BOARD OF BARTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Public Hearing and Agenda Meeting
March 4, 2019   9:00 a.m. Until Close

PUBLIC HEARING
This Public Hearing is for the purpose of seeking approval by the Commission of a loan of recaptured Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under the Economic Development category. Said recaptured funds have been deposited upon receipt of principal and interest payments from Dulaney Feedyard, an original CDBG grant/loan.
A specific project application to be discussed is for INA Alert, Inc. at 112 N. Main St., Ellinwood, Kansas. Loan proceeds will be used for the purchase of inventory. This project will be of primary benefit to low and moderate income persons. Five full-time equivalent jobs will be retained/created as a result of this loan. The total project cost is Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00), with One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) in funds being provided from the CDBG’s EDRLF. Oral and/or written comments will be recorded and become a part of the County CDBG Citizen Participation Plan.
Bob Wetmore, Great Plains Development, will provide details.

I. OPENING BUSINESS:
A. Call Meeting to Order.
B. Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
C. Consider Approval of the Agenda.
D. Minutes of the Monday, February 25, 2019, Regular Meeting, are not available.
E. Any citizen wishing to make statements during the discussion of any item must first be recognized by the Commission Chair. After being recognized, that person should state their name and the name of any organization represented. Statements should be limited to five minutes.
F. Cell phones and other electronic devices, other than those used by the media and law enforcement, should be shut off.

II. APPROVAL OF APPROPRIATIONS:
-An Accounts Payable Register will be submitted to the Commission for the period of February 19, 2019, and ending March 4, 2019.

III. OLD BUSINESS – Items tabled, or scheduled, from previous Commission Meetings, will be
heard at this time.
-There is no Old Business at this time.

IV. NEW BUSINESS – All new business to be considered by the Commission will be heard at
this time.

A. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REVOLVING LOAN: INA Alert, Inc:
-INA Alert, Inc. at 112 N. Main St., Ellinwood, Kansas has made an application to receive
$100,000.00 in the form of an economic development revolving loan (EDLRF). Loan proceeds
will be used for the purchase of inventory, and will be of primary benefit to low and moderate
income persons as five full-time equivalent jobs will be retained/created as a result of this loan.
The total project cost is Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00), with One Hundred
Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) in funds being provided from the Community Development
Block Grant EDRLF. The EDRLF Committee has met and recommends approval of this loan.
Mr. Wetmore will present details.

B. PROCLAMATION 2019-03: Colon Cancer Awareness Month, March, 2019:
-During National Colon Cancer Awareness Month, County citizens are encouraged to get ageappropriate
screenings for colon cancer, be physically active, maintain a healthy weight, limit
alcohol consumption and refrain from smoking. Commissioner Jennifer Schartz and Sheriff
Brian Bellendir will provide details.

C. PROCLAMATION 2019-04: Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 4 – 8, 2019:
-Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 4-8, 2019, is a cooperative effort of the National
Weather Services and the Kansas Emergency Management Association. Barton County
Emergency Management would like to remind everyone to be prepared for the spring severe
weather season. The proposed Proclamation encourages individuals, businesses and
communities to plan and prepare for an emergency. Amy Miller, Emergency Manager, will
present details.

D. COUNTY ENGINEER: High Risk Rural Roads Project Programming Request at the
intersection of North Washington Avenue and North 30 Road and on Northwest 50 Road:
-The County Engineer submitted an application to the Kansas Department of Transportation
(KDOT) for High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) funding to improve the traffic control signing at the
intersection of North Washington Avenue and North 30 Road and to widen a concrete drainage
box on Northwest 50 Road. KDOT has announced that Barton County was selected for a project
to make both improvements. The County is asked to approve a Project Programming Request in
order to proceed. If approved, 90% of the costs of design, construction and inspection will be
paid by KDOT using Federal funds, up to a maximum of $295,000.00 in Federal money. Barry
McManaman, County Engineer, will provide details.

E. RESOLUTION 2019-05: A Resolution Establishing Weight Limits for Certain Bridges
Maintained by Barton County and Rescinding Resolution 2018-19, Same, Adopted
December 17, 2018:
-Engineering load ratings have been performed on certain County-maintained bridges as required
by federal regulations with said regulations requiring that weight limit signs be installed at
bridges that cannot safely carry legally loaded trucks. Mr. McManaman has reviewed the load
ratings and determined that it is necessary that certain weight limit regulations be adopted. Mr.
McManaman will review the appropriate regulatory signs and signage locations as designated by
the proposed resolution.

V. ENDING BUSINESS – After new items are heard by the Commission, the following items,
including announcements, will be heard.

A. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-Following the close of the Agenda Meeting, the Commission will consider the authorization of
personnel changes for classified positions, sign any documentation approved during the agenda
meeting or sign any other documentation required for regular County business. Similar action
may take place throughout the day.

B. APPOINTMENTS:
Although subject to change, the following appointments have been scheduled: MARCH 4, 2019
10:00 a.m. or close of the Agenda Meeting – Department Head Meeting with the
Commissioners. Department Head meetings are held in the Courthouse Conference Room,
Room 101. After the Department Head meeting is closed, the Commission will return to their
Chambers.
11:00 a.m. – IAAO Conference – Barb Esfeld, County Appraiser
11:15 a.m. – Replacement of Election Equipment – Donna Zimmerman, County Clerk
11:30 a.m. – Regular Business Discussion – Phil Hathcock, County Administrator, and Ms.
Zimmerman. Included will be a discussion of the Barton County Emergency Operations Plan.

VI. OTHER BUSINESS:
A. Discussion Items.
B. Citizens or organizations may present requests or proposals for initial consideration.
C. The Commissioners are available to the Public on Mondays during regular business
hours.
D. The Commissioners may, individually, schedule personal appointments related to County
business at their discretion.
E. The next Regular Meeting will be at 9:00 a.m., Monday, March 11, 2019.

VII. ADJOURN.

BUSINESS NEWS

For several years, the computer guys at Office Products Inc. (OPI) built computers to customers’ specifications. However, due to economics and other factors, they discontinued the service a few years ago. But now it has come full circle. Even though OPI will order brand names for customers, the company is once again building tailor-made computers.

“We built them here for about 10 years,” said Steve Black, service IT technician. “Then we learned that it was more economical to order from a vendor. But now that has changed again. It is often less expensive for customers if we build our own.”

“In addition, we can control the quality of the parts we use. We can’t control the quality of a machine we order.”

The added bonus is the OPI computer can be up and running in a home or office the next day.

“In some cases,” Black noted, “we have an OPI-built machine in stock; if we don’t, we can build one quickly. When we order from a vendor, the customer might have to wait two or three weeks. No one can afford to wait that long if a computer goes down. With an OPI-built computer, the customer can have a replacement quickly at a comparable price.”

Drake Toll, another service IT technician, noted that the beauty of an OPI machine is flexibility.

When customers show interest in an OPI machine, the technicians ask what it will be used for and what the customer expects.

“We ask them what they want the computer to do and then we customize it to those specifications,” Toll said. “We will then install it for them in their home or office if they need our help. If someone wants an abnormally large hard drive, we can accommodate,” Toll elaborated. “If you want to do some word processing and connect to the internet, we can do that too. Or you may want to play the newest and greatest video games. Or do some desktop publishing. Or have storage for lots and lots of photos. We can build anything.”

But the service doesn’t end there. “We are right here to answer questions and provide maintenance,” Toll said.

For more information, contact the technicians by calling 620-793-8479. OPI is located at 1204 Main in Great Bend; 516 Broadway in Larned; and 724 N. Main in Russell.

BOOKED: Sasha Kirksey on a Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court.

BOOKED: Gabriel Acosta III of Great Bend on a Great Bend Municipal Court warrant for contempt of court, bond set at $702.50 cash only.

BOOKED: Theodore Daniels on Hoisington Municipal Court warrant for FTA with a bond set in the amount of $185 cash only.

RELEASED: William Fields of Ellinwood on BCDC warrants after he was ordered release by the District Court.

RELEASED: Gerald Martin to DOC for transport for prison.

RELEASED: Shannon Ybarra of Great Bend on BCDC warrant for failure to appear, bond set at $500 cash only. GBMC warrant for contempt of court, bond set at $487.50 cash only after receiving order of release on both cases.

RELEASED: Alisha Myers to Corrections.

RELEASED: Justin Smokes on cases by order of the court.

RELEASED: Sasha Kirksey on a Great Bend Municipal warrant for contempt of court.

RELEASED: Colby Hopkins of Great Bend after receiving an OR bond.

RELEASED: Dakota Gray of Great Bend after warrant was withdrawn.

RELEASED: Jennifer Gunter of Wichita on a BTDC warrant for theft after posting a n OR bond of $2,500.

RELEASED: Johnny Sublett of Kansas City for BTDC case for failure to appear after being released by order of the court.

RELEASED: Gabriel Acosta on GBMC warrant for contempt after posting a cash only bond in the amount of $702.50.

RELEASED: Theodore Daniels on Hoisington Municipal Court warrant for FTA after posting a $185 cash bond.

The City of Great Bend Police Department would like the public to be aware of a telephone scam that is currently being perpetrated.

Citizens have reported receiving calls that appear to originate from the Great Bend Police Department. The callers are posing as law enforcement officials. They tell the person answering that their family member has been arrested, and that they need to arrange for bail. This is a hoax. The Great Bend Police Department will never contact you in this manner. Please do not send money.

With Eisenhower Elementary School Principal Laurie Harwood resigning this year, there was going to be a hole left in a key administration position for USD 428 in Great Bend.

Superintendent Khris Thexton says it did not take long for interested applicants to come forward to apply for the job. With eight applicants applying for the Eisenhower principal position, the district decided to hire from within as Riley Elementary School Principal JoAnn Blevins was chosen to transfer over to Eisenhower next school year.

Khris Thexton Audio

Blevins started her career with USD 428 in 1999 as a teacher and has been the Riley principal since 2011.

Thexton says the applicants that applied for the Eisenhower gig will be given notice about the soon-to-be open Riley position after Blevins transfers schools.