July 14, 2004

BOARD OF FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

The Board of Commissioners met in a regular session with Chairman John E. Taylor and Commissioners Fred E. Ferguson, Donald C. Hay, Donald R. Stottlemire and Donald E. Waymire present.  

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Taylor at 8:30.

Keith Clark discussed Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Conditions.

Commissioner Ferguson moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to approve and sign a Notification of Grant Award, Grant Award Conditions and Requirements, Certification of Compliance with Regulations and Contractual Provisions Attachment for a JABG Grant.  All voted “yes.”

Keith Clark discussed payroll increases for Community Corrections employees.

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Hay seconded to go into an executive session for 10 minutes at 8:35 for personnel of non-elected with Board, Keith Clark, Shari Perry and Blaine Finch present.  All voted “yes.”  Chairman Taylor opened the meeting at 8:40 and reported no action taken, no decisions made.

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Stottlemire seconded to approve payroll changes 04-275 for Vicki Eckard, 04-276 for Kurt Layton, 04-277 for Julie Roehl, 04-278 for Jeff Clauser, 04-279 for Shelly Sills, 04-280 for Scott Monninger, 04-281 for Danielle Paris, 04-282 for Brenda Platt, 04-283 for Susan Rogers, 04-284 for Sarah Steging and 04-286 for Billye Carlson.  All voted “yes.”

Keith Clark discussed the FY2005 Kansas Department of Corrections budget which includes Adult Intensive Supervision/Interventions and SB123 services. 

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to approve FY2005 Kansas Department of corrections budget.  All voted “yes.”

Chairman Taylor discussed a letter received from the City of Rantoul thanking the County for work on correcting a water drainage problem on Rock Creek Rd.

Larry Walrod discussed a grant of easement between Jimmie Patton and Franklin County.

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to approve an agreement for Grant of Easement between Jimmie Patton and Franklin County for property located in Section 25, Township 18, Range 20.  All voted “yes.”

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to approve the minutes for July 12, 2004.  All voted “yes.”

Steve Morgan discussed that he had been issued a building permit for a pole barn and was approved and he has started work on the building and he has been notified that it is turned down, because it is to close to the property line.  Chairman Taylor said he didn’t think agricultural building needed to have a permit.  Larry Walrod said it is located in an R-3A zoning and set back would be either 25 or 50 feet, depending on what its use is for.  Mr. Morgan said that the building will have a concrete floor and garage doors.  Larry said if used for residential purposes then the set back would be 25 feet, but if used for agricultural then the set back is 50 feet.  Larry said that a variance could be applied for. 

Virgil Hermreck said the Board seems to be spending a lot of money creating all these new departments.  Virgil said we have been getting by all of this time without a Human Resource Department, why do we need one now.  Chairman Taylor said every seminar they go to points to needing a Human Resource Department.  Virgil asked about a County Administrator and Board told him they are not doing it, but that Chet Leach is passing a petition to put the question on the ballot.  Virgil asked about the County Counselor and Chairman Taylor said that $40,000 was taken from the County Attorney’s budget to fund most of it.  Virgil said that he has noticed that the County is doing a lot of work with Taylor Design Group.  Chairman Taylor said he sold his business in 1997, lock stock and barrel and has no interest in Taylor Design Group.  Virgil asked Chairman Taylor about Taylor Surveying and he said he had no interest in it either, he sold it in 1997.  Chairman Taylor said he owns the building where Taylor Design Group is located.

Mr. Cowdin said that he would like to have his road closed and would like to have some rock put on the road to his place of business.  Mr. Cowdin said he was not going to put rock on a county road.  Ray DeJulio said that the road was not closed, because the road is used for emergency purposes when not wet and Board decided not to close it.        

Bob Thompson said as an employee and taxpayer he is in favor of creating a Human Resource Department and having a County Administrator.  The County needs a professional person trained in Human Resources.

Ray DeJulio said he has the same concerns as Bob Thompson.

Larry Walrod said he has worked for Miami County and they have a County Administrator and Human Resource Department and he supports it.

Steve Brown said he does not have any objections to the way the Human Resources Department has been administered, that Shari has always done a good job with anything he has needed.  The only thing that he can see that needs to be changed is having a private place to close the door and it can be private.

Commissioner Hay said that it has been indicated to him that they do have a separate area that they can currently meet with employees about personnel matters. 

Darrell Wadkins said that the privacy issue is a concern of his.  Darrell said that Shari has always done an excellent job any time he has needed anything, but the privacy is a concern and some of his employees don’t want to go in and talk because it is not private.

Jason Parks said that most of the issues with Human Resources have been hit.  Jason said being ex military he is use to structure.

Commissioner Hay asked Virgil Hermreck how much his taxes went up last year.  Virgil said they can’t afford any more taxes.  Once you create a department, before long you will have 6 or 7 people in it. 

Commissioner Stottlemire said that the Board is not doing the County Administrator petition.  It is being passed by a resident of the County.  Commissioner Waymire said he does support having a County Administrator, but the voters do not.  Commissioner Waymire said that with all of the new regulations, the counties liability has increased greatly and our liability claims could far exceed the cost of creating a Human Resource Department.  Commissioner Hay said it could, but to this point it has not happened. 

Jason Parks said he has not seen a policy on hiring procedures, what steps should be followed during the interviewing of applicants.  Shari Perry said they have tried to do that, but some departments don’t want anyone else involved in the hiring of their employees and the Board has not set that policy.

Commissioner Waymire moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to approve Resolution No. 04-63 creating a County Human Resources Department.

Commissioner Hay said that approving the Resolution needs to be placed on the Commissioner’s agenda.

Commissioner Stottlemire said he is all for improving things for the county as long as we can afford it.  He is not against creating the Human Resource Department or having a County Administrator, but it needs to be proved to him that we can afford it and not increase taxes.  Commissioner Stottlemire said that he has said it would be nice to put an out reach post for the Sheriff and Ambulance on each end of the county, but we can’t afford it.

Commissioner Hay read a letter to the editor of the Lawrence Journal World from May 25, 2004. 

County Clerk Shari Perry asked why the resolution is not on the agenda and being done during public comment.  Shari said that department heads are required to be on the agenda to discuss business.

Commissioner Stottlemire said he could not vote on the resolution until they have meet with the auditor on the 2005 budget.

Blaine Finch said that the Resolution needs to have an effect date on it, before it is passed.

Commissioner Waymire moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to continue the discussion on the resolution to create a Human Resource Department until after the 2005 budget discussion.  All voted “yes.”

Jason Parks discussed the purchase of copiers, shipping charges and maintenance.  Jason said that most departments will be able to fund the purchase of their own copiers.  He didn’t have a chance to talk to Public Works, Planning and Building and Environmental Health, so he possibly might need $5,000 from somewhere else.  The cost to send back the 3 leased machines is $500 each.  Commissioner Hay asked Jason to find out where the copiers need to be shipped to and if the county could deliver them.  Board asked Jason to find out if the $5,000 can be paid out of Public Works, Planning and Building and Environmental Health for their copy machine and were the funds to purchase a new copier for 911 is going to be paid.

Board discussed 2005 draft county budget with Rodney Burns.  Board took the $100,000 that was in the budget for a County Administrator out, decreased the CHIP fund to the same that was levied for 2004 and added 3.75 percent for salary increases.  The amount of taxes levied for the 2004 budget was $9,236,150 and the amount to be levied for the 2005 budget is $9,716,903.  The estimated levy will remain at 58.288 mills.

Left chambers at 11:45 and went upstairs to the Old Courtroom for the monthly department head luncheon.  Attending the luncheon were:  Blaine Finch, Alan Radcliffe, Donna Shead, Andy Gassaway, Don Waymire, Ed Taylor, Don Stottlemire, Darrell Wadkins, Don Hay, Craig Davis, Fred Ferguson, Ted McCurdy, Dale Watts, Larry Walrod, Bob Thompson, John Dowell, Jim Haag, Ray DeJulio, Rodney Burns, Shari Perry, Keith Clark, Debbie Hough, Sue McCay, Linda Taylor and Jason Parks. 

Board back in chambers at 12:35.

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to publish and hold a public hearing for the 9^th day of August, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. at the Franklin County Annex Meeting Room to answer objections of taxpayers relating to the proposed use of all funds for the 2005 budget.  All voted “yes.”

Ted McCurdy discussed the Ambulance Department June monthly report.

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to approve the write offs for the month of June for the Ambulance Department in the amount of $28,047.83.  All voted “yes.”

Jason Parks back in and said that Public Works, Planning & Building and Environmental Health could pay for their copy machine out of their current budget and 911 could transfer the cost of their copy machine back after the first of the year from what is being funded for copier maintenance. 

Commissioner Hay moved and Commissioner Ferguson seconded to approve the purchase of seven copiers and maintenance at an estimated cost of $22,000.  All voted “yes.”

Commissioner Stottlemire asked that the resolution to create a Human Resource Department be put on the agenda for next week.

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Hay seconded to continue the discussion on the Human Resource Resolution until next Wednesday.  All voted “yes.”

Commissioner Stottlemire moved and Commissioner Waymire seconded to approve Chairman Taylor to sign a request for reimbursement for the All Hazards Plan in the amount of $5,976.  All voted “yes.”

With no further discussion the meeting was adjourned at 1:07.

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                                   Clerk                                                                                               Chairman