Neosho County Commission - Regular Meeting

I will call to order the Board of County Commissioners of Neosho County, Kansas. This is Thursday, May 28th, 2026 at 1 o'clock. We will start with the Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation. You'll stand.

I pledge allegiance 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.

Shall we pray? Father, we are so grateful for the blessings you bestow upon us daily, many of which we are not cognizant of, but Lord, give us grateful hearts and help us to appreciate how kind you are and how good you are. You're a wonderful God. In a world today in which we live that is filled with war and turmoil, Lord, we pray for peace. We pray for your protection upon your people. Lord, we pray that those who are... caught up in conflict, that you would protect them. And Lord, just be close to them. Let them know that you're there with them. Father, in this country today, we're grateful that we can have free elections. And Lord, we pray for even this election year that you would bring men and women to the forefront that are people of... character and integrity, Lord, that they might govern well. We thank you for these who have agreed to serve as our commissioners. Lord, we ask your blessings upon them. We ask you to give them wisdom. We pray that the decisions they make would be very beneficial to the community in which we live. Father, we love you, and we thank you for loving us. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen.

Thank you. All right, do we have any agenda changes, additions, deletions, or corrections?

I would like to add on, talking about maybe getting a resolution. I believe we talked about the T-post and the ditches on County Radaway. I talked to Brett about that. He thinks that could be some county liability. So I'd like to talk about that later. And I see you have alternative energy. Is that about the data?

Mm-hmm.

OK. Well, I'll just leave. I talked to a guy. I'll talk to him about it when we get to there.

OK. Now we attend the executive session pending litigation. And then we also have the updated indigent defense and sync contracts procedure.

Great.

And then it's a possibility, Tonya, that she wants to be added to the department heads.

OK. All right, Commission comments and reports. So I attended the League of Kansas Municipalities meeting that they had in Chenute. They're doing a city forum. It was well attended by area city managers and city commission. I was the only county commission there and a couple of legislatures were there. It was just really good to hear what LKM had to say about what's going on at the state level compared to what we hear from our organization, KAC. LKM is a lot larger because there's a lot more cities and there are counties. but they did talk about working with KAC and I think we're pretty well on the same page as far as property tax and one of the things that they want to do is get ahead of the game and be in at the very first when they start talking about what can be done because it was kind of a last minute last time things were done in secrecy or in these committees and then afterwards they say hey well what do you guys think it's like that's kind of late to be in the ball game so they're hoping to have better connections this time and so anyway it's a very good meeting

Well, as everybody knows, the transition took place today with the Ocean Memorial taking over for Southeast Kansas Ashland Clinic. Be patient with them. It's a major transition. Very major. Very major. And the staff seemed pleasant this morning.

I think it's a great thing for our county. It's that we can keep those physicians. So I appreciate all your work on that. Same here, Nick. All right, next we have public comment. Looks like we don't have any public here. On the consent agenda, we have two department head leave requests. Sorry, three. So I'll make a motion to approve the three department head leave requests. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. no scheduled attendees this is going to be nice all right Gabby we are ready for you already five minutes in

I did want to remind everybody I've got distribution next week, so I'll be unavailable for a couple of days. And I will have CIC on site to help with the NRP distribution in case there are any discrepancies with NRP that we've been experiencing. So they're going to be on site to help with the NRP's. And, of course, with anything else that I have questions or concerns on. So I just wanted to get that out there. And then the week after that, I will be gone Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday due to the KCTA conference. So I'll be gone there. Great. And then I'll be back and getting stuffed up.

Be more educated.

Yes. Oh, always, yes. We have KDOR, they will be there on the agenda. They do have the penny issue. We're going to talk about maybe how we'll balance with the penny issue until, I'm not sure where that will go, so I will keep you updated after the conference. I'll put myself on the agenda, and I can talk to you guys about what we discussed at the KCTA conference about that. I think, yeah, eventually we'll have to figure out what we'll do because we're running out of pennies, so.

Run out of sense?

Yeah. Just a couple.

All right, were you wanting an executive session?

Yes, and I have two things to discuss with you. So if it could be just a little bit longer, so maybe like 20, 25 minutes, preferably 25, just in case. If it's done before that, then hopefully I can keep you up.

Let's go short, and then we'll go longer.

We can do that. Let's do 15 minutes, and then we can always come back out. Because then we have to come out here and sit for five minutes if we don't take that much time. So I move to recess in the executive session to discuss personal matters of non-elected personnel regarding the treasurer's department for 15 minutes to include commission counsel and the treasurer. And we will be back at 1.12.

I'll second the motion.

All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried.

Thank you.

I guess before I call it, do you guys have any... No, just keep up the hard work.

Back in session?

Yes, we're back in session and no action was taken.

Okay, thank you so much guys, I appreciate you. How are you doing? Good.

Tonya, we're going to skip Jimmy right now.

No, I got a whole bunch, so...

No, you don't.

It's my fault.

OK, so Holly already had a copy of this. Since I had taken a week's vacation, she hadn't had a chance to talk to me about this, but she went ahead and sent it down with me. you guys i am assuming are probably going to send it with brett for the week and have him look at it um need to be looked at. And then you guys need to approve it. And Holly will send it on to the state. Once it comes back, she said that you guys need to set it for hearing. And then 20 days later, have that hearing. And then it'll have to be published a second time. But she said she will be contacted every so many days until it gets done. Anyway, that's that.

I do have a new revitalization.

This is from Steven and Jessica McMahon, and they will be located at 6691 190th Road, Chanute. You know what? That's one 90th or one 50th. That looks both.

So I will have to confirm that, but I was like, it's not approximately 190,000 on a new home. that makes more sense i'm thinking that's 150th road if you go to the third page so i'll make a motion to approve the application for the nrp for stephen and jessica mcmahon at 6707 150th road chenute second at a cost of 190 thousand dollars All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. We just need that one.

Unless you have any questions, that's all I have this week.

Well, now, Cindy, now we're ready for you.

I promise I'm organized. I just got to get the folder open here. Okay.

Actually, everything I need to discuss is people-specific, and there's quite a bit of them. So I'd like to request an executive session regarding non-elected personnel in the road and bridge department for, oh, let's see. Let's start with 15, please, to include myself, commission, and Mike and counsel.

I'll move to recess into executive session to discuss personnel matters of non-elected personnel regarding road and bridge for 15 minutes to include the commission, council, RH, and road and bridge director. Come back at 1.45.

I'll second the motion.

All those in favor? Aye. Aye.

Are we live?

We're back in session and no action was taken.

I'll make the motion to hire one equipment operator one for Road and Bridge effective May 28, 2026.

I'll second the motion. All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried.

And I will make a motion to update employee positions for two current employees in the road and bridge department from truck driver two to correct road greater one effective June 1st, 2026.

Second.

All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. Well done. And I'll make a motion to promote a current Neosho County employee into the position of office manager in the Road and Bridge Department with an effective date of May 19, 2026.

I'll second the motion.

All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried.

just a five minute non-elected real quick we can actually do three minutes i don't know if that's a thing but um okay five minute non-elected regarding um the 9-1-1 department to include myself council and commission

I'll move to recess into executive session to discuss personal matters of non-elected personnel regarding 9-1-1 for five minutes to include Commission counsel and 9-1-1 nope nope just each other yeah and we'll come back at 1 52. I'll second the motion all those in favor aye motion carried We're back in session and no action was taken.

Okay, that's all I have for right now. Is there anything that you all need from me currently you can think of? Policies continuing to move forward. It's been a little slow with the budget stuff coming up, but that's the top of my list. You know, continuing to, all the things, new hires, wage study staff.

So I know Greg was here earlier for the budget,

he didn't mention but our leadership class is starting this coming wednesday yep next wednesday so from one to four i'm very excited about that yes i'm just i'm very excited so good i just yeah i hope everyone knows okay it's starting yeah well i think either chastity or myself can send i can i'll send it out i'm not going to test ask to task you

Greg has been corresponding, but I haven't gotten anything for a while, so it's like, it's kind of planning your summer of every Wednesday.

I can send out a reminder email just to be helpful.

Yeah, because I think it'll be great, so looking forward to that.

All right, well, that's all I have then. Thank you.

All right. Thank you, Cindy.

I thought we were going to be longer. Okay. Do we want to talk about advantage? We can do that. Sure. Advantage. So is there any change, you know?

I have not looked into that. I've been working on budgets.

I did not have time to look either. Well, we could wait till our next meeting because it's July 1st. Can we do that and then give us the change? I know, I think Allen County, there was a change. It's always nice to know where we stand. so we can do that. I'm up? Yep.

Okay, I'm sorry.

We're waiting on you. We went to the other, we went on without you, but we'll come back.

Well, that's okay. I don't have a whole lot. You always say that, though. Well, I'll try to do better. And then... I know I never bring good news, but we did have a comment call on a box covered on Wayne north of 180th. What would I do with it if it was repaired and or replaced? I don't think we have to deal with it right this instant, but it certainly needs to be on the radar screen.

Is that north of Donnie Maddox's?

Yeah.

I'll share.

Well, it's always nice when citizens let us or tell us about these things.

Yeah, that thing's been in. deteriorated for years. I think one time we put some shot rock around the wing walls.

Yeah there's a lot of water. I don't know what the name of that little tributary is but there's a lot of water that goes through there. Anyway that's nothing we're going to decide today. I just wanted you to be aware of it. A while back, or I think it was last week, I sent you an email regarding a Challenger tractor that the reverse went out of. The estimated repair was $20,346. That may or may not cover it. I don't feel the tractor's worth spending that kind of money on. It would be my recommendation to just bring it home and the next time we have an auction put it on purple wave we will disclose the transmission issue and sell it as is that's that would be my recommendation it's got over 10,000 hours on it we don't know how many hours it's actually got because it's got a digital screen the screens went blank so we don't know but it's it's way north of 10,000 hours there again that's i don't yeah i mean you guys do you agree with me on that well so what kind of replacement would we get for it i don't know that's why on the equipment needs thing i talked about earlier in the budget hearing that maybe we should consider replacing our brush cutting tractors and then turn those tractors that we have into mo tractors And those brush cutting tractors, when they get up around that 5,000 hour mark, the mowers, everything starts to wear out. But yet, as just a mow tractor, they would still have quite a bit of life left in them. I know that that's nothing we're gonna decide here today either, but that would be my recommendation. this morning we got notified one of my guys went down to get on his tractor and start mowing and it was one of our lease tractors and they stole the toolboxes off of someone stole the toolboxes off both of those lease tractors one of them was parked down south mound one was parked near uh 47 and Queen, and we reported it. We're going to make a report on it. Not a huge loss, just aggravating. I don't know what the damage or the loss is yet, but we'll find that out. I did get notification from CFS regarding the right-of-way acquisition that we'll need for the North Island Bridge. I talked to Tonya briefly about that a while ago. We'll have to acquire 0.85 acres on the south side. 1.59 on the north side. We just got this. I'll send that stuff to you, Brett, and maybe we can get that in the works here before long. Cindy, we don't need to go in the executive session for that. Okay. That's all I have on my list. If you want to discuss that.

We're going to have an executive session on that.

Okay.

That's all I have. Oh, Mike, I got a few things. You know, I was asking about that road between Trago and Udall, maybe getting it paved or chipping sealed in the future.

MIKE PATTERSON. Yeah. MIKE PATTERSON. Yeah. MIKE PATTERSON. I agree with that.

MIKE PATTERSON. Can we put a counter out there to see how many vehicles? Because I've had several people out there say there's a lot of traffic down that. They shoot down that, and they go on Udall and go south and head east, probably. But you got that counter available?

it's being used right now okay we'll we can i mean we'll put it up we'll take that mile of gravel won't they don't be telling my path to everybody come over here also mike uh

I know we got that bad spot there on Shaw Road. We washed it out all the time. A guy over there was telling me that's starting to get undermined. Have you noticed that? The road? I never.

I haven't gotten with Bettis yet. It's been kind of a hectic week, but I will get with Bettis. We'll get a price from them. Because I wanted to visit with him about that at the intersection at 160th and L. And also when Nick brought up the rut filling on 85th Road west of there. I'll meet with Bill Delich and maybe he can

Well, Nick, I had this taxpayer told me that he was talking, when they built that road, he said this engineer of the company or whatever, or the lead man, told him that was supposed to have had asphalt shoulders on the south side all the way from Mead to Ness. Do you remember anything about that? I don't remember anything about that. Contract?

Maybe it was an option. Yeah, maybe. I'm just telling you what he told me. Well, sometimes when they do those things, you might bid a job, and then you'll have alternate options.

Yeah, I don't remember anything. It was after the fact that we had discussed when it was flooded right after we got it built.

Well, it might have shaved some money off the price. Well, and I remember, forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't you, there was a cap on that project, right? Oh, yeah. We didn't hit the $50 million. If you exceed that dollar mark, then you start eliminating things. That could have been something that got eliminated.

That one had so many dollars.

Right. And also, he was bringing up the issue of the Shaw Road, you know, the West End. You know, he said, he's chipped and sealed. And I said, well, we're talking about it, you know.

Yeah. We're aware of it. Well, we made the, I got a recommendation from the, from CFS. Did you? Last year.

Okay.

So, yeah, I mean, we've got, we've got a lot of work that needs done. It's just how do we pay for it all?

Yeah, I know. That's why we got that tax, I guess. Also, Mike, I turned in. Well, I went and looked at a culvert on 150th, and that thing was not put in correctly. You could bottom out on it. I called the dispatch up so we could get somebody out there. And I went by and said, you've got to fix good now. It was a mud hole. I mean, it was, you could bottom out on it, you know.

Where was it at?

150th, Udall, East. Colby ought to know about it. He was on call. I think they put a lot of dirt over the cold, so that's, you can put a little bit, but not that much. I mean, that... That was some sloppy work of my book. Okay, Mike, that low-water bridge, 160 West. I went out there, and it looks like you guys just put rock in there. I don't think that's a proper way to fix that. It's just going to wash out when it runs over the low water bridge. We need to put some cement in there, like I suggested, or at least we have put asphalt on them before, packed them in.

DAVID BURRAGE- And they won't stay either. I mean, I know that thing needs some help, Paul. But you've got to understand, we're like, what, 25, 26 people? I don't have a construction crew. And I don't know.

A couple bags or three of concrete, and you could have it fixed. Give me the material. I'll go do it. Pour it out there.

OK. Is that it?

Yeah. I think that's all I got this time.

OK.

So they're pouring the decks on those two of the bridges. Can you tell us which roads are closed?

Yeah, they poured the east half of the deck on Elk Road south of 140th yesterday. I'll send you some pictures of it out there. and visited with them ahead of the pour and then during the pour. How long was that, the traffic that's there?

30 days, basically.

Well, I figured it was 30. I wasn't sure.

Well, they have to still pour the west side.

He told me that he thought they could put traffic now local, get enough cure time on it to pour the west half in 14 days. And then they would, you know, not open it up to the public for 28 day care. That's what he told me yesterday. Okay, what's the other one then? And then they were going to move down to 20th South, no, excuse me, Mead South of 20th. and pour half of it maybe tomorrow they were working on it and then they were going to kind of hopscotch back and forth do the two these would be considered the two west bridges and then get them completely done and then go do the other two as their plan that's what they told me so and i apologize gail i was going to get you that information on all the locations i will get that i'll get that to you i just think we need to get it out

to at least social media that these roads are gonna be closed for six weeks.

Yeah, especially on 20th and Mead because that's a detour route, one of them.

Yeah.

Speaking of that, I was in contact with the, dust abatement people earlier today and he wanted to send his truck tomorrow and I looked at my phone we got been raining on and off all day today they're calling for possible heavy rain tonight and I said we got to back it off till next week because I don't want to put that stuff on there and have it get washed away

Have they ever, excuse me, have they ever sprayed some of them, Mike?

They sprayed some on the county line road.

Oh, county, okay, I noticed that.

But they haven't done none on residents here? Okay. Because last week, they wanted to last week, but we had over five inches of rain at my house. Oh, I did too. And I think it varied quite a bit, but there was heavy rains all over the place, and we're going to be spending a pile of money on this, and I don't want it to get,

Conditions are right. Yeah, because you're going to have somebody go out there and touch those, Mike, because there's some big potholes in some of them. I figured you probably would.

Okay.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay, that's it for department heads. Unfinished business, we have alternative energy.

Yes, I talked to a friend of mine, and he brought up the data center. I said, we'll put a moratorium on it. He said, well, great. And he used to work with them, work on them or something. And he knows a lot about them. And I asked him if he would be willing to get on the agenda. And I said, we wouldn't have a meeting for three weeks after today. And he said, well, that might work for me. So I'm going to get him, if you don't mind. I think he'd be full of information.

so i i'm leaving that on the agenda because i think we need to still talk about it i did put in an article in your packets with the green So this is something I came across. I mean, one of the things is the data centers is going to bring all this money into your county. So I came across this article that only 30 Kansas counties increased employment over the last 10 days that will continue until elected officials vote for tax cuts. Neosho County actually had the highest percentage of job increases for the last 10 years. So this is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, and the Kansas Department of Revenue. So we had an increase supposedly countywide of 28%. So I thought that was really good news for us. The other two statistics they have is population. So they have all the counties on here. So it's really interesting to see. we were down four percent but like allen county was minus seven percent montgomery county's down ten percent uh wilson county's 11 or down six percent um so i thought you know we didn't have that much of a decrease but then property tax so this is interesting if you guys want to look at this i actually have an extra one you have an extra okay yeah i did have you i thought the newspaper would be here because i think this is just really good news for Neosho County, so... Yeah, here. I'm sorry, there's a little bit of glitch on the word that I did. So property tax is the big talk, and sometimes I kind of like, well, yeah, property taxes are up, everything's up, you know, but then you look at these counties... and when their property tax is up 30 40 and 50 in the last 10 years yeah that's a lot of concern neosho county we are up seven percent so i think we've done a pretty good job we might have kudos for the city of chenute decreasing their property tax but i think also the county has done well and um so if you look at other ones like allen county their property tax is up 49 percent Montgomery County is up 30%. Labette County is holding at 17%. So when you look at how many counties, especially the large counties, they're the ones with the large property tax increase, but yet the whole state is going to suffer for these counties that haven't really been holding their property tax. So I just thought this was really good news for Neosho County and I think the works that we are doing and hopefully this budget session again, we can hold our property tax to a reasonable amount. So I don't know where the job numbers came from, but I'm taking them, you know, that That we have the highest percentage increase in the state. This is a 10 year deal. This is 10 years, yeah. So the article. So I'm sorry, I probably didn't reference. It's this Sentinel, which is. Oh man, plug and get the name wrong, yes. Right here, Dave Travert. Don't always agree with everything that he has, but I thought this one was pretty good.

So, there's statistics, federal and state, so...

Again, you know, when they talk about the the data centers coming in, I think we already have an alternative energy plant. We have a wind farm and we've seen the benefits of that as far as when we look at these statistics and I think that we're doing fine with just one. So and I think we need to make the most of our few years that we have left with our wind farm also and be able to keep these property taxes down so anyway i thought those were just good numbers for everyone to have okay now we have everything that we added to our agenda uh so what do we want to do first just

Brad, did you have something?

Okay, why don't we do that first. How much time do you think we need?

I think initially maybe 10 minutes, and then we'll back out and give you more time to request it.

Okay, I'll move to recess in an executive session to discuss matters deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship regarding the county for 10 minutes to include commission counsel and road and bridge director. And we'll come back at 2.30.

I'll second the motion.

All those in favor? Aye.

Motion carries.

We're back in session and we need five more minutes for the same executive session, same members.

I'll second the motion.

All right, and we'll be back at 2, let's say 2.36. All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. We're back in session and no action was taken. Okay, Paul, you had something?

T-Post issues, right? Huh? Yeah, the resolution.

I think we talked about that before. I've had a taxpayer complain about that. A certain person's been down this for years, and it would be a lot, Brett thinks it's a lot of building on the county.

Do you remember, Nick? Yeah, there's not supposed to be anything permanently fixed in the right of way.

Do you remember years ago, girls got rid of that T intersection going north? Some old boy ran through that, and that post comes through the floorboard. probably 20 years ago, but something like that could happen.

I mean, there would be an issue, Mike, on any right-of-way, they're not supposed to put anything, permanent structure that's not permitted, like, We give right-of-way usage agreements like with telephone and utilities and stuff like that. I don't think you can fix any structure inside right-of-way.

No. And there's places where there's like three T-posts on each end of the call.

Yeah.

That's a problem for water flow, too, potentially. It could bring its economy T-posts to them and it backs it up.

So tell me tell me more about this I had a guy call me up about those t-post and you know who I'm talking about probably who is it Kenny Whalen okay yeah he's been doing that for years and it's the reason he done it Mike is so we wouldn't tear up the end of his code supposedly that's what it's about Like I say, there's one, there's three on each end.

So what is the resolution? So do you want me to just talk to him about this and tell him to pull them out?

Yeah, I mean, that would be the thing.

Well, if it's, I think it's just him, I believe.

Yeah, let's just talk to him.

Yeah, I'll just talk to him. I can say, hey, he's got to go out.

Yeah, I don't, I mean.

Resolutions aren't. Yeah, it wouldn't be a resolution. We'd. Unless it's, I think we did a resolution because people were putting signs and structures on shawl out in the right of way and where it made it harder for the road bridge to maintain or mow and stuff like that. So I remember.

Yeah well like these that you got to wash them. I've mowed some of them off before.

They're hiding in a lot of weeds. I think that was a big thing we were running into is maintaining Shaw at one time.

Okay, Mike, just talk to him.

Did you have your contract?

Yeah. Let me give you one of two ways. If you're going to sign two of them, I can mail them both to the attorneys at assignments in the back, or if you want to just sign one of them. I'll email it to them to sign and send back to us, and they've got a copy. So it's whatever they can be easiest.

We'll make it official and make signatures on both.

Okay. So here's the first one on the first two.

So we've already agreed to these prices. Okay, let's maybe get some paper clips. This is gonna make me nervous. Okay, there's one.

Oh, it's only me, I guess.

Sorry. Yeah, it's only you.

Okay, so these are on the indigent representation agreements.

There's three of those contracts. I don't need to date them.

That's today.

They're effective January 1 through January 2. We've been operating under them this entire year.

Okay, that's what I thought.

Can you get the bottom page from the top?

Yep. .

Do you want two coffees, Grant? I want some milk.

Huh?

I want some milk. I don't know.

Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were making copies of those of your copy and the ones that he's sending you. Yeah. Okay.

I thought I was testing.

I'm sorry. Okay. Do you want to do a recess here for like 20 minutes? And then Brett, you can take care of that.

Okay.

So we need to just do a 20 minute recess and we'll come back at, let's say 310. That way we can have a break too. We'll come back at 310 for the regular meeting.

I'll second the motion.

All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. We'll come back at 3.10. All right, we are back in session.

I'd like to make a motion to vote Tasha Thurmond. It's fine. As our new 9-1-1 director, effective August 1.

I'll second it. All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. Did you want to discuss that real quick? Yeah, let's do a five-minute for Road and Bridge.

I'd like to request a five-minute non-elected executive session for non-elected personnel in Road and Bridge to include Council, Commission, myself, and Mike.

I so move.

I'll second it.

All those in favor?

Aye.

We'll be back at 3.20. 3.20, okay.

Do you guys have anything else? I don't think so.

Well, your doctor said I'd live another year. Until we see him again, he'll make the next appointment. That's all he would keep you alive.

All right, we're back in session. Go ahead and talk about your life.

Talk to Michael soon. Get some dirt. Brian's heck of a good guy, isn't he? Yeah, he is a good guy.

Do we want to do this in executive session? Sorry. I knew today was going to be all executive sessions. Hold on just a second. We've got something.

How much time do you want? How much time do you want?

10 minutes.

Okay, are you ready?

Yes, I'm just making the note here real quick.

Separate one?

It's going to be a separate one. The words in orange are the second motion, and I just drew a line for motion and second. So you can read the same thing, just switch that to that.

Okay, I'll make a motion to hire one mechanic one level one for the road bridge department with effective date of may 28 2026. i'll second the motion all those in favor aye motion carried All right, I'll move to recess into executive session to discuss matters deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship regarding district court for five minutes, 10 minutes, to include commission and counsel. We'll come back at 3.35.

I'll second the motion.

All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. All right, we're back in session and no action was taken. Okay, we do need to discuss one other thing. We had put on our next meeting, which is June 16th, a ways off, that we were gonna meet at 10 o'clock to do our department head evaluations. I think the best thing to do would be to, I should have made another copy, if you wanna pass that up down to Chasity, is to get a time slot for each one of these department heads, and I don't know how long you wanna have for each one of them, but we as commissioners individually, I think, need to fill out this performance evaluation for each department head, and then we'll come together with the department heads, and they fill it out, and then we can discuss among ourselves I think these need to be done along with job descriptions, sorry, job descriptions so that really we just kind of need to get on the same page, make sure that we know that what they think their job is, we think their job is, is my goal this year at least. And then there is gonna be a session on the leadership classes on evaluations. And I think that'll help everyone to be doing the same evaluations and having the same outcomes. So, do we just want Chastity to contact department heads? So we're gonna start at 10 o'clock on the 16th. So there's, I don't know if we want to do dispatch because we'll have a new,

Director we can do but that'd be Other than an evaluation of her time just things her plans.

Okay, and what her job is.

Yeah, so there'll be seven of them Do you want me to I mean I've given you copies but do you would you like me to provide you a packet with the job descriptions all together from the second department?

I think that would be good and then I can't remember this department head semi-annual performance for the department heads I think that this is off yours not for sure where I got this at yeah this is the one that you gave us Anyway, I'll get with you and we, then we need to get seven copies to each one of us with each department head so that we can work on those ahead of time since we got like almost three weeks and you have nothing else to do. Yeah. Um, so yeah, if you could get those time slots, hopefully you'd be done by noon. Let's see if we do four. Yeah. If we start at 10 o'clock, we should be done by 1145.

Some of us might take longer than others.

We're giving you 15 minutes.

Yeah.

It depends on what you guys want to say. Depends on the grade we give them.

She's going to have a buzzer. Huh?

Depends on the grade we give them.

That's what I meant. Giving them 15 minutes. Okay, I still have two of these to sign.

So are they filling out one on their end too?

Yep, so they'll fill one of these out. So I'll send this out with them.

Yes, and so they need to fill that out and then bring that with them unless they want to give it to you. And then we can just sit down and see, you know, where we differ. So hopefully our department heads are getting those evaluations done also. we have most of the job descriptions done at least so that will be on the 16th which is a regular Tuesday our meeting regular meeting will start at 1 and then we'll meet at 10 for the department head evaluations got anything else and by that time we should have the budgets and the figures revenue in expenses no revenue yet but I think we got a lot of information and then we'll have those I guess now looking at the information that you gave us the different scales Because the 30% was actually lower than a COLA, what would be... Like what if we went to 60%? 60 would be 100%, correct? It almost, like that kind of compares with the COLA. Do you see what I'm saying?

So why don't we just go with 100% of the wage study? The problem is you had that year after year. If you didn't like COLA, if you're going up to that, that amount of money just keeps accumulating.

But the compression wouldn't be there. I'm not a big fan of COLAs because you take it at five years, a 12% increase. The good thing about a COLA is everybody gets something. Bad thing about fixing compression where we're at is not everybody's gonna get something and there's gonna be pissed off people. How do we navigate that?

I'm saying if we went where we would be at the 100% of the wage study, it really would compare to the 2.5%. So why don't we just get everyone up to where they're supposed to be? I guess I just want to see what that figure is. Because I was surprised that the 30% was as low as it was. But then when we get everything put together, we may not be able to afford any of those. Yeah.

and that number i mean is going to be different because remember we still have no overtime figured in that we have none of the shift differentials we have none of the potential for promotions which i know there's several um in a few departments actually so that's going to add to the bottom line of that increased number okay so we now have those numbers for overtime though i think most departments gave them to us all right if you look at

a COLA in that over a 10 year period, you raise a mill over 10 mills to cover that COLA.

Right. Yep.

OK. You'd be right. Pretty much, you're raising a mill every year just to cover wages.

Just to cover wages, right? And that's just wages. That's not federal, state, KPERS, KP&F.

Exactly.

All the additionals that go into that. So lots to ponder. OK, I'll run you guys a couple of numbers to show you. Because we do have three weeks, I can try and have a more accurate number with the ones that have the overtime calculated in. like I could get with Greg, instead of calculating like these numbers, I'll show him what the 100% would be with your permission. So he can say, okay, this guy is going to be at 100%, you know, $20 an hour. Now I'm going to calculate the overtime, whereas right now he's only at 19, and that's my overtime. Does that make sense?

Yeah.

Okay. So as long as that's okay with you guys.

I mean, I have no idea where I'm going to be at. Okay.

Yeah, I'm not.

My goal is to stay as close to the R&R as we can without using the pilot fund because I think we need to use that for our capital improvement projects now that we know what those are. We just got to start doing that and it might be tough, so anyway.

All right. Anything else? No. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Cindy.

That's all I got. You got anything for us?

Yeah, give me that car. We all done? Yeah. I'll make a motion to adjourn the meeting then.

I'll see you. All those in favor? Aye. Motion carried. All right. How many of you guys are going to be there?