of $4,124.00 for the cement work.  Motion carried.
Tony Martin brought in another bid for the cement work between the EMS/Fire buildings.
Tony discussed the projects the Road Department is working on. They are patching Road 22 and Road Q then Road 26. The asphalt work will be done within two weeks. Tony informed the commissioners the phone system at the Road Department needs replaced, and it will cost $3,000. He says they will have the signs put up at Lake Russell by Friday. They will read “Ride respectfully or your privileges will be revoked” on the west side and “No Motorcycles/ATVs are allowed” on other side coming into town.  Bob suggested posting a sign with a curfew.
Greg Wellbrock and Ginny Marquis brought in two bids for a printer in the Appraiser’s office. The bids were from Century Business Technologies for a Savin SP5210DN printer at a cost of $2,798.45 and Liberal Office Machines for a Lexmark MS811N Mono Laser printer at a cost of $2,450. Motion was made and accepted to accept the bid from Liberal Office Machines.
Pat moved to go into executive session for pending litigation with County Counselor Bob Johnson.  Meeting reconvened.
Robert Davis came in to ask if the Airport Board meetings could be changed from the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. to the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Motion was made and passed to accept the change for the Airport Board meetings. Robert talked about the new project at the airport. The asphalt around the hangers is being torn out and replaced by concrete.  KDOT is paying 75 percent of the cost.
Pat moved to rescind motion for the bid from McBride Construction in the amount of $4,124. for cement work between the EMS/Fire buildings.  Jim seconded.  Motion carried.
After the commissioners reviewed the two bids to do cement work between the EMS/Fire building from McBride Construction in the amount of $4,124. and Angel Martinez Construction in the amount of $3,450.  Motion was made and passed to accept the low bid from Angel Martinez Construction.
Pat moved to appoint Jim as voting delegate for KAC with Pat as alternate and Dave as second alternate. Dave seconded. Motion carried.
Dave moved to appoint Pat as voting delegate for KCAMP with Dave as alternate. Jim seconded.   Motion carried.
Dave moved to appoint Pat as voting delegate for KWORCC with Dave as alternate.  Jim seconded.  Motion carried.
Jon Halbgewachs with Kirkham & Michael came in to go over the preliminary plans for the highway improvement project. The improvement to Kansas Highway 51 between Cemetery Road and County Road 14 will include an east bound left turn lane onto Kennedy Street and a west bound right turn lane onto Kennedy Street, planning to start construction in the spring of 2015, taking an estimate of 55 working days. Jon and the commissioners discussed installing a sump pump in the culvert at Eleventh and Jefferson to help with the water drainage.
By motion the board adjourned.