Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Anita takes pictures. Oh, does each one? Oh, you put ear tags on them. Oh, yeah. So, tag this morning. Okay. position to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Well, it's a beautiful sunny day today. Yeah. Why are we here? I know. I was picked a fair weather clue. I picked up that there was a plastic lid bin sitting in the carpet. I was going to pick up and I went and picked it up. I thought, well, I should just go walk around building is so nice. And I thought I did. We can have a recess.

Yeah, go out walk around building. Okay, we will go ahead with um uh commission review and I'll go ahead. We've got the um Trish, I'll leave you for last if that's okay because you probably got had the most. I don't have a whole lot. Um went to county day at the cap last Tuesday. Commissioner Geodono was there as well. Um it was a nice um time to see a lot of um you saw a lot of your and friends too, but it was a nice to um go around to the other um tables to see see people and stuff. There wasn't any um hearings necessarily that um I was going to go to. There's one the next day I think is one I was watching. But um nonetheless, I was able to um talk to our legislators and visit with them a little bit and talked to one from actually from Park City, you know, out by Hartman Arena because we out there, you know, quite a bit and was telling him I was surprised still at all the growth in Witchaw, you know, going out west that way. So that was nice visiting with him. Um had a EDC board meeting on Thursday. Um they talked about the bed epic challenge that'll be the second one they they've had on June 23rd 5:30 to 8:00. That was Did you go to that?

I did. Okay. Yeah, that was really good.

So that'll be on June 23rd. And then um uh they talked about um working to uh coordinate their more efforts with the chamber um get getting recruiting new members and and supporting businesses. So I think they're they're working on some of those um avenues to get some of that type of things going. Um otherwise um those are the only two things that I have. You have anything? I didn't have any meetings. Um I've had some complaints about on Ber Road um you know through traffic that there's no signage. People are going and they're turning around people's yards and so I got to talk to

because of the construction. Yeah. And so I need to talk to Jeremy. I haven't had a chance because this just came up. But um I have now um nice picture of you guys, all of you. The Catholic thought that it was fun.

Um I can't think of anything. Okay. So, on Monday after our meeting, um I I had been invited to um an open house for uh the new uh Stephen A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Cornerstone. Um that's open um and um it's the Cohen Veteran Network and they have u um I think 17 or 18 offices. I think more than that, but quite a few offices around the world. But um they just came to Kansas and um it's it is a um grant-f funded um uh program for uh veterans and their families for nursing support and um I much needed in our community. Um I um was very impressed with them. So um and their mission. So I I was glad to be part of that. Um and then I went to the capitol. I had a great time. Um I did see a lot of people I hadn't seen for a while, some um people from other counties and um I think we were very well represented with all of us there today and I think or that day and Chris did a great job. Um had a CBB board meeting um and uh went over a few things. Um uh the marketing um uh campaign came up and uh we'll be talking about that in length later on. Um but I'm I'm very excited about that. I think that's something that we need to move forward on. Um especially at this point um in our with our community with all the great things that are going on. Um but I really want the whole community involved, not just the CBD. Um I think that that um you know, being able to do that is is a great um u investment for our community. But anyway, we'll talk about that later. Um I did go to I was very excited. There were so many um

things going on this weekend. Um went to the Mottown show. was amazing. Saw Anita there. Um I wasn't invited. It was ladies night. It was late night. Well, it was I mean it was almost packed. The whole the um the venue was almost packed. And but the these three gentlemen, they were just amazing um uh entertainers and great singers. Um so yeah, that was great. And then the next night um I saw that the um murder mystery, it looked like it was a full house there. And then they had the um uh comedy show um I heard was very good. So um yeah, a lot of good things going on in the community. So

good. Betsy, anybody else have anything? No. Okay. And then uh well Janet Williams called me about the tabletop and you wanted to discuss that.

Yeah. Um so um and uh it was a packet. So the tabletop which is in which is included with our regional um the OOLDCC grant for the the um comprehensive plan and u basically um it's going to depend on how many communities because they all had to wait till their uh um meetings to get this approved. um there will be no more than $833, but it might be cheaper than that depending on how many involved. So, um basically I um for us to move forward with that tabletop exercise, which Fort Riley's included and and um um it's just to get us all on the same page for things and and u uh be able to work through some things. But um so I'm going to ask that we do the the me the memorandum of agreement um for the tabletop exercise not to exceed $833.

And I think correct me if I'm wrong, but the maker is the group. Yes. Yes, they are. Mhm. Was that the um you know back when whenever when that was and November of 2024 it looked like that you had all visited about that and that uh is that where the city's going to pay a part of that? Yes. For the for the comprehensive plan. Okay. Um and and so we budgeted 15,000 the grants for 250,000. So, um, the 833 will come out of that 15,000 that we budgeted,

but overall, um, I think the spirit of the group was to support the and go forward with this and well, it supports Fort Riley, which is mainly why we got the OGCC grant was because, you know, doing the comprehensive plan to include Fort Riley in that and having that tabletop is something that they require. So, Sure. So, that's my motion. Okay. Oh, and and I'll second that. Okay. But I got some questions. Oh, go ahead. Is there I can't remember what date she told me. And I did write it down for the TED talk.

I don't know if it's been approved yet or not because they have to wait. I mean, she had a date. She didn't tell me. I talked to her Friday, too, and she didn't tell me a specific date. And then she said there was a couple entities that decided they weren't going to participate. Okay. Yeah. That's why um they have to wait until to see how many are actual get approved through their you know but the most we'll have to pay is $833 right so now are you on one of those committees or something with this as well no I was years ago

okay you know with Trish if you you know some if you're on it now then I if you so I think somebody else needs to make sure that they're in tune with what's going on too. I I wasn't real familiar with this whole whole thing. Obviously, it was before I came on. So, you know, I need to get up to speed. But everybody will be involved in the comprehensive plan, right? But like I told I don't think more than one commissioner from here can because it' be and she goes, "Oh, that's a good point." Yeah. Okay. But um yeah, so I second my motion.

Okay. It's been moved and seconded to um approve the payment of was it 833? Well, up to 833. Yeah. Up to $833 um in support of the OBCC grant for the tabletop. For the tabletop. Um all those in favor?

I um I'm They need a community point of contact. I'm gonna, if you guys don't mind, uh, put Troy on there because he's going to be involved in the comprehensive plan and he's, you know, here all the time. So, if you guys have a problem with me doing that. Oh, and while I was talking to Jenna,

so I I bent her ear about our cleanup and and tire disposal and she said they're working on it, but she sent me some information, but it's strictly for orphan tires, tires that are thrown in the ditches. Yeah, she sent me that. And I think or Jeremy has that one, too. It's for Yeah. So anyway, orphan fire. Yeah. Orphan fire. Nobody wants Nobody wants Well, it sounds like after you know it's a big issue obviously. So yeah, it is a huge issue.

Well, an expensive one. Yeah. Um but I I like we got tires out there that we need to get rid of and all they are is a rodent trap and Yeah. or else they have water standing and mosquitoes. So and well they talked about not necessarily being able to recycle them like they used to because they're finding they got some tough toxic oh stuff in them. So they're not doing that as much as they used to with the tire recycling. Yeah. And that and the what is it? Oh, metal guns.

The cords. The valves. Oh yeah, that's what they Yeah. Take stripping them down. That's what the city had took a lot of time. They got to melt them down or something. I don't know. Okay,

Teresa, you said these are exempt properties.

What the most? Yeah, I think they are. It's what the count what is in the county's name that Travis has on record. Thank you. Have you guys kind of kept up with this um property tax? Uh

trying to I was reading Did you get Mike still yesterday? Yeah. Trying to read that. I just don't understand what what's the consumption part of it. Consumption part. Well, to replace the lost revenue from

Oh, that's what we were talking about earlier is, you know, how they going to, you know, you do it the way property tax vehicle. It's not like we have a lot of revenue generators around here to make up for it. They talked about the beginning 20 um to replace the revenue the bill would create a fair that sir chart they talked about that at one point and then they talked about um well I think it's going to to the floor and then for discussion

would be replaced by long-term growth in the fund through investment interest and savings you know and and you know Senator Argarite talked about which I agree. You know, if they change that one from freedom to freedom from Texas that HCR5034, you know, once you change the constitution, you know, it's hard to, you know, you got to think a little bit about changing that to get that stuff to going back with that. So, yeah, I don't know. They've got a hearing on that tomorrow. um the property tax u for Senate Bill 488 tomorrow and then um then also that uh road oh road cost sharing I was looking at that too and that's I sent that to Jeremy to to him I didn't know if he had seen that so I sent that to him but wow um

I know it's hard for me to keep up with all of it I can't imagine what it's like down there well yeah on that's what they talked about but nothing's probably get done because both of them you know the house sent it on and then the Senate has it and neither one are too excited about the other's recommendations so probably nothing will probably get done again so good morning Crystal

good morning good morning commission Crystal Malos HR director special projects this is going to be a fun week we jumped ahead for daylight savings and then on Thursday I go to Connecticut so I get to jump an hour ahead again. I don't think I planned this out very well. Um have a couple out of office notifications. Start with Trish way across if that's all right.

Yep. I think that last uh Tuesday's county day at the capital was very successful. We had lots of positive feedback from KAC plus some additional updates on how to make next year's a little better. Um I think uh they were a little concerned with um all the lunches being gone before the legislators even came out were able to get anything. So we're probably going to switch that up a bit next year since the goal is to have the um sponsors and the legislators get together and meet and talk and have lunch. When the legislators came down there's no lunch. Of course, they didn't stay. They went to get lunch.

Well, they came down later than what didn't they have? And they were in committee. So, yeah. So, the timing was they had the food out earlier than anticipated. So, people just went and said, "Okay, get the food." And and you know, it wasn't a bad thing. It wasn't um but there were people that showed up that hadn't signed up. So, we didn't have enough lunches for everybody. So, it was a little awkward that way. So, but we'll we'll learn from this year and move on to next year. But overall, it was very successful. We were very pleased with the turnout and the comments that we received from the staff out at the the capital.

Maybe you should have the county's like with that with Courtney not being signed up, but Trish wasn't staying. So, I thought I know she had said she was going to leave at lunchtime. So that's why, you know, I told Courtney when she mentioned going, but nonetheless, maybe they when they can't bring the all those boxes out, maybe they should take them to the tables that um had signed up, you know, well, except we don't ask them in advance, what do they want to eat? We have that assortment out there. What we thought about doing is just roping off a section to separate for the legislators and the sponsors and keep everybody else away. But that's just again one idea that we're thinking about for next year. And I I didn't know that that was for the legislators, too, because there wasn't a lot of them around.

Yeah. And I know they were in different sessions and different meetings and things, so they didn't come out. But again, it's it's a learning thing. We've done this for a few years, but every year we learn something new and we try. So, but again, they were very very pleased with the turnout and very happy with um the the results of how it went. So, it was

um and you know, Katie will be here at 11 o'clock today. So, I'll be back at 11. And you um know that I'll be leaving this Thursday and I'll be back to work next Thursday. Um in the meantime, um my the the county issued phone that I have, Tiffany will take that while I'm gone just in case there's any um issues. Um, normally I would say just send it to Tammy, but there's going to be, of course, certain things that are HR related that Tiffany would probably be better able to respond to like work comp things and things like that that she's already been trained in. So, I don't anticipate her needing anything. It's just in case of emergency and just know to record her time if anything comes up. Um, and that's pretty much all I have. We do have task force tomorrow. Kathy will be there. the staff, the task force members were very very flexible with agreeing to meet. So that's all I have unless you guys have a question for me.

Could you mind um have somebody in that email? Sure. Sure. Yes. And that is at 8:00 dark, right? What is 8:00 tomorrow? Yes. Waking up. So, you just need this scanned in and sent to you, please. Yes. I just want to verify I got it right. And then you have the out of office forms. And to the best of my knowledge, nothing should be going on this week. So, I've asked Teresa to make sure that there's no HR update next week since I won't be here because I didn't think there was any sense in making Tiffany or Jennifer stay late. Stay here all weekend and not have anything as soon as you leave.

I will still have my personal phone and they know how to reach me. So if there's something important that comes up that they need my input on, I'm still, you know, reachable. I'm I'm not going to go incognito for a while. Okay. So I just might not be able to answer my phone if I'm holding a twin or two in my arms. Just enjoy your grandchild.

Thank you. I appreciate that. eye appointment after my leave here today. Boy, my allergies, my eyes.

I thought you doctor. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. did this last week and then this week I usually get a kennel shot and it did absolutely nothing but

yeah I haven't had allergy like that for I don't know how long and when I was younger I I had them so bad and um when we got married and they said I can't stand She she said, "You need to go get shots or or get tested and shots." And I did that and I haven't had issues with allergies and all.

Yeah, I had shots too and I took them clear till 88. I took them for whatever number of then I quit and then I started having again so I started taking them again. I don't know if I need to take them again or what. Chase gets shot. See, it's I get two a week a week, too. Seems like you have to continue on that maintenance dose because everything the new stuff coming out it seems like. But it does help. Well, a long time.

Did you Where did you get your shots at? That's a bad thing. Right out in the doctor's office here. Yeah. See, back in the day and um had a nurse friend in town that she could come over. I just get my packet and they give it to me at home. Now you have to go to the doctor's office. Do they charge you for a visit then? No. Nurse visit. I don't remember. But I know after a while then mom was a nurse and they said, "What should before the '9s?" Probably because Yeah. Yeah. When I started it was Yeah. That's what I did. Now you have to go up there and sit.

Good morning.

Good morning. Good morning. Are we all ready?

Yeah. Okay. Tammy Robinson, finance director. I have the monthly reports as well as I forgot to give Crystal of my department head out of office notification for the CPM this um Wednesday and Thursday. So, I brought that in. You know, she's so close.

I'm almost done. One other thing I would share with you is Betsy had sent me an email concerning some more opioid funding. So, um, we'll have another trunch come through sometime after May. I think the deadline to get it sent in and signed is in May. And so, we'll be getting another docu signed here soon on that. Um, so as long as they're going to continue to give us the money, then we'll be able to continue to potentially support the recovery port and possibly some other things. But, um, there's 116,000 in there. Now, I know that there was a gentleman after that wasn't the city commission to requesting monies from that fund and um, so and have we given anybody that has come in requested otherwise? Well, if once we um uh we're doing it for the drug court and once that runs out, we're going to have to use property tax money. So,

um I think it's a very important um thing for us to keep that. Sure. I don't mind. I mean, there's depending on how much we get with the second trunch, I'm good with. But, um you know, I I feel that the drug court is something very important and has been very successful. Yeah. I just had mentioned it just merely for the fact I hadn't heard anybody asking for it is why and so I wondered if Yeah, I knew we used it for recovery court but if if that was all we used it for. It is for now for now wanting some.

Yeah, we haven't had anybody specifically ask for um funding from it. Um there's been a couple of like a pharmacy at one time had reached out and asked what we were going to be spending it on, but they never came back and asked anything beyond that. Um but yes, you're correct. It's 1161 180260 as of the end of February. So okay. So to start this off, uh the document that you have in front of you is the unodudited summary uh statement of receipts, expenditures, and uncovered cash. So this is what I've sent to our auditor along with a lot of other documents that will be available for him to pick up tomorrow. So we'll be starting that process. Are there any questions on this worksheet? Our cash is lower in the general fund from last year by about 2.1 million and that is largely due to the salaries that we don't have the overage in our salaries as we've had in the past. In fact, that's exactly 2.1% or 2.1 million um from what we had in the past years compared to now. And so that's the

we're not overcharging our taxpayers. Huh. I look at it that because we're not overcharging our taxpayers. Well, and I mean that's the thing, you know, positions are filled

and so with those positions being filled, the money's going out. So I'll keep you posted on the audit as we move forward. The next document is the composition of cash balances and investments. And this is what's inside our CIC uh financial system. And it's on the cash side. So you can see the 38,61,5440 as well. When we pull up the document from the treasur's office where they're tracking their cash, it's that same amount for the total of the 3806155440. And lastly, the fund status report that gives you the information by fund. But then on this last page on page nine, it gives you that same total. And this is on our GL side. So that's the 38,61,5540. So that's showing you that we're balanced in all three sides of our system. Any questions on those? Okay, the next one we have is sales tax. So we're at 16.67% into the year. You can see the total on the county sales tax that goes into our general fund. Uh we have 400 just over well almost $430,000 and the compensating sales tax came in at $155,000 total for January and February. The hospital dedicated tax that goes into our debt service fund just under 230,000 and the compensating sales tax just under 83,000. So, we've received 20 almost 23% of our

budget in the general fund and almost 19% in the debt service fund. When you compare to last year, we've received $29,761 more in the general fund than last year at this point in time. And in the debt service fund, 13,837 more than last year.

Are there any questions on those? The next one is your building uh county building cash flow analysis. Again, 16.67% into the year. We did have expenditures of 22,812 go out for the month of February. If you look at the cash reconciliation box on the bottom left, it shows you where we began the year. And this is based after we finally closed out 2025 in total. So, we started 2026 with $440,540 unencumbered cash. With the revenue and the expenditures that have went out, we have just under 670,000. And we do have that courthouse boiler room door still sitting out there waiting to be complete. And so taking that into account, we have 657,565 available for additional projects in 2026. We've spent 3.93% of our budget at this point in time. Are there any questions on the building funds? Okay, the next one is the CIP cash flow. Again, 16.67% into the year. We received interest of 6,549 in the fund in February. No expenditures went out other than 2025 expenses. And so again, starting the year for 2026 after 2025 was closed out with 4,81,826 and after we've booked our revenue. And when you take out the le the remaining approved projects, we have 3,333574

available. However, we do have that reserve list that's right below that. So, we do have the CIP reserve that we hold of 500,000. the roads is at 328094 and that's after we've taken out um funds for project through public works on that feasibility study and then we have some election funds still available from the previous um equipment reserve fund 16,47. So, we haven't spent any of our budget at this point in time. Just as a reminder, no money was transferred in from the county general in 2026 other than the 72500 that was for the EMS. That money went out on March 3rd. And so down there on the EMS, I have taken those reserves off because the full 145 went to them on the March 3rd. Money's going out.

So, question on that. What was the delay in getting that? They didn't have a CIP plan in place. Okay. And so once the attorney um from the city and our legal council approved what they had in place, then I was given the go to release those funds. And then it had to be on the time that we were doing the bills, too. I think that was

right. So they had to wait until the 3rd because by the time it was completed, it wasn't until the next AP cycle going out on the 3rd of March. And then the second page here, this gives you the breakdown of the projects that are remaining to be spent that you've previously approved. And then after our discussion with our special CIP work session with the sheriff's office on patrol vehicles, I did go ahead and mark those three or those two 24 and 25 as complete. And you can see what was left and what they had previously requested versus what was actually spent. Are there any questions on that? Okay. The last one is the year-to-ate expenditure budget activity for 2026. So, this has January and February provided to you. Again, 16.67% into the year. The ones in blue are exceeding that 16.67%. And so, just working through the um general fund. I'm not concerned about that number because as we've talked in the past, just a reminder, the transfers go out at the beginning of the year. That's a significant amount. Half of the appropriations go out in January. We have insurance go out. That's between um work comp and your property and your vehicles. That is 700 some thousand that we release in January. Then we also have other sub subscriptions and contracts like the CIC that's $64,000. our Civic Plus. Um, and then lastly, we have had three pay periods in January instead of just the two. So, when you take that extra pay period, that's another $650,000

that goes out uh at the beginning of the year instead of spreading it out throughout. So, it has pushed us over that 16.67%, but it will catch up. And then library and economic development. That's due to the the timing of the distribution with the library and then again the appropriations that go out. Half of them go out in January. So that will also catch up. Are there any questions on any of those? Tammy, I do have a question about um Civic Plus just because they brought it up at the joint meeting that we had, you know, about somehow intermingling, you know, websites to look like, uh, you know, city, county, and school district all looking kind of like the same type of uh background or whatever. Kind of looking similar. Um, and I we use Civic Plus and they use something different. They were mentioning that, but how long have we had Civic Plus and what contracted with?

Well, and it was before I came here that we had Civic Plus. So, Teresa may be able to answer that question because it would have been handled through I think we've had it since I've been here. I don't know how long. Yeah, we probably had it I don't know between five and 10 years. and we went um I was going to say eight

just was it three years ago we had a complete remodel of our website and so yeah a lot of them do I mean they do have that same platform on all their entities that they both talk like they had done something different you know because civic plus was ancient antiquated they got rid of Civic Plus they weren't happy with it and we were like I think we're happy with it but I mean of course what we had then And oh, I see. Oh, yeah. A lot better than what we had,

right? That's what Yeah. I mean, it's relatively user friendly. I haven't had any issues when I go in and update like my web page for finance and putting information on the calendar. And then you guys have recently put all the agenda information out there and you've had success with that as well. Yeah, I think it's pretty easy to use really. So, yeah. Um, are you the contact person? No, Crystal is Crystal. Okay. I just thought that uh you know just uh uh maybe in mind just kind of had thoughts maybe because I I like the idea of it you know that everybody kind of looks the same.

Yeah. But um on the other hand to integrate them when different people go on different contractual times that that you know was thought too but yeah well after doing the software integration I uh I'm not a huge fan of having to go through the pain we went through with that again and I think redoing a whole new um web page would probably be a lot of extra pain. So, I would definitely want all the department heads that have to use it to say I before we did anything. Well, that's what I I don't think there's a problem

with ours. I was just I think we can make it to where it does look a little similar. I mean, you know, I don't think we have to like change it whole new. Yeah. I mean, I I I like the idea of it, but I mean, is it possible at this time? Maybe not, right? Yes. Yeah. because everything technology-wise definitely comes at a cost and so um but you know if it becomes a high priority we can definitely look at it and see what our options are. Well, I think as long as it's working and people are user friendly and all that, I mean, that's the the whole thing is, you know, and I think that it is, but um yeah, maybe, you know, down the road would you happen to

meet at the same point at the same time with everybody and you could do something where it's suitable with everybody. But I just was asking because it was brought up. Yeah. Okay. Um, this is the second half of the expenditure budget activity page and you can see none of those exceeded that 16.67%. Are there any questions on any of those? And if not, if you are going through the numbers and you have questions on what maybe those numbers make up, just call or send me an email, come by and I'll I'll go through those with you. This is your activity by fund within the general or by department within the general fund. Again, 16.67%. You can see the ones in blue are the ones that have exceeded that. Board of County Commission. One thing to keep in mind is you have a very small budget. And when you have three pay periods in January, it has an impact on those numbers. So, I wouldn't be concerned about that at all. within your office. You also have a couple of um memberships you pay right away in January as well. So that has an impact. The county clerks again um they have some expenses with is do you have some subscriptions you pay right away

at the beginning of the year? But largely it's going to be due to that third pay period. Yeah.

Human resources, same thing. And then your general service appropriation and transfers. We had already talked about the costs that go out of that general service department that affect and that's why it's at that 31% and it will catch up but it does look high at this point in time. Are there any questions on those? Okay. And this gives you the departments by month. So you can see how much went out. And on general services we spent 3.2 million. And that's all of those factors that I had provided you. So if you have any questions or you want to come look at numbers or walk through the numbers, I'm more than happy to have you stop by my office. And this is your revenue information. Again, 16.67% into the year. I don't have any concerns on any of these numbers. As you can see, the general fund is at 43.36, and that's due to distributions and the timing of when those go out.

And this is just your second page of the activity. You can get it to stay on the Are there any questions on any of those? Okay, I think that's all I have for spreadsheets. So, I think I just need to grab that sheet that you guys signed on out of office and you can have your next visitors who look like they're here and waiting. Thank you.

Thanks. Yep. You guys Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. Nate Beckman, Gary County Sheriff. So, I'm sure you guys probably saw on the agenda that I'm going to do my quick bi-weekly update and then we're going to recognize some employees right after that and try to be done all within 15 minutes. All right.

All right. Here we go. Twoe report covers February 18th to March 3rd. During that two-e time frame, we average a daily jail population of 92. We had 11 accidents. We assisted outside agencies 54 times. We had zero burglaries and zero battery insults. We issued 48 citations during that two-eek time frame. We served 276 papers. We had one domestic incident. We had seven drug investigations, two DUIs, zero motor vehicle thefts, seven prisoner transports, zero sex offenses, two shots fired calls, zero thefts, 197 uh traffic stops, zero weapon violations. We had 21 arrests for a total of 626 primary incidents and 108 additional calls for service for a total of 734 calls for service during that twoe time frame. Any questions about the stats? All right. Well, if I can get the under chef to come up here and uh he's gonna call out some names and you guys want to come up and stand up here with me.

Okay. All right. This commendation is being presented in recognition of exceptional professionalism, decisive action, and life-saving efforts performed in the line of duty during a critical incident at the Gary County Detention Facility. Corrections Officer Madison Russell, Corrections Officer Blake Green, Sergeant David Stevenson, Lieutenant Damon Artavia. I am formally commending each of you for your swift and professional response during the evening hours of February 14th, 2026 when an inmate attempted suicide while in our custody. Your immediate recognition of the emergency, rapid intervention, and coordinated life-saving efforts directly resulted in the preservation of that individual's life. The composure, teamwork, and dedication you demonstrated reflect the highest standards of the Giri County Sheriff's Office. Incidents of this nature are among the most serious situations corrections professionals encounter. Your actions exemplify vigilance, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of those entrusted to our care. Thank you for your outstanding service.

Thank you guys. So, I'm going to present them all accommodation sheriff accommodation award here. So, awesome. Thank you guys. There you go. This is your second one if I recall right. thought he had got before. That's awesome.

Well, JUSTIN,

thank you. If you guys want, we can stand up here. You guys can join the picture if you want or we're going to do it right in front of y'all. You guys can stand up and join. Kathy, you're the little one. Good job.

Awesome. Thank you guys.

Thank you so much. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. what you do to your

leg. Shar, before you leave, major report, I just want to recognize um him. He has done a great job coordinating our local um mental health task force and um I just I appreciate it because that is something that is very needed in our community. Um I I don't know if you're familiar with there's a new um uh place in Manhattan that actually is for veterans. Um it's called um Steven A. Military Family Clinic. So they might Okay. Good, good, good, good. Thank you.

I also want to remind everyone that we have a portal that any any any outsiders, citizens, internal, you can go on that uh portal and report good or bad. And we highly push for that. So if you would like to put that in, great. If not, I will do it for you. Do it. All right. All right. Thank you.

See you guys. Appreciate it. Thank you. Keep up the good work. Have a good week. What?

I know. Good luck. It's ready. Yeah. I don't know if my eyes are dry or what the deal is.

Yeah. I mean, yeah, I couldn't even put any on my eyelids are all I'm glad I've got some tint in my biases, but yeah, usually that catalog shot I get does it, but even that Maybe she gave me a placebo or something. I was going to ask her because usually, you know, that's a pretty powerful pill and it's like immediate relief. Oh, really? And how often do you get that? It's a pretty strong uh steroid. So, you can only get it once every three months, but I I was getting it too when I had problems with my

sacriic joint, you know, because it's for pain too. Yeah. So, it's like a, you know, cover, but it hasn't done anything with that. That's fine. I when I was little, that's what my my eyes were always, you know,

impacted the most with allergies and stuff. What? said it's coming down more. They always say, of course, with CO and stuff, you know, when everybody was bailing out, you know, and that's what I was told to hang on, you know, because usually when it rebounds and it rebounds plus some, but I didn't necessarily ever see that. Oh, I did.

Yeah.

Hi. Good morning. All right. Little early. Thank you for coming. Oh, of course. Of course. You guys taking a little break before the next session? Yes. Keith will be back in just a second.

Sounds good. Don't forget How are you? Good to see you. Good to see you, too. How's it going? Thursday.

Oh, it's Thursday. So, they're doing wonderful. She's doing her mom there for a while. She's been also herself and doing it. So they facetime on Saturday people. Okay. Yeah, I know. Right. Oh gosh. over. So this morning helping daddy on Saturday.

So how um big were they? YouTube. Well, I know we're usually

Franklin. One of them just seems to have endless seat. still. Oh, that's okay. Yeah, that's how one of my twins was. Like, she still is like the snacker. My husband used to call her tank and then snacks. I'm like, you can't do that. Get a conditioner. Always eating too much.

Right. Exactly. And there were a friend couple weeks ago and they didn't notice after great teachers ready to get started again. Oh no, they're friends. They're the same size. Crystal, are you ready to Yeah. All right. We get started with people on the online.

Oh, perfect. Okay. All right. We'll do that. Sounds good. Good morning. How are you? Good morning. How are you doing? Good. And for everyone online, this is Emily Olvers and Courtney Bickl with Biky Companies. Thank you for coming. Yes. Thank you guys for having us. Nice weather, nice drive. So, you know, the birds chirping this morning. Better for Monday than Yeah. the rain. Yes.

So, well, we'll go ahead and jump in. We don't have, you know, it's not a lengthy um presentation, but really just hits all the high points of the last year and how the plan ran. Um the county had a bit of an increase last year, as you guys are aware of when we were going through about 9% um which was a little higher than what you guys have seen in the past. However, um with where you're running in those total claims that came in, um it was warranted at that 9%. I think it was a little higher and we were able to negotiate that down even a little bit from Blue Cross of Kansas. However, industrywide right now, um especially on fully insured and um Blue Cross of Kansas self-insured plans, we are seeing very high renewals. So, um, not to, you know, the 9% that you guys got was a lot better what the than what the industry was. Um, I think we delivered five 50% renewals in one week. So, um, January 1 renewals were just very high. Um, we're seeing a lot of claims go through. Um, so Blue Cross of Kansas, their base line, their, you know, pool is getting hit a lot harder for those large claims. So, um,

yeah. And I'll add one thing. I know I think a question was asked um this last year. How how do we determine rates or how does BlueC Cross determine rates? And the the easiest way to put it is they're looking at what are you paying Blue Cross and what's being incurred in claims, right? That's the easiest way. You pay a dollar but you incur a $150. That's they have to they have to get their money back as well. However, when you guys partnered with Buchat, one of the main things we brought to the table was our relationship with Blue Cross. We don't just take, as Courtney said, the renewal that you guys get. Um, we have a very strong relationship with Blue Cross and that's how we're able to negotiate. Even though you guys have stayed with Bluec Cross the last several years, we're still sending you to Etna in United to use those against Blue Cross to bring them down. So, that's just, you know, behind the scenes of of what happens every year as well.

If you turn to that first page, the overview, um, so right to Emily's point, your premium that was paid was 1.8 million. Your total claims paid were about 1.7 million. So about a 91% loss ratio to be in the lower digits for any renewal on a fully insured. We like to see um businesses run 75% and less, that's where we see 0% renewals. Um anything over that, that's when you start seeing, you know, that 1 to 10%. Anything over 100% that's when you're going to see the 20 to 30% increases that we've seen in the market. So, um, compared to 2024, you guys were at a 74% loss ratio. 2023 was 80%. So, you guys have ran pretty consistent the last couple of years. And statistically, when we look at insurance renewals, we look at at a fiveyear cycle. So, you're going to have one really good year, one really bad year, and three average years. So you guys have had um you know one really good year. You're kind of more average right now. So um if we look at statistics you know we can anticipate a higher renewal but we still watch the data very closely. So all right and a look back um this was the claims through April. So we took a look at these um just to make sure that they are staying. So you guys had pretty consistent um high claims. Um so there was a low back claim that came on. There was um a septic. So um a few of these, you know, we like to watch these for history. So if you flip through to the next page, that tells a better story on your high

claims overall. So, um, you know, if you look at the current medical paid compared to the current plan paid, you know, we that's what we look at. So, if they're going to fall off, that's what underwriting looks at. Are they a oneandone? Um, you know, what is happening with that history? So, that first one, um, I'm not even going to try to say the medical term, but it could potentially be a stroke is what, you know, what we look at. So that could potentially come off. There could still be some um claims that come through on that, but the pharmacy stayed consistent um for some biosimilars that were on there. The lower back stayed consistent as well in those high claims. So we'll probably see some of those drop off in 2026.

And and we work with Crystal and the HR team. Um obviously this is deidentified information due to HIPPA. So, um, it doesn't have employee names, but we do work with Crystal and team as renewal gets closer just to get an update on these because knowledge is power, right? Because if there's a $200,000 claimment on here that's retiring or coming off or something, that's where we do our job the best. Do you guys have any questions for us so far? um or anything you you want us to touch on specifically outside of what we're going over so far because we can keep trucking along and

and we don't have a lot of data through um the plan year at 2026. We did see one high claim come on. It looks like some type of maybe knee replacement, hip shoulder surgery is what we can tell so far. Um, however, it is still at a manageable level that it's not, you know, again, we look at ones that could be one and done type, you know, versus like a cancer that could be an ongoing claim. So, so the top claims incurred and paid, um, this is through 2025. So, you had two claimants that were over a 100,000 and seven that were between 50,000 and 100,000. Um, why we like this page is if you look at the Z claims or the zero to a,000, that's where the majority of your members are is 65 115. So, you have 65 members on the plan that aren't even utilizing the insurance. So, um, which is a good thing for how much you're paying in claims. However, if they are are high claimments, we like to encourage people go get your physicals, different things like that because if they can catch something like a cancer, you can catch it in that preventative. Um, so we definitely like to look at that. So, but you do have 115 um members that are going that are between zero and a thousand. So, you do have a lot of people that are probably going and getting that preventative um maintenance done, which is great because usually we see a lot lower. So the majority of your claims um you know are coming from just about nine people. So that's really good compared to how many members you guys have um which are 312. So only nine. That's a really good number to see.

The next one is just all the top diagnosis. So it goes from inpatient and outpatient surgery. So inatient there was that low back pain. So um you know it was pretty high. So they probably could have gone for you know an any number amount of things in that inpatient for that. Um but really your inpatient claims were not very high at all around 280,000 with the overall being at 922,000. So a lot of your claims the top diagnoses were around 392,000. Um, and those were all outpatient. So, again, we always look at outpatient versus inpatient. Outpatient means usually they're not going to be continuous on the plan. And if they are, they could be very low. So, all right. All right.

Yeah. The drugs. Okay. The next page is arguably the top driver of all plans right now. I'm sure you guys watch the news. Pharmacy is just out of control in the United Healthcare. It's got to change. This is really where we're seeing driving healthcare costs, especially with large increases. But this is something we monitor very closely because those top offenders that you see on TV commercials, they're coming out with more and more biosimilars. So where a drug once might be $6,000, it's going off of patent or um whatever have you to a biosimilar for less um cost. So, we do see this evolving all the time. Um, we do think that this will this will continue to improve. Um, so that's my little soap box for pharmacy. I think you guys know it's it's definitely a problem, but your guys's group um there are a few high cost drugs. However, we don't see anything that's out of the norm. Um, the diabetic medications, as you guys know, it's not covered for weight loss for the monjouro, the Ompics. um at at first several years ago they were but all fully insured carriers have removed those to be only covered for diabetics. Um that could change. That's also we we heard the other day those are eventually going to be over-the-counter medications where it's going to be in a tablet form. So I think again that's evolving that's changing. As of today it does stand though it's not covered for weight loss but um that's where it is today. That top one do you know what that is? It's a

it's a bio similar for hum. Yeah. Humumera or Skylara any number of those drugs um it is it treats plaque psoriasis so probably Humra um would be most likely is what it took place of but it's a bio bioimilar so which is like a generic for um that drug they just don't call them generics right and and right now your guys' drug spend isn't out of whack compared to medical spend I would I would say I mean we we've definitely seen a lot worse which is what can really impact your plan because a lot of times s people go on these drugs that are every single month. It's not a one anddone knee surgery. It's hey, your plan's getting hit every single month with a $10,000 drug. So, we don't see that right now, which is good.

And 87% of your prescriptions are being filled by generics. So, that's where we want to see that number because again, your specialty is up from the previous year. You had about six specialty medications on there. It has about 12 now. But um you know when we see those go up that's when we maybe need to look outside the box for outside the box solutions. So absolutely. Um this next page is just going to show plan paid which is really good to see what is Blue Cross paying what versus what are the employees paying. Um you will see that 84% were paid by the plan for the claims. This is for 2025 and 18% were paid by the member. Um, so, so that's really good to see. What is Blue Cross paying in claims versus the employee? Um, me and Courtney were talking about this earlier. Whenever we, when Buchiat first came into the picture, we mirrored, you guys were on a self-insured plan and you went to fully insured and the plans were mirrored almost identically to previously that deductible for that 500 was replaced with the higher deductible. However, since then, it's gone back to the 500. So, really, your plans are in line with what they have been historically. Um, and if you guys have questions or concerns with the group segment or size you guys are at, we can do customizable benefit changes. So, if you wanted a lower ER visit copay or a higher ER visit copay, you can still you can customize those benefits, but you guys have a pretty stream um, normal plan designs, I would say. So, all right. And then the last page that we put in here, now this is just a overall snapshot of and you know we can't determine verbatim if these numbers are accurate when we look at self-insured but this is just a you know

um our calculations. If you were self-insured compared to a fully insured plan based on how your claims ran, you guys would have paid more in claims versus being fully insured. So, we do look at that. We keep an eye on it whether to or not to look at self-insured because there might be a time where it looks a lot more attractive. However, you guys have ran really well for the last few years um where that self going self-insured that risk has not been warranted to move to a self-insured plan. So, um typically a lot of our groups it's the opposite. So they look a lot more attractive paying their own claims, getting rebates. However, your drug spend again is not over the top. So you wouldn't see a lot of rebates. Um so you guys are again running at 91% loss ratio. If we would have taken these calculations, you would have been at 115% loss ratio. So paying claims, a lot more claims out of pocket.

And you guys are really in that sweet spot. um fully insured versus self-insured where it does need to keep a close eye on every year. Um but you guys have you guys have come out ahead the last few years on the funding mechanism you have in place even with the 9% which I know was a lot more than historically in the past that's been passed on to the members. Unfortunately, you know, if we would have been self-insured that would have looked could have looked a lot different. So, well, do you guys have any questions for us? That was kind of the short and sweet snapshot of last year year to date.

No, I I think this is wonderful and this information like that, you know, this to have that, you know, and Crystal's doing her due diligence and working with you to get the best rates and coverage for our employees. And I think, you know, that's what we we all want is is to get the the best for our employees. So, I appreciate Crystal you working with them and um just wanted a reaffiration. I think I was leaving when you all probably came on. I was here with the county. So, I appreciate um uh having you here again.

Yeah. It's easier with Tammy to run the numbers and stuff too. Like I can understand a lot of the benefits part, but she's able to, you know, throw the data in and make it easier to run, too. So, I just want to give kudos to her, too. It makes my job easier when somebody else can run the numbers. again benefits. I understand the numbers. We'll leave that to the expert. Well, that um I've had heard from other counties, you know, that were self-insured and you know, just one catastrophic event could really um damage um so and I think I'm not sure if the city does that. Are they partially funded?

Yeah. And so, you know, u what worked for one might not work for the other, but I think we've done our due diligence and and getting the best uh best rates and everything. Like I said, I appreciate this information because you can't can't argue with the numbers. So, yeah. And I don't think the city pays much less than we do. And like you said, it will only take one catastrophic event and they're going to have to go back to being fully insured. Right. Right. So you talked about a fiveyear rolling average or whatever. Excuse me. So we're in 2026. So what year dropped off? 2020 will drop off or 2021?

Well, so Blue Cross looks at it on a three-year. So they always take your the way their underwriting looks at it is they will take um it at a three-year. So 2026 is the most heavyw weighted for underwriting with Blue Cross this next year will be 2025. So they'll still have 2024 data and 2026 in there and then that's how they'll determine your increase. However, again that's why we go to market but the five-year is just like statistically what we see in the industry. So now that's not every single person, but that's just what historically has happened. And actually, it's kind of turning into seven years versus five because now we're seeing more average years or a couple of years that are more catastrophic or running really well. So it's um claims are claims, right? I mean, you can't do a lot when the cancers and heart attacks or strokes, those are the high dollar claims. So, it's all the stuff that you can help cost containment throughout the plan.

Going back to the preventive, preventative. Yeah. Yep. Another really key thing I think worth noting is we always like to make it known, we work for the county. We don't work for Blue Cross. So, right. Yeah. At renewal time, we're going to bat for you guys. We're not in cahoots with Blue Cross, right? We we like to keep our job. And so we're um working hard to make sure it's at the best number possible. So that begs another question. How's that work negotiating with Blue Cross in this case?

Great question. So as Courtney mentioned, we mentioned earlier on um when we receive your renewal, whether it's a negative 10 or a positive 10, we're sending that out the door to Etna, to United, to the boutique carriers, and that's to negotiate on your behalf. Um, so if your renewal's at a 10%, but United's coming in at a three, we're saying Doug Martins, you need to get this down or else the county's cons going to consider moving.

And also it it takes a lot of work with um Tammy and Crystal, too, because if you just look at what an underwriter looks at, they're very black and white. They're only going to look at the data, but we need to know the gray areas of what is happening like if you know there is a catastrophic claim and you know if that person is coming off or any cobra that might be on or you know they're back at work. They're back at work or if people are termed and we don't you know sometimes the data doesn't always match exactly. So, it takes a lot of more communication with them as well to know what's going on so we can paint that great picture as well to negotiate,

right? Or another great example is let's say there was a $6,000 drug that's going off patent, but Bluec Cross wants to ding you for the following year saying, "Well, they paid $72,000 for this drug." Say, "No, no, no. That's dropping down to $1,000 a month for 2027." So, those are just some examples of getting in the weeds. Yeah.

Yeah. I just also want to give kudos to the boueting team that we have because they are very responsive and we have employees that have questions or we in HR have questions. We can email them and almost immediate responses. We're working on that. We we'll get your response as soon as possible and I mean there's a lot of things that we could probably do but if we let them know they're going to take care of it for us. So we are very very lucky to have such a responsive team at Bouati that really takes care of Gary County.

And there was an example with IRS. They sent us a letter and they were wanting to create a penalty for us. Again, a huge penalty based on a couple of tax returns that were input was put in incorrectly. Um so Crystal immediately reached out to Bouati. They got the information we needed. We were able to get that letter back off within a week and then we got another one back from IRS and said, "You're correct. Our information was wrong." And took care of it. But that could have been a very lengthy process, but they helped immediately and that's very important when you're dealing with IRS. So, thank you. Thanks. Yeah.

Yeah. The carriers are some of we see it a lot but Blue Cross, Etna, United Healthcare, any carrier is getting very stringent on what claims they want to pay. Pharmacy you know it's just like with the Ozmpics and the GLP1s at one time people were getting those filled for weight loss because it was a loophole and then all the fully insured carriers put two years ago they said nope we're not because they're expensive drugs we're not filling it. So, you hear a lot of disruption and members getting upset, which is understandable, but the carriers are they're just even Bluec Cross, they're really putting their thumb on everything um as well. So, I think there's going to be a lot of stuff that comes out this year.

Is there any other questions? Thank you very much. Yeah. Thank you guys. Thanks for talking insurance with us on Monday morning. So exciting. favorite topics. I know. Hopefully hopefully it's better conversations from here with more fun topics. Yeah. Well, thank you guys for your time. We really just want to make sure they didn't have questions. Oh,

thank you guys.

That's up to you. I'll say okay. I'm not actually on the agenda. I invited him. I was gonna say I invited him since I knew I wouldn't need 15 minutes. So, we have the same question, right? Um, so Jackie Risinger, register of these Travis Ly County appraiser.

So, I am on the agenda for the CPM course. I just wanted to kind of open up that conversation with you all. Um Tammy is currently in that course and she has said how beneficial it's been and how she would encourage anyone who's interested to do it. I had been interested in it last year. Um and then Travis I guess had talked to her about it too. So it's in Manhattan.

Yeah. This year it's starting in July and it's in Manhattan. So, that kind of prompted me to look at it for this year and want to do it. I do have it in my budget. I did not specifically budget for it this year. Um, but I looked at how my budget ended up last year and know that I can make it work and move some things around if I need to to be able to do it this year. Um, and it starts when does it start? It starts July 14th this year. And it's going to be mostly Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They'll be in Manhattan at the Riley County EMS training room. And I guess that's that new building off of Claflin, I think. Right. Claflin. Oh,

I think it's off of Claflin by the health department. Is that Yeah, correct. It's the new EMS building they built kind of campus, right? Yeah. Like going back towards South Trout, I think. So, it's right by Sunflower and and Claflin. It's right there on that corner. Oh, I think it's great that both of you guys are interested in that. I know Tammy has talked very highly of that course. Is that what you're here for? I am. Yeah, same thing. Yeah. So, we had kind of talked about it and then Tammy had suggested that, you know, we come to you and I said, "Well, I I went and got a spot." It is $3,900. Um, that's the early bird discount and that ends on April 30th and then after that it's $4,100. So, so it is expensive. That's kind of why we

right got to talk to you guys, right? I do. actually budget for it not knowing for sure, right? Kind of anticipating I'd find a session. Well, I think in the real long run it's cheaper than having to, you know, stay the night somewhere. Yeah. Right. You know, kids and I think the ROI is good. I mean, it's it's worthy of course from what I think Tammy's told us. So, yeah. Well, I commend you guys for taking the initiative to do it. Yeah. Thank you.

I'm excited. After talking to Tammy about it last I guess the week before a couple weeks ago it see I've wanted to do more leadership stuff and I think this is more in the lane of what I've been looking for versus the the leadership courses where you meet once a month for a few hours and so I'm excited. Good.

Yeah. I want to gain perspective from like non-appraisers, right? Because everybody's in there. So you get like for me for the appraisal side, one of the conversations I guess is is in my mind going to put in a new subdivision. What all goes into it? Well, you need fire, you need ambulance service, you need sewer, water, all these things that I wouldn't think of as an appraiser. It's like why, you know, why do things cost what they cost basically? And uh, you know, what services does it bring to the community? So interesting. Yeah. Well, I'll make a motion that we Yeah. blessing. Yeah.

Thank you. Moved and seconded for um Jackie and and Travis to attend the CPM leadership courses next year. And all those in favor? I thank you. Good for you. Yeah, you guys will be good to go. I think it'll be good. I'm a little nerv I've told Tammy I'm a little nervous about the capstone project. I don't know. Just she said no you don't. Yeah, you can you'll figure it out. So I've already thought it too. You can have one. Okay, good. Thanks. I'll think of my own. It's okay. You don't have any. Thanks again. Thank you. Thanks. Yeah.

Hey, I forgot. Um, I was talking to Jordan from Main Street and um and uh she was asking if uh we minded if we put a link to Main Street on our website like we have Junction City and the school district and all those and so Crystal was able to do it but she wanted me to see what you guys thought and so the more links that we can have. Okay. I'll let her know. Thank you. I didn't know it went on there until

Speaking of um Crystal, when you said that, Crystal had said the other day we were talking about the PDM um and stuff and whether and you know um she asked and she said she'd be happy to do it if she went out and contacted other counties to find out how they're handling their produ you know, I I personally I don't have a problem with it. I mean, it's always uh it doesn't have to be one way or another. It doesn't necessarily matter to me, but it might be worth our time to find out. Do you have a problem?

I I don't have a problem with looking into it. I just feel like for transparency purposes, um doing it the way we do it is the best way for transparency purposes. Well, the other side of it though, um, you know, that I mean it's somewhat maybe you had mentioned with transparency, but there's still the documentation still has to go along with the other. It's not like you get a $100 and you you still be accountable for the money you spend. And if you don't spend it all, you don't get it all. Yeah. You'd still have to turn on all your receipts. Yeah. But then I guess I'm not what I explain what you were wanting to do.

Well, let's say versus, you know, you got 10, $15, $20 for each morning, breakfast, whatever. And you know, you've got to stay within those. Um to whereas if you just get a flat $100 a day, you get a donut and whatever for lunch, I would probably do and I won't get it. No doubt. Yeah. Um you know, depending on whatever Oh, I would be fine with that. As long as we're showing, okay, somebody's not spending this on alcohol or you know those kind of things. If we do I mean I mean every everything needs to still be turned in and accountable and you know to me I mean that's

no I mean I'm fine with that. I just I just want to be able to say okay this is what they spent their money on their money you know our money you know their money. Yeah. I just heard pettiness about, you know, you know what you've heard too is, you know, why can't I have a a can of whatever in a

Yeah. at breakfast time if that's what they have. I you know, you know, I mean, they they just need to do it uh within those parameters, I think. But um I just to me it's just um hard for us to always be um saying well you can't have a u well you know again I drink a monster drink if I have a monster drink and I you know it's like drinking coffee you know coffee at 8:00 and I left home without it but I want to drink you can't have that for breakfast if if it's a breakfast I mean and then we you know need to make sure that they understand If you leave your house that morning, the county should not be paying your breakfast.

You know, eat breakfast at home and you know, and if it's just a day trip, then you just get your your lunch. So that's your limit for the day. I just I I don't think But you can't spend $100 on lunch. Well, no, that's where your limit would be, what the lunch is. Yeah. But yeah, no, I don't mind looking at that as long as we're I I just want to make sure that we can show where our money is going. That's that's my bottom line as far as that and that it's within the you know. Sure. Not for alcohol. Well, I wouldn't think anybody would with you know. So, does everybody have the tax exempt forms? Yeah, most of them. I mean,

okay. Are there on the website? Used to be. We had a little card. We took Yeah, but a lot of places don't like that. They want the actual form from the state that is signed. Yeah. Because they have to make they a lot of them have files that they So they're keeping track of what they're right.

So and they should because they could get audited and say, "Oh, you you exempted tax for this purchase. What was it for? And who was it for?" I was glad we had that conversation with you, Katie, because I hadn't had one yet, you know, and I just was interested, too. But, you know, once again, when you see the information and and whatever, I think that um well, when you see how much the plan pays out and how much the county pays out, it's very eye opening

and and our employees need to see that because they have no idea how much it is, how much the county actually and that's your that's a benefit for you. I don't I don't know if anybody contacted Crystal or had any questions but you know now it's the end of opportunity. Good morning. Morning.

How the pancake pancake feet end up?

Pretty good. I left there at quarter 11. What's going on? It's steady. Yeah, it seemed like a steady Good morning. Gary Burgess, Gary County Emergency Management, Rural Fire Chief, and Kurt Yoni, assistant emergency management and assistant fire chief. We're here today open up bids uh for RFP for fire station number four located out on Bar Road. We've been working with Brett Dean's office. got the everything ready to go. He put it on uh Salina blueprint which contractors can look at and pull the information from. We put it on our website. Uh we also sent it out to several of our local contractors and stuff. Even with all that, all we received back was three bids. Uh you can see on the bid sheet, one from Wigo, one from Marian, one from Sina. No local bid technically. So, uh, they all came to my office. Uh, they were here by the, uh, deadline date of 400 p.m. on last Friday. So, we'll go ahead and open them up. The first one, we'll just go down the road, is Riley Construction out of Wamigo. Their

base proposal is 249,839 249 comma 839.0

are they required to be bonded? I mean have bond.

This is our RFP. We did not require any bonds on these. The second one is from NF Construction out of Marian, Kansas. Their bid is 427, 700. 427,700. And the final one is

Kindle.

Kindles construction out of Salina. Okay, they're all the same. They just put extra copies in here. uh 335,240 335240. I will we will take these back. We'll look at them. We'll get Brett Deem involved. Have him look at it and then we'll come back and talk to you guys later on. Probably couple weeks for the public that um this money is coming from where Uh right now we've got a local resident that's willing to put up a considerable amount of money. Uh now now we know what their price is going to be where can go out and look for uh other people that want to help maybe put some money towards it. And we'll also look at our own funds, the special fund, and see where we're at with money from that.

I just want to clarify. Yeah. for the public. So, we'll look and see where we're at with everything. But, well, this gives you an idea now. Do what? This gives you an idea. This gives us a good idea because when we were out talking to people, people say, "Well, what's it going to cost?" And you can't don't know yet. You don't know yet. And it's kind of hard to donate to something as you know that when you don't know what it is. So, so, so this helps us a lot. So, so the plans are already Yeah. designed and so they're they're abiding by what Brett drew up. Mhm. Okay.

Yeah. So, um while we're at it, we'll let you know that uh yesterday was a busy day for us. We started out right after lunch with a grass fire caused by a packrat on a four-wheeler. Started that. That was down on Otter Creek, our usual area. Got done with that. About two hours later, the city had their big apartment complex fire. They called for us in Fort Riley. Our guys got to go in and help pull ceilings and do some other stuff and work a lot. Were working great. And then we got done with that and we had a medical call and then right after that we have also a vehicle fire on interstate. So it was a long long day. Yeah.

Was the apartment building was that the same one that had fire here? This was in that same group. The other one got bulldozed down here. Yeah, this one lost. The whole thing will probably be bulldozed down when they get done with it, but no injuries. You know the cause of fire? Uh city has not released the cause yet. So everybody did get a job. Even some of our new guys that have never actively done some stuff before got to go in with air packs and play and stuff. So they're getting too much experience. So yeah. So okay been a lot for you guys lately.

Yeah. Okay. Going to pick up too that time of year for Yeah. We're in high fire dangers this afternoon again. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. I'm here for the next state. I do. Y

she does. Oh god. I see her truck still setting up. Oh, so you must have got probably. Hopefully it's not.

Are you on the building committee? Yes. Okay. Yeah, I was dumb enough not to say not to say no. Don't ask me many questions because I don't know how much I really know yet. I think ClariS was supposed to be coming in today. So, yeah, he didn't tell me he was coming, but I think Tyler's coming over. Yeah.

So, Is it warm enough? It's pretty nice out there. Yeah, I went by yesterday and saw that people were sitting at the fire station or trucks were and I'm kind of glad I'm retired now.

They have had a busy spring so far, but I think it's going to get worse, too. Yeah. Back right in the Yeah. Well, you know, last fall or last it was the grass grew a lot. So, there's a lot of dead grass in those pastures that a lot of fuel out there. Yeah, there is.

Man, the wind blows 50 miles an hour. Speaking of Kyla, um, glad you responded to his email. Yeah. um because I think it's interest I I've done it in the past, but all those entities out there, it it'd be good for you to go and see all the different uh entities involved and but keep in mind that the county owns the property.

Yeah. And you know, one of the things I was going to tell you, Kathy, as far as for, you know, when you go to that, um you know, um I know I've I've asked Jeff to put together something. I don't know how much it would cost for another softball field up there, but that 1% that we were going to start collecting, you know, that might be something to do with that, but I wouldn't have any idea how much that would cost. Well, I'm trying to think of where you put it, you know, space wise. Oh, Kyler said that there was probably room up there.

Tyler, you can come in. I was going to wait and see if Claire Swan offer is going to come too. Mr. Volunteer Dolls here with us. I know. Can't say no. We love people like that, which is why we pick on. Right. Right. It's trouble when you say yes. Everybody asks you. Oh, well, you retire from one and get on another. Yeah. Well, I don't have to go eat smoke on this one. Yeah, it's real. We got bigger problems. Yeah, we got a lot more problems.

So, you got another one coming? I think so. Um, if we could give ClariS long offer just a few minutes here. See if she gets She's usually pretty good about saying yes and being here. She indicated the other day she was planning on coming. So, yeah. First, so does Kathy need to sign this? I signed it. Yeah. And I already put everything on there and sent it to Janna already. Okay. Cuz if I don't do it now, I'll forget. Yeah.

It's a nice day to be outside. I do visit outside. I would anticipate 75 degrees today, but sounds like that's what we get. Make you go work at one special. Oh yeah. So this weekend this was one of those should be something quite simple. So I uh worked the office on letters. So yeah, that feels a long time sometime.

Yeah, this month wasn't too bad. But uh some months you're there. So your Sunday pretty much just came up too because by the time you get home retirement. Yeah, she is. She went to to Texas this weekend and did watch her girlfriend become more and more support. I think um she figured out quick that this retirement thing is actually pretty nice. Glad she I'm glad she did. Well, she can still get out and do some.

Yeah. Yeah. So, I think it's been a positive thing. You know, she you still see her there. She's not always behind the counter and she doesn't have to be. So, I think she likes it. Hey Lars, see I told you you can count on Hey, come on in. Uh if you want to. Is it okay if we Sure. That way doesn't have to sit down twice. Let me grab the chair here. We can come up on Like I said, I don't really know anything.

I know. You're just They're going to grill you. All righty. Good morning.

Good morning. Thanks so much for having us here. Um we're representing the building committee for the 4 senior center uh building and grounds. Um I'm going to talk a little bit about kind of what the past year has brought. ClariS and John are here representing the board members themselves. So if you have questions about the facilities or things that I can't I can provide context for and they can provide some testimony for. So uh just uh want to thank you all for your support of that facility. We know that um it's a little bit complicated with the you know the public interest and then the private board. Um but I think this past year has proven we're we're on a good track with both the groups that are out there, the groups that use that um and the things that we can continue to do with that facility. Um just some upgrades in the past year I'm thought worth mentioning. We partnered with public works. Um they have uh upgraded or not upgraded the HVAC but secured that Hback back to that uh back to the roof and to the actual facility. It was sagging there for a little while. Um the initial intent was that building committee was interested in upgrading the ceiling tiles to make it look a little refreshed. Before they could do that, they had to have public works assistance um and resecuring that. So, they have done that and then building committee bought those ceiling tiles and now public works is in the middle of um of putting those new ceiling tiles up. So, it's a great partnership. They're hopefully um bringing the yellow count in that building a little down, making that a little wide wider on those ceilings. Um they've also done some removing of some aging signage around the facility. Um so, there was a original wood sign that I think was there since the 80 I would I would say 80s, 90s. I'm not sure um when that went up, but um it was finally time for it to come down. Uh and so those have been taken down and the process of um of getting those things replaced. And then just general maintenance and repair. We appreciate um working with Courtney out of the senior center since she's our eyes on the ground um every day um catching some of those things that otherwise wouldn't be caught uh fixing those and and partnering on

those. Uh this building committee, as a reminder, is um entirely donationbased. Um and so uh this year they were part participating in match day. Um they received about um $13,000 in funds there. So that goes into the general account as a way to pay for things like ceiling tiles. That project was about $9,000. So it was a good way to um offset some of those costs um that we could assist with. Um and so one thing I did want to ask um while we were here, we are planning an all entities meeting. So three years ago, I think at this point um Keith attended our first all entities meeting. That was a way for just us to bring everyone at the table. As a reminder, there's six entities out there who use the facilities, the grounds, it was a good way to reconnect with them. And since we're approaching three years and it's been a little while, figured it's time to bring all those entities back to the table. Um Kathy, I did get a response from you. It was March 31st. Okay. I know you mentioned both dates are fine.

Uh yeah. Okay. I think that way we can give those entities have time to RSVP. Um March 31st will be the day. Um we'll be out doing that meeting. And so we have public works coming to that meeting as well um just to for everyone to be in the same room together which doesn't happen often. So um we're looking forward to that meeting with that sorry with Kathy on March 31st Tuesday all the entities keeping everybody wrangled out. Yeah. Um John Claris anything you want to add about any of our operations before they ask questions?

I think we're doing okay. Um I reason I was a little bit tardy was it's senior citizens committee meeting this morning. So I had to scoot out of that to get here. It wasn't over yet this morning. So but I I think the entities are getting along much better than a few years ago when it was not really pleasant to walk into that building. So good. I'm glad to hear that. Yeah. Me too. Yeah, that's great. John, you're pretty new about anything you've done. Appreciate the support from the commission, too. Very much.

And uh like I said, I'm still trying to learn what my role is. They said anything up if everything the girls on the committee said we needed a man and so they went after and I can thank K. Yeah, we do need we do need because men have different I want to thank you know he's not here but Randy Hill staff took down the old sign for us and stuff like that which whether he volunteered or was voluntto but I think maybe the latter he likes to be volunteer since his wife is the chairman of our committee. Yes. what what is um or what needs to be done in the future that you kind of foresee?

Um you know, one of the things I think we've talked about is um potentially partnering on the painting of the building. The building is just the age the age of the paint on the building is getting pretty noticeable, I think, is one of the big things. Um other than that, I think they're all pretty much smaller projects. Um if if the brown stays the same, right? But I can't think of Clariss anything that we're not that I can't think of. I think we're you know there's always something. It it cost um us about $20,000 that we have to come up with every year on top of the rentals to pay our share of the expenses out there. So, it's

uh match day this last year was Mhm. we used to have fundraiser, but that had gotten to the where that really wasn't paying for the time it was put into that to have that. So, match day seems much better way to to do things. Yeah, I think so, too. But I think so far, barring a disaster, we're doing pretty good. Yeah, knock on knock on any piece of it again. Yeah, I think that the one thing that's been noticed is just or been talked about continuously is the paint. Um but other than that, uh you know, I think there's small things um that the committee has plans for in the future that as they come up they'll address. But

I guess one of the things that I didn't realize till I got on this board was how much that building is used. Yeah. you know, and I I know it's come up in the past and it's it's kind of, you know, some people want to do it, some people don't, but allowing alcohol, I think you guys would get more um frequency in the rental and I think you could probably raise the rent for, you know, um events with alcohol, but I know it's been controversial. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think anyone's opposed to alcohol. I think in Clarice, you can kind of you kind of described it in the past, but but it's good to explore.

Yeah. uh the alcohol to h to meet all the requirements to have it in that building would cost us so much. You almost have to have someone It wouldn't be worth it. You don't right. It wouldn't be worth it in the long long run because you'd have to hire someone to let people in and to let them out and be there. It'd have to be monitored.

I think at this point, you know, we haven't um we've been very in lock on do what we can. Uh we've been very lucky with the renders that we've had that you know if there are things that go wrong they're usually very minor right they're things that they can wait till Monday and so as of you know as of our history we've never had a facilities manager in the sense someone who would be dedicated to saying okay there's a group here on the weekend I'll be here as well right it's always just been either the extension office or the senior center staff um who will take care of those so there maybe you know if if you know we increase that capac capacity there might be a need in the future to to hire someone like that or if we needed to address those issues. But um based upon our renters right now, it's really just uh they will come to the extension office, get a key, and then return that key, you know, after the weekend is over or after their event's over. So low maintenance, which is nice in a sense, but it also doesn't allow for some of those more advanced parties to do.

Well, that could be something you pass on to the renter. Yeah. That's renting, too. The only thing I can think of that that might be of some use is if we had a security cameras. Yes. in the building. Yeah. Well, I still think if if it's an alcohol event, I think that having somebody there that specifically has building in in, you know, best interest in when you think about the use of it, senior citizens and and the kids in 4. Um, no, I know and that's been part of the some of the um concern. Sure. Right. That's what I've heard. So,

yeah. Well, I did have one person that found out I was on this board already said, "Well, we wanted to use it for wedding reception, but we couldn't have alcohol there." So, yeah. And that was I do think I see both sides. But, you know, when it comes to being able to generate more money, I do think that if you, you know, allowing the alcohol might be in the long run, you know, if you get the, you know, the ratio right and passing that extra person, you know, the overtime for that extra person, you know, think that would be something that would have to be Yeah. Talk about that, you know, and that's when they're going to have alcohol, it's going to cost more. Exactly. Right. And I think that's one of the things that um you know if we are

um if we have this meeting and that's an area of interest for any of the other groups then it could be more of a you know Yeah. And in case it comes up too with Kathy going to that I wanted to you know just throw it out there so she knew that there there's been talk but there has been mixed reviews. Yeah. Yeah. Because some of those entities out there have expressed one you know like um for example the rodeo some members of the rodeo club would prefer to see alcohol on those grounds. Some of them do not. So, you know, I don't even know if we have a firm consensus amongst groups, but Exactly. Yeah, it is. It's been a point of conversation for a little while. So, other questions about building committee that we can answer for you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you all for your support. We appreciate it and we'll get back to good work. So,

I'm glad you're having public works. Yeah. Yeah. They they're great. They wanted they wanted to be a part of it. So, that's great. Great. Bye bye. See you retire. Bye. Thank you guys. Don't be putting money on anything else. Throw your name in a couple things. We got things coming up.

How are you? Good. I'm here for public comment. So, I'll just Okay.

Um, we're going to talk about the meeting next week, which is the night meeting. And I just have Martinez's chemical health department and then Jeremy public works. That's awesome. And I put public work public comment at 6 o' meetings coming up.

I don't I want to have a I think we should have a um department. Well, we are

because I know um Tammy wants to kick off the budget. Yeah. And then um I think there's a couple policies we're going to look at. Yeah. We wanted to Well, I wanted to talk about I thought I had it on here and I don't. Um it should be on Tuesday on the 4th, uh, Monday, so it' be on the 23rd. Yeah, that's the Monday I'm talking about. Yeah. Yeah. Um, we were going to talk about the PDM and the finance policy or whatever. So, we'll just put that all together. And the travel policy. Tra. Yes. Yeah.

When is this then? So, I'll tell Crystal. I didn't know that. So 23rd ask Crystal to try to get that information that 23rd and she's going to be gone. Two weeks. Yeah. She's going to be gone a week, right? She's going to be gone. Well, I mean it's not something we have to make a decision on that day. We can always conversation. Yeah, because it'll I'll probably set it at 12:15 because that's going to be a little longer because Jordan Mccain whatever is coming to talk about uh first quarter update at 2025 impact.

Yeah, that was that impact. So, I think she was going to go over, you know, they had that um event a couple weeks ago. So, she was Oh, yeah. to the city, too. Yeah. which I mean we required them to give us an update anyway. So yeah. So I set her up for 30 minutes because I mean they haven't been here for a long time. So I'm good with good news. Um

sections people are not yelling at us. There's some change order. Yeah, you're the chair.

Okay. Well, we will go ahead and keep moving then, Rick. Um, if you'd like to go ahead Yes. do. Thank you. You mind if I sit up? No. My name is Rick Dyer, 3107 Rolling Hills Drive, Milford, and I'm here to share some of my thoughts. Gary County Commissioners, as some of you know, I've been working in marketing and promotion since 1981. I'm here today because I care about the future of Gary County, which when I say that, as you know, includes Junction City, Milford, Fort Riley, Bran Plaza. When I see an opportunity as the biggest one that Commissioner Gardonno proposed, my motivation is to make sure that we do it right so we get the best return for our citizens and our community. I believe a four-pillar approach would work. To get this right, we need to find out exactly why people choose Gary County. The new soldier, why is this the best place to raise a family? The new business, why does our local economy give them a competitive edge? The new resident, why is our quality of life advantage? And the visitor, why is outdoors history and historic downtown a mustsea destination? As the US Travel Association stated, travel is an economic engine that unites communities and creates job. And we aren't just selling the lake. We are building an engine for growth. I would propose to the commission a two team approach concerning building a marketing plan with each group handling your heavy lifting. The CVB working with the chamber could lead a visitor convention meetings and special event track with the Junction City Main Street working with EDC leading a resident business track. Both would work with military affairs. Crucially, these teams would spend their discovery phase talking to everyone. our schools, hospital, individuals, and businesses before a final plan is made. That way, when you hold your final planning

session, the feedback has already been heard. You won't be guessing. You'll be finalizing a plan that the community has supported. I am happy to share what I've learned over the last 45 years to help these groups. I've completed the advanced training for the certified trade show manager, including passing the Proctor Tech written exam. In the trade show world, you only have a few seconds to grab someone's attention. You have to make the show the very best of what you have to offer to make an impact. I look at Gary County the same way. We are always on display to our community, state, nation, and even the world. And I want to make sure Gary County booth is the best one on the floor. I think the Gary County Commission should provide the direction. You should stay in the driver's seat with final approval. Regarding a $15,000 budget, it's a start, but it won't cover the professional grade video and digital reach. We need to actually move the needle. If you'd like, I can provide you input on a realistic budget for your approval so you can track the exact return on every dollar. Finally, I want to address our physical entrance way to Junction City. I reached out and talked to the Flint Hills Limestone Company about a limestone sign. You don't need to wait for a marketing plan to make this happen. This is a day one win for Gary County and Junction City. Though it will require coordination between the county, the city, and department of transportation. Though I am willing to help get preliminary information on cost, size, etc., and report back to you. This is a tangible way to show our pride. It's something we can get moving on right now. We are essentially trying to build a welcome mat that is big enough for everyone. It's a massive job and let's be honest, there are probably going to be some long meetings and probably some few cups of strong coffee along the way. But if we do this right, if we listen to the people and the communities and tell our story with a professional pride, we are creating the reason why people will choose Gary County as their home and as a visitor destination.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Any questions? I appreciate your your passion. Um I appreciate that. um sign that you had provided to the um to the city. I thought that was really um a cool idea because I do think we need to brag that we are both the home of the big red wine and the home of the largest lake in Kansas. I agree. Thank you very much. I can do just let me know. Thank you.

Thank you. Did anybody make a motion to approve change orders? No, we didn't. Did you look at them yet? I did. Well, I'm online. Look at them. You haven't looked at any

if you both have looked at them. Is there a motion to approve the change orders? Some move. Second key. Second. Okay. Okay. All those in favor. Okay.

Motion carried to cover the change orders. Yeah, How are you? I'm good. How about you?

I didn't really come to comment. Oh, you just I might, but I don't know. I've never known you not to comment. Well, I'm not exactly sure what I'm commenting on. What? But I do know one thing. You need a little sign that kind of tells you where this room is because I came in and I didn't know where to go. Oh, I thought they put one up. High though. Yeah, it's kind of high. If you're down there, then you can't really see.

Yeah, maybe one that you can take in and out on Monday, you know, blows in the wind. Lucy must be working.

What the heck is that? Did you go?

Hello. How are you? Good. She looks pretty. She just getting her hair did. It looks like she got her haircut. She did. Yeah. You doing good? Are you ready for me? I don't think any Nobody's coming. Oh, Lucy knows.

Yeah, you could go ahead. Okay. Good afternoon, Lucy. Sit. All right. Down. Lucy. Dan. He wants to watch.

Exactly. Um, so Chriss, community corrections director. And oh, she's gonna go say hi. Come on, get back over here. Come on. Um that's it. Uh I am presenting my 2027 adult comprehensive plan and budget and my 2027 juvenile comprehensive plan and budget. Uh you should have received the paperwork on those two items um last week. Yes, we did. Okay. Do you have any questions?

Okay. I just am seeking approval for the budget and the comp plans on both. Do you guys have any questions? No. I'll um move to approve I have to do them all like the juvenile budget, adult budget, and the comprehensive plan separately. I'll make a motion to do the adult budget. Approval. I'll second. Okay. It's been moved and seconded to approve the adult um budget for community corrections. All those in favor? I I'll make a motion to approve the juvenile budget. Okay.

Second. Okay. It's been moved and moved and seconded to approve the juvenile budget for community corrections. I motion carried. Um and then did you want to talk a little bit about the comprehensive plan at all or No, unless you have questions. It's I don't have any questions.

Um I can share on the adult side our success rate for um the last fiscal year was 82% success which that's where we hover. We hover between 78 and 83%. So somewhere which is um state requires us or require us but um the standard is 75%. So we've met the standard and on the juvenile um our success rate was 92%. But the numbers on the juvenile um due to Senate bill 367 are extremely low. So we're dealing with fewer kids versus what we have on the adult. I make a motion we accept the adult comprehensive plan. So

Okay, it's been moved and seconded to approve the adults comprehensive plan for community corrections. All those in favor? I motion carried. Okay. And then you need a motion for I motion to approve the juvenile comprehensive plan. Second. It's been moved and seconded to approve the juvenile comprehensive plan for community corrections. All those in favor? I motion. Okay. So, anything shaking going on at Topeka that affects you?

Oh, so much. You don't have enough time. Um there are several house bills that are um that are being worked over right now that do affect community corrections um more so in on the juvenile side. Uh right now there is a house bill where um they're looking at any juvenile that comes through intake and assessment twice in one year for juvenile offense gets detained automatically detained. Um which completely takes away the discretion. Uh I worry about those kids who are suffering with mental illness or have autism. Um if law enforcement gets involved and they get brought to us for a battery, a disorder of conduct, whatever. Um right now it states as it's being worked through, I'm not sure where it'll go, where it'll land. Um there's also in that bill it's asking um the Kansas Department of Corrections to come up with believe around 40 beds for juvenile offenders. Um and which is very concerning for me, not the fact that they're doing the beds, but it's 40 beds for the state of Kansas. And once I mean, how do they assess which kids get that bed get those beds? how you know there's there needs to be um a lot more attention to that um because 40 beds if they truly want Department of Corrections to go back to placements um there's just a lot of holes in that that give me concern. Um and plus those um payment of those beds will come out of my out of juvenile services.

Yes. It's not new funding being put in to um Department of Corrections for those beds. It's you're going to give us those beds with existing funding. So, that's concerning. So, that we're looking at that. Um I'm also sitting on a committee. Um I meet with the Kansas or not Kansas um the council of state government on the 23rd. Um, we are looking at revising the Community Corrections Act and so because it's outdated. It has been oh 1980 when was it? I I don't remember off the top of my head, but it was in the 80s. And so um part of a committee that we're looking at revising the the Community Corrections Act. So those are things I've got going on. Is there any talk of a change in Senate Bill 367, the old version

is? No, but they are looking at new house bills to so the pendolum went this way and they're trying to create new house bills to bring the pendulum back this way. Um, as far as it youth not being, like I said, um, right now we have the Kansas detention assessment instrument and so that dictates who goes to detention and who does not go to detention. There is an override um piece to that which is the county attorney can override the detention instrument or um a judge can underwrite it. Um, like I said, there's legislation right now that is in the house being worked through on taking that instrument away, those that discretion away and saying if you come through and take an assessment twice in one year, that second time you come through for an offense, you're automatically go to detention.

So, yes. So there's Well, I remember when it first came out, the comment was made, well, this this will pass. I mean, it'll go back the other way. Mhm. Well, yeah. Now they're going clear the other way. Yeah. Instead of giving I mean, at first they were like, we don't want to detain anybody. Now they're wanting to detain everybody. And I just I don't get it. I know. It just let us do our job. Yeah. They you hire us for a reason. I'm here to run the office. Let me Yes. Let me run the office. Listen to the professionals. I mean, I know it's so frustrating. Well, right.

On everything, right? I mean, not just this. I mean, you know, the appraiser, the treasurer, the clerks. I mean, they're all trying to do something that they have no knowledge about. Yes. Um Yeah. And when we have those kids that are tough kids that don't meet the criteria for detention, we're calling Christa and we're or the county attorney in another county that because we have four counties and we're having those conversations with the county attorney. So we do override the instrument when it needs to be over, you know, when we see fit. So anyway, so yes,

sometimes it's best to leave things alone. Yeah, there's no more questions. Thank you. Thank you. And here, Commissioner Primount, I'll have you sign.

So, Got to see Lucy. Got to see Lucy. Go say hi, Lucy. What are you doing? You being a good girl. You got your hair fixed. And we don't have bows in our hair today. You need to sit. We do have our Easter collar on, so Oh, well, yes, you do. Yes. That's very I guess a sign of St. Patty's Day yet. at St. Patty's collar on you meeting a really good girl. Will you be at You better stay there.

Not really. Okay. And we'll go into greater detail. What's going on in Topeka? Mr. Sanders, did you have public comments? Just here. Okay. Not overlooking. Thank you. Thanks for

agenda.

The one that He's just proposed an idea.

What time you presenting? 12:30. It's Sam's big day. He's doing it. Yeah. I don't know. I don't think I don't think that was on the agenda. He told he already presented. Oh, you did? Rick already presented. Yeah. What time? What time was Jim's asking about what time Rick? Rick Oh, he came at noon. He came right at noon. Is that who I saw walking out? Yeah, he's lost a little bit of weight. Um, yeah, he he um um Yeah, he talked for like five minutes. You missed it, Jim. I missed it, too. I wanted to hear him. Oh, that's what's what I could have based my comments on, but since I didn't hear

Oh, that was a quick Well, all I'm gonna um uh I mean, it was I mean, he had a very nicely prepared statement, so I he could email it to us. Oh, okay. He just talked about, you know, he's been in in um you know, around the marketing for many many years and and um just different things that we could be doing and and that he'd be more than willing to help. Um it was it was very nice. Okay. So, and how important it is for us to do it. It is. Yeah. I saw the presentation to the city. Well, his conversation with I'm glad he didn't yell at us when he did that. Yeah, public comment I thought used to be. He was very He's just very passionate.

Yeah, he is. But he's right though. I mean, I had mentioned about a year or so ago, you know, I just put some signage. We years ago while I was on the commission, we talked about bulletin boards that were available and we had prices of them and some were $100 a month. Six. Those are gone. But we were talking about putting some 4x8 panels up, you know, welcome to Junction City or even the like the printed signs that I have, you know, the historical markers, 4x8 sheets printed in the middle of $500. That's expensive. That's a great price.

But I totally agree with him that we need to uh show that we're the home of the big red one and that we have the largest lake in Kansas. I think that needs to happen on the highway from here to Nebraska to Missouri to Colorado because when you put it right there like by McDonald's, there's a little sign there kind of like he showed but it doesn't say anything. It just says welcome to Junction City. Yeah. You already have to be coming here to see it. No, we want to draw people in. Yeah, we need to do both. Yeah. I mean, I think we need to show when people come off of Fort Riley that we are the home of the big red wine. Oh, I agree there, too.

Yeah. I mean, we we truly do. And there's nowhere in in nowhere here does it say that. Nowhere. I think that's being talked about, too, by other, you know, I know that's one of Dick's Yeah. Yeah. I mean, but it's just now starting to, you know, as far as on the city level, you know, I I I do think that. So, before we start, I don't know if anybody else is coming, but I know Allan can't be here because he's got a doctor's appointment, and Carolyn Gaston text me and said she was unable to come, but she wanted to possibly be involved. So,

I don't think you can market too much. Exactly. And I think Facebook gets some, but even Facebook ads pay for it so that it just keeps hitting you. Well, I think we already do that. I think what I want to talk about is taking it to the next level in

Well, we still have a couple of minutes. years back while I was still on the commission, we went to Topeka and talked to the transportation folks about how we and Rick was on there. Connie Hall was still on there. how we go about putting signs like Junction City, uh like Mark's just saying, Junction City is so many miles.

That takes just about an act of Congress within the state, but we can get it with the there's there's requirements that you have to meet, but like Manhattan has, you know, Manhattan is 40 some odd miles, 20 some odd miles, and Junction City could get it, but there's like certain requirements we'd have to meet. Uh, Junction City, home of the Big Red One. We could get those, but there's just certain requirements we have to meet.

KO's very strict on what you can. It took I mean, I know Rick had been trying to get that um freedom frontiers and I I I mean, I was calling them. I was emailing them. Donna had done it. Um, I I reached out to a couple of past legislators and finally we got it up there. um because you know that's something we should be bragging on too. We are you know on the western edge of the freedom frontier and um so yeah it's just a it it it takes it does take an act of congress. Yeah. Sometimes it's political. Yes. Very political. Exactly.

Freedom's frontier helps us though. We do have a site on the freedoms frontier and it's not the Buffalo soldiers. Really? It's not. Well, I knew we did, but um you know, as we should and we already had already I think we did have one and it got into I think somebody ran into it and then they never replaced it because we did have one. We do have one on 77 also entering Perry County too. I'm working. Yes. Yes. Okay. Well, we're going to go ahead and keep moving here. So, um did you want to um get started with

Yeah. Um well, you know, I know uh everybody's well aware that Allan um Mont Trigger has approached us several times about a campaign and um I I think it's a great idea. And then, you know, Rick has brought up um some good points or Dystra has brought up some good points. Carolyn Gaston has brought up some good points. And I I honestly I I believe in in everything that they've said. um of how important it is for us to market our our um community. Um the CBB has done a great job doing that. But I what I'm talking about and I think that what um Allan had had brought up is getting the entire community involved, everybody involved u private and and and uh public um because we need to promote our county as a place to um visit, live, work and um invest in um if we want to grow um you know the tourism money brought into our community. RCPB is directly funded by transient guest tax. Um, but does everything that they support result in overnight stays? No. And it shouldn't. That's just the way we that department. Um, you know, tourism brings money to the community whether people stay one day or if they stay five days. And so I think we need to do an all-around uh campaign to cover those um to talk about visitors um conferences uh bring in new ve u residents um business investments um you know uh talk about all the stuff that we have going on um in our community. all the festivals, all the um you know uh Junth, October Fest, Freedom Fest, uh Hilda Brand's um uh Harvest Festival. Um those are things we should you know all be

marketing all in this huge marketing um campaign. I know we had a a preliminary meeting um and uh Sam, our new marketing director, um schooled me on the difference between a PR campaign and a marketing campaign. I think the same but but in the professional world that is not the same um to the lay person. Um, so you know, I I I guess I mean Raquel and and Sam, why don't you guys come on up so we can talk about this because I mean really I would want to support local businesses, attract visitors and events, bring outside dollars to our community, strengthen our community's reputation, which I think is extremely important, especially with all the good things going on. Um, and encourage long-term e economic growth. That's what I would like to see from this um campaign. Um, you know, marketing isn't just an expense. It's an investment into our community. And I think with all the good things going on with the school district, the city, the county, um, all the good things, Main Street, um, you know, this is the perfect time for us to have, I feel, a marketing campaign on steroids. Um, I'm not gonna make a motion right now, but my intent is to ask for um at least $20 or $20,000$20.

Take that right out of my pocket. I'm good with that.

Let me take it out of my pocket. $20,000 to start with. Um I I think and and Allan has already scored secured $10,000 from um JC first and then I believe the city um uh uh Katie from the city the uh PIO from the city had said that that they had um uh talked about giving some money as well. So, and the reason why I want to start at least start off with those things is so when we do form a committee or um task force or whatever we're going to call it, they have a starting budget because I I think and I know we've talked and Sam um if if you guys if you want to talk a little bit about um possibly bringing in a consulting firm um that to help us bring it to that next level.

Um yeah, absolutely. Um

so, introduce yourself. So, I'm Sam Adams. I am the marketing specialist for the CBB. Um, and I I agree with the idea of bringing in an outside entity. uh because mainly because you know as the CBP uh marketing specialist and Katie O'Shea as the marketing director for the city um you know we we are also responsible for our own departments as well. Um, but you know, we would be working alongside the outside entity and kind of saying like we would more so uh keep things up to date and make sure we check in on them, make sure everything's running smoothly, but they would take care of everything that, you know, that we can't, you know, complete by ourselves, just the two of us. Um, but yeah, so that's really the idea of why we would bring in someone else. Well, I thinking about this and I'm sure you've talked about it, but we need a brand or

yes,

something and and we did talk about this at the CBB meeting and I didn't want to put out a brand because it was just something we were throwing around. What I would like to see is us get together, maybe get some um ideas and then have the public vote on it like they did for Main Street branding. Um something like that. Like we did talk about, you know, love JC GC, you know, Junction City, Gary County. I do think it is very important and you guys that have gone to different um um I know the State Fair and all the shows, people don't know where Gary County is. But when you say it's Junction City, they're like, "Oh, okay. I know where that's at." And so I think it is very important to put both of those in there as well as you know us talking about other thing you know Milford and and Graanby Plaza and those kind of but our area is known for Junction City. Um even Milford is known as Junction City because you know they're like Milford they they knew there was a lake here but they but they you know attributed to Junction City. So I think it is very important to have that as an identifier um to be able to um but yes I do think the branding thing and that's and I feel that that is is is important um you know just like they have visit Charlottesville or love love Junction City or discover Junction City or you know those kind of things. Just trying to figure out something that's going to incorporate everything. Um yeah, no I I agree with that. Um you know especially say if we are uh creating somewhat of a committee or we're kind of creating a face for everyone to you know get used to and then that will be the brand that we uh do all these acts with. So say if we are I love JCG

for instance just an example um then whatever we do you know underneath that you know banner uh is associated with us and then therefore people will then invest in whatever it is that we're promoting. Um so I agree with that definitely. Um, one thing that I think is really crucial uh to note, however, is that we are currently in the research phase of things. So, and to give you guys an idea, you know, in the communications, public relations, uh, world of things, uh, there's a such thing called RPI or race as other people uh, may call it, wherever they learn their communications from. But so ARPI is uh the process of how you run a campaign. And so right now we are currently in the research phase of things. Um what I think may be beneficial and to help us all get on one page so that we we can effectively run this uh campaign is that we because we kind of had that proposal that we originally got from Alan Bond trigger. Well, I think that since we correctly identified it as a marketing PR campaign, we need to recreate the proposal again with our ideas. So,

that's exactly what Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. I think he was just throwing it out there as an idea that has been talked about for many, many years and it was just a um template because he's not a marketing person. I'm not a marketing person. You are.

Yeah. Um and so once we do that though um and we you know we come together and we establish our tactics um and then we and our goals uh so we start with our goals for instance meaning like you know we want so and so uh amount of people to come to do such things right well then our tactics would be how we actually achieve those goals. Um, and so we need to get that documented first before we can like actually move forward with anything else. Um, so I suggest um that we maybe meet again. Katie O'Shea and I have already met and to research um the audiences as well within and outside of uh Gary County. Um, and we're supposed to we're slated to meet again today um to uh discuss further and possibly begin putting that proposal together. Um, but I think that's where we should start. So,

no, I I totally agree with you and and I I meant to bring this up at the beginning. You know, last year in 2025, our transient guest tax is now $107,000. 107,000. in this first um um we just got our first um taunch in January and it is lower than uh 22 23 24 and 25 and so I I think that it is needed this campaign is much very much needed at this time and I think it's a great time I mean we have a lot to brag about absolutely

so what were you saying in the sense that you said um TGT was down but then in the same then to move forward you know with the campaign then the money would be coming from where from the TGT okay so okay I okay yeah well you said they were down

I mean I'm just saying that it is obvious we need to you know do something because our TGT is down but but you know I I think this is going to you know cover both visitors and you know because I think that our the because um our citizens are our biggest advocate and if they don't know what's going on in our community, how are they going to be able to tell people and you know there's always going to be those negative Nellies and and and that's fine. I mean, you know, I think some people are just miserable and like complain about everything, but um you know, we need to look at at our future and and what we're doing. And I think this is I don't I I think this is the best time to start it because of the things that are going on um in our community.

Well, I liked your idea, Sam. I think that uh first you need to gather and get something structured and and establish who's on the board of this task force. Um where where are you gathering it from? Just committee or community members out just out there or are you going with people from county? And um so far

they need to be community people. Yes, I mean, yeah, we can definitely involve community members. Um, you know, so far we've, you know, had Trish and and, uh, you know, JC, uh, Main Street and and the city, you know, involved, but we can extend it to, you know, community members and maybe, you know, listen in on what it is that they say. And so and and most importantly like I I agree and I think that's a great idea because ultimately what we really want is we want the ideas then we narrow down and then we come up with the list and then that's the tactics that we go with. And am I understanding you right? Are you going to be kind of the

the person the marketing person? I would I just wanted I wanted I wanted to hear say what the plan was and that's I think that's what we're here for is to see I mean I was wanting you guys to give up you know have a discussion on what you feel I've heard rumblings I never heard for sure. So I wanted to hear that I that I will be Yeah. I was just letting her finish what she was going to say. No, I Yeah. No. Uh, absolutely. I believe that, um, Katie O'Shea and I, both of us, you know, equally would be the, you know, front.

Could you talk about I know in and and these Kathy, this wasn't like, okay, this is the this is the group, you know, this is the we before I brought it to you guys, I wanted to have, you know, a little bit of structure. It was brainstorming.

Yes. And and so at least I can't just say, "Hey, I want $20,000 for this." And we don't have a plan. Um so you know uh they also talked about giving regular updates to show the return on investment of of of what we're doing and what what we're who we're reaching because and I think not only for us that are going to give money but um you know Allan has volunteered to go out and and tried to to um get more monies. I just wanted to have I just want to be able to have a a a preliminary budget so the group knows what they're what they're working with at first. Yeah. And that's that's No, go ahead.

I was gonna say and that's why also ultimately this is a marketing campaign because the end result being that we want return on investment. We want metrics. We want to be able to track and see that we're actually achieving something whereas, you know, a PR campaign is kind of broad in that sense and you may or may not really uh gain anything is except for like a little bit of awareness. So that's kind of the huge difference. I really do think there's some very passionate community members. Absolutely. That love this community. In fact, someone came in today. Oh, they did. Yeah.

And we were talking Yeah, we were talking He was talking about a musical you may have wanted to do. I was like, "Okay, well, so yeah, absolutely. I agree." Yeah. And but you need to kind of have a target of the people that you want. And just from past experience, I don't think you want to start out real big and get too many people at once. You want to keep it kind of in a scope that Yes. Yeah. Absolutely. And that that also is because then it can expand.

Yeah. Um and and that's also another huge distinction to be made from PR and marketing. Whereas PR has a broad scope of people like media publics where and then you come to marketing and we're more so like okay who is this type of individual that you know what are their interests you know we we focus a lot more on the actual people that we're trying to target versus just a big broad spectrum. That's actually how you end up wasting um budget. So, any I don't want to put you on the spot, but any idea what a consulting firm would run?

Um I don't want to give a number right now because I mean, you got an idea.

Yeah. And it really it just depends because they usually if you uh reach out to a firm um they're going to give you tears. Um and then you know then you go into discussion about okay well what works for you and you know given the budget that we currently have it would be limited I would assume for an extensive campaign and limited I'd say just about $20,000 really like maybe more you know um so it just really really depends on uh what they have to offer how experienced are they And really, we wouldn't want to just go with one. We would want to compare multiple uh people as well. So, uh there there's a yeah, it's kind of up in the air, but I would expect it to be about 20,000 plus.

I just um emailed Sam this morning. Um, Meek Kansas is a coalition that um, Giri County is a part of and they are um, they have just agreed to a consulting um, she's not a consulting firm, she's one person that is doing a similar not similar to exactly what we're wanting to do here, but a marketing campaign for Meet KS. And so I did send that over to Sam because that could be kind of a starting point where hey this is what

this is what we as a county city community entity is looking for and maybe reaching out to her to see since there's already that connection with the coalition. Um, and if she if that's out of her scope, then perhaps she can lead us towards the right direction for to have a couple of uh bids, if you will. Okay. Have you given any thought to you utilizing somebody from Fort Riley to be on this as well? Because if you're claiming home of the Big Red One. Oh, yeah. Possibly somebody from the museum. Um, you know, or you know that way. Yeah, for sure. I mean, I'd want somebody from the school district, the chamber.

Yeah. Literally all the entities that we're asking to be involved in. Correct. Yeah. And and and one of the things that was brought up um Jordan from Main Street um has been at the meeting and they are they're hiring a um Jordan a professional uh marketing or a

media a professional media. Yeah, we're bringing the professional media company to come take pictures and videos of Junction City, Gary County. Um, we're obviously waiting until winter's over until it's like, you know, evergreen and beautiful and lush, but they'll come take professional quality photos and create a video for us to be able to use within the campaign. So maybe we can add on to that, like, you know, make sure we get everything in Gary County and it would be cheaper if they're already here doing that stuff and and we could use some of those monies to to have them add on instead of hiring our own company for the campaign. Well, I've said all along that yeah, that um all this is is great and I'm happy that we're moving forward, but um everybody needs to be on a united front and not five groups going five different directions. I guess you are going to be charged with making sure you're bringing those groups together to communicate and you know just like with that why do get pictures out here and have them cut go and get pictures and then come back and say well we should have done this but

you know I'm not sure exactly your time frame but I would hope that you organize get structured you know may have a mission statement I don't think would does this have to be a organized group under the county or is it just a under the CVBS. CVBS. Okay. So, under the Okay. So, and you know come up with something to have something formal that um everybody sees what the mission is and you know on your community or where so everybody's going the right

not the right direction. Everybody is the right direction and look look for those people. I mean, you're going to always have those that, but you know, that's you agree to disagree or whatever, but that's the beauty of making sure that everybody's connected. You might not always like what um somebody wants to do or whatever, but hopefully you could get middle ground there and and and go forward, but I I I think it's a great idea. And like I said, I think it's something that needs to be

uh you know, with uh you know, Rick, I talked to you about so you know the soccer stuff going on there and you know, we're going to have a lot of people in this region that you know, we've heard that they're wanting to stay out in this area. As long as you know that you get sparks, you get stuff out there and people see stuff and and everything, then we just need to keep that momentum going. And you know, yeah, those those are things those are things that Sam and I have been talking about like since he got on board and that I've been talking about since before then.

So you're excited. I mean, you know, just you need the Terry for your cheerleader and you have just come and do a rally. Um yeah. No. Uh absolutely. And in the proposal I will uh it'll be like a long document and it will include like you know um the members uh possibly SWAT analysis audiences etc etc. So um and it will include um a mission statement too. Now, is this there just several when you say you're gonna um then you're going to in this proposal

then do you have an initial I heard is there several people that's kind of on a core group that uh not yet but I put together okay that you're going to say that you know you go after three um you go after three you go after three and you know the find the biggest I'll I'll suggest just, you know, representatives from each, you know, uh, location such as like the historical museum and, uh, Fort Riley, like you guys were saying. Um, and I'll try to, you know, Milford, you know, get people from Milford. Well, yeah, Pat, for sure. I think Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Very knowledgeable.

Yeah. Well, yeah. on the city city of Melford, you know, because there's, you know, they get all that traffic from Nebraska up there and, you know, and there, you know, and you got by the lake and all that. I mean, there's just a lot there's a lot that you've got to work with if you Yes. Yeah. So, yeah, you got a big task ahead of you, so you better get Well, and that was one of the reasons why I want to have an official discussion and meeting is because I feel especially if we're going to be investing the money, well, it's our job as a CBB to promote our community. So, why would we not be in charge of that, you know, and and spearheading it? That that's our job to do.

So, I appreciate that in that sense because, you know, we've been hearing this and that and and whatever. So, it's kind of a a formal um type. Yeah. Yeah. That you know, we could say that we know where we're going because I don't like to say a whole lot if I don't know exactly Yeah. who's doing what when. So, yeah. And spreading confusion is always the worst. Yeah. Well, and I, you know, again, then some people want to talk to you about marketing and then some people wanted to go PR and I kept saying, are they two different things? Are we, you know, we talk about marketing? They're within the same realm but different goals.

I'm glad we we had this to give us. No, but I appreciate that. Yeah, I'm excited and and everything and I think we are headed in the right direction and Gary County is uh moving ahead. Yes. And Jordan, you were talking about photos and videos or whatever, but I think there's a good resource with the CDB. There's there's nice photos that you guys have on file.

Yeah, they have some. Um, but they were definitely dated. Um, and when you're doing specific marketing, you want to make sure that you have the right photo for the right with the right words. Um, and so it's nice to have overall shots because it might be a great shot horizontal, but maybe you're trying to do a vertical and it doesn't work,

you know? So, it's just kind of making sure that we have those. And then the CVB also, I've talked to Sam about this, they don't have any um video equipment either. So, when they do the videos, they actually just do stills and capture pictures. So, it's all done very seamlessly. Um, and I met with them last week for them to give an updated quote. And I've sent them the list that we had originally given them. And then they are extending out a day to make sure that they get everything Gary County um that they want. And then we'll all do a premeating to make sure they have to triple check everything so it'll all be done in one swoop.

Um, I think you need to look in your own backyard. Ethan Melton is a fabulous photographer and he works for the school district and he has his own business and if you watch some of the videos that he's put together of Dr. E and different people he they're as good as anybody I've seen professionally. Yeah, he he the video that he used is the school district. So yeah, so that would it's a when you it's it's kind of different. We can't hire him to do that. Yeah, if he's using the school district's stuff. I mean, we wouldn't be able to do that.

It's like you wouldn't hire like we wouldn't hire somebody that runs like a news sit behind a camera like a news station and pictures. No, I agree with you on on shopping local is is very important. And same way with your consulting, not here in our backyard, but I know there are graduates out there that are in big marketing firms across the country and there may be a discount involved to get to get their services because they are from Junction City and and you know and because you know that is great actually it's a great idea Mark do you know anybody? Not right off hand but I I'm sure I could I'm trying to think too of who who I would who I went to school with that might be in the marketing. I'm not sure, but

he's not for a consulting firm right now. Keith, I know somebody. I know. His name is Sam Adams. Like the beer. Oh my goodness. It's only 125th time I heard that. That's good. camera. All the outdated you know that all the technology gets out. Yeah, there was there was equipment I think at the CBB years ago and I don't it's not there. Yeah. Yeah. But we have a new young kid. Yeah, that's me. Yeah, we're excited to have a lot of stuff. So, um

hopefully um you know um you move forward smoothly and briskly. I mean, I mean, I definitely want to start doing stuff soon with the World Cup. Yeah. With everything coming out, I mean, that's not our main focus, but because we know we're going to have that um you know, audience um you know, definitely absolutely look in the works on what we can do to reach out to those. Yeah, we've actually talked about that as well. So yeah, it's in mind. We we definitely along that line and I just thought of this while we've been talking with the World Cup that they know the teams that are going to be stationed in Kansas City.

And I don't know whether you can do anything to promote those specific countries. So there's like their colors, like their uh

so we have we have to be careful with that sort of stuff because of trademarking. So we can't even like use the world word world cup. We can't use FIFA. We can't use you know Messi that's from Argentina. Like there's there are certain things that we need to kind of scale back on. Um, and just to use it as an example, like with the with the football marketing things, we couldn't even when we did those two commercials last year, we couldn't use Kate or Wildcats or so, we have to be very careful when it comes to to the words that we use, but there are insinuations, right, that we can, you know, the big game or I don't know, soccer.

Yeah. Yeah. um you know so so yeah that's that those are conversations that are that are being had already that have that have been there um and yeah it's it's something that I think we're we're closer to to the goal then um no pun intended no pun intended you know so yeah so we're there welcome yeah I was like that's good actually closer to the goal huh yeah But anything else? No.

No. I'm going to make a motion that we um uh commit uh $20,000 at this time for a marketing campaign um with Sam taking the lead on this with TGP money. Yes. Okay, I'll second that. Okay, it's been moved and seconded. All those in favor? I motion carried. All right. Thank you.

Thanks. Charles, I'm ready to go. I just want to make sure everyone got their chance. Yeah, he's pretty good. Go ahead and go. Okay. So, I requested this meeting just to get this paperwork signed. Oh, yeah.

Uh it's our aid the local grants. It's the same ones we get every year except for this year they've reestablished it to the rate that we normally receive. uh the three grants on this sheet. It's a IAP, the immunization action plan that's used to pay part of the salary for our nurse, uh FEP, which is the public health emergency preparedness, and state formula, which takes care of our sanitarian salary, and a lot of the day-to-day things that we cover. So, this runs in 2027.

Yes. So the way most of our grants work, it's from July 1st to June 30th. It's becomes a pain trying to work out the budget, but So you're on the state on their calendar or schedule or whatever uh for most of our grants. Okay.

Um yeah, I would make a motion to Yeah, it's not an exciting meeting, but it's the last part of the application process.

Isn't he good? He's my like we go so far back. Oh yeah. I also applied for a couple other grants. Uh, one of them was a long shot. It's $2 million. Woohoo. It's not going to happen, but it would be nice. And I think it would really help out the county, but there's only 10 grants and they're for like the big cities. And that's 10 grants at the max. Some places are going to get 10 million and it's not gonna happen for us.

You never know unless you try. That's what I said. Uh there's a few other ones I put in for, but uh we won't know for a couple months on how that goes. You're pursuing them. We did receive another one. It was 10,000. And you know, we only get 2500 for the health department like actually goes to the health department. Uh the rest is for live well Gary County, but that's a chunk of salary. So Oh, hey. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay, I got minutes. After everybody told me who the mayor was, I got this right now. Um,

Kathy wanted me to take out something where during her review and update when I was talking about her having a meeting with certain people. I just took that out because um, she didn't think she said the names of people. So, I just I didn't name them all. I just said that they were to encourage feedback conversations for growth in the community with economic development, but I didn't have any names. Keith had a couple grammatical errors. And that's it for the second minute.

I make a motion to approve the minutes. Second. All those in favor? Motion carry.

So, the city has not formally I think Terry's going to talk about they're going to put on the agenda for their next meeting. Where would the county take it out of Miami? Oh, it's CVB. Okay.

Probably money better spent doing that.

Is there anything else? Does anybody else have anything counselor? Anybody else? Well, if there's no more business to be conducted, people will adjourn the