January 17

COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS

January 17, 2023

The Rooks County Board of Commissioners met with the following present:  Chairman, John Ruder, and Members, Tim Berland and Kayla Hilbrink. Laura Montgomery, County Clerk, was present to record the minutes.  Virgie Laska was present to write a report for Stockton Sentinel. Ruder called the meeting to order and asked all to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The agenda was accepted as presented.

Chuck Comeau was in to follow up from last week on the information sent to the commissioners and to answer any question they may have. Berland asked about the rate of self-pay. Rate went from $ 6,000.00 to $ 9,000.00 per month 264.00 per day is the medical rate. The rate has been going up by leaps and bounds. Because the rates were so low, they needed to increased. If we were to transfer ownership to Plainville, then if it were to close the closing cost would fall back on the city. 

Ruthmary Muir, Kelly Muir & Steve Cook and was in to give the commissioners the 2023 Fair Board members. Ruder made a motion to approve the Rooks County Free Fair members, Hilbrink second the motion and Berland agreed. The Fair Board is looking at purchasing 1,000 tons of asphalt at $8 per ton to put down for the carnival.  Ruder said if they need it, the county will help lay it down.  They will need to put up temp. fencing to keep vehicles off of it. Kelly Muir said that RGN can haul the milling to the fairgrounds. Ruder said they would help pay for the milling out of the commissioner’s fair board line item. Kelly Muir and the commissioners discussed property insurance. The fair board is still waiting on the roof estimate from High Plains roofing. The HVAC on the 4-H building has to be replaced.  Normandin gave them an estimate of $38,612.00. Ruder said to get second bid from Tracy’s Plumbing and Heating/AC. They will be going to the Fair Convention next week.

Julie Cole, Megan Niblock & Adam Comeau from the Rooks County EMS were in with the 2022 Report for calls. Adam Comeau explained the reports and answered questions from the commissioners. They have two full time EMS employees and need to fill a position in Plainville. They discussed volunteers, pay and training. The new ambulances are schedule to go into production at the end of the year. The county will need to have payment lined up by June or July. Ruder said our intention is to get a grant for one and pay for the other with ARPA Funds. Hrabe has helped in the past to get grants. Comeau presented the sales agreement. To lock in the price, 50% down is required. The site in Plainville City for a new ambulance shed will be finalized in the next couple of weeks. Can the county help with the demo and cleanup? Megan Niblock will be the new County EMS Director and Julie Cole’s last day is Friday.

April Brown, Register of Deeds, was in to ask the commissioners if they want to require a second review on surveys.  Most of the survey reviews are done in house. The commissioners are Okay with the way it currently being done.

Rich Bouchey, Road & Bridge: weekly report.  Bouchey presented the commissioners with a job application. Bouchey and the commissioners discussed personnel and new job requirements.  Hilbrink said to keep communication open and to fix the problems that are going on. She asked about training. Bouchey said training is done in house. With the road department being short on graders, Bouchey said he is focusing on keeping the FSA routes open. Then the crews will work on the main routes, then bus and mail routes. Berland wanted to know if he needs to talk to Darrell Keller to help blade roads. Bouchey is concern about needing to pay him and what the liability would be to the county if something were to happen.

Everything is going good at the landfill. There is litter on the highway that needs to be cleaned up. Bouchey is thinking about finding a club to clean the ditches and paying them. Bouchey discussed road concerns and future plans.

Heather Poore, County Appraiser, was in to visit with the commissioners about 2023 county valuation and how she does valuations. The last 3 years she has keep values as low as possible. She held the value increase to 15% in 2021 but almost all housing will go up 20% for 2023 as sales continue to climb. The ag market is going down again.

The commissioners reviewed January 10th minutes. Ruder made a motion to accept the minutes with corrects. Berland second the motion and Hilbrink agreed.

Ruder made a motion to go into executive session from 10:55 to 11:05 to discuss non-elected personnel with Ruder, Berland, Hilbrink and Butch Post. Upon returning to open session there was no further discussion.

Butch Post, EMD, informed the commissioner that KDEM is doing a recovery table top exercise in Oakley on March 23rd. He thinks the County Elected officials, RCED, Health Department and City Elected officials will be invited to attend.

Post and the commissioners talked about the emergency action plan for the commissioners. This was approved by the commissioners and Post.

Post said the GIS printer at the sheriff’s office needed to be repaired. Ruder said to pay it out of the GIS Equipment Reserve Fund.

Hilbrink asked about the ambulance at Palco. The county owns the ambulance and pays the insurance on it but it hasn’t been used for a couple of years.

Ruder made a motion to sign Resolution No.2023-R2. Hilbrink second and Berland agreed.

RESOLUTION NO. 2023 – R2

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE TAX LIENS AND THE SALE OF UNREDEEMED REAL ESTATE

            WHEREAS, pursuant to K.S.A 79-2801, ET SEQ., THE Board of Rooks County Commissioners of Rooks County, Kansas is required to file judicial foreclosure proceedings to collect delinquent and unpaid taxes levied upon real estate within such county; and

            WHEREAS, pursuant to K.S.A. 79-2301 et seq., the Treasurer of Rooks County, Kansas has bid in and sold parcels of real estate in the name of Rook County, Kansas at the statutory delinquent tax sale of 2021 and prior years, and such parcels remain unredeemed on the 1st day of September of the second year or more after such sales; and

            WHEREAS, K.S.A 79-2801, et seq., requires counties to foreclose unpaid real estate tax liens whenever the aggregate assessed valuation of the real estate subject to sale is $300,000 or more, or the aggregate amount of delinquent taxes, including special assessments of $10,000 or more.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS, that:

            SECTION 1. Upon receiving and confirming the information set forth above, the Board determined that pursuant to K.S.A. 79-2801, et seq., it shall go forward to foreclose the unpaid real estate tax liens on such property located within Rooks County, Kansas, and to sell such real estate at a Sheriff’s sale to satisfy such liens as provided by law, and all prior actions and decisions in this regard are approved and ratified.

            SECTION 2. After duly consulting council and other officials, and being properly advised, under the terms of a written contract, the Board employed and authorized outside legal counsel, KLENDA AUSTERMAN LLC, to proceed with the judicial foreclosure of all delinquent real estate tax liens, and has ordered such outside legal counsel to prepare and file the necessary petition on order to have a tax sale of all real estate which has been sold at statutory delinquent tax sale to the County for taxes and which remain unredeemed as of at least two years or more after such a sale pursuant to K.S.A. 78-2801, et seq,. and all prior filings and actions by such outside legal counsel in this regard are approved and ratified.

ADOPTED, APPROVED AND RATIFIED BY THE BOARD OF ROOKS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, OF ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS ON 17th DAY OF January, 2023.

BOARD OF ROOKS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS

 

__John Ruder____________                                         ___Tim Berland______________

John Ruder, Chairman                                                            Tim Berland, Member

 

__Kayla Hilbrink________                                          ATTEST:

Kayla Hilbrink, Member                                                         Laura Montgomery________

                                                                                                Laura Montgomery, Certified County Clerk

APPROVED AS TO FORM

 

__Danielle Muir_____________

Danielle Muir, Rooks County Attorney

 

Berland made a motion to sign January 10th minutes. Ruder second the motion and Hilbrink agreed.

Hilbrink made a motion to review and sign the weekly vouchers as follows. Ruder second the motion and Berland agreed.

 

 

FUND                                    WARRANTS                        AMOUNT

County General                79735 – 79765                   16,222.59

Road & Bridge                   79766 – 79771                   6,489.11

Health Department            79772 – 79778                   1,910.30

Sanitation                           79779 – 79781                     566.27

Golf Course                        79782                                    60.59

Insurance Claims               79783                                    380.05

TOTAL                                                                          25,628.91

 

The commissioners were invited to the Rooks County Historical on Jan 29th.

With no further business to transact, Ruder made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Hilbrink second the motion and Berland agreed.

Adopted this 24th day of January, 2023

ROOKS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

 

______________________________________                  

John Ruder, Chairman                                                                                                                                                                                   

______________________________________

Kayla Hilbrink, Member

______________________________________

Tim Berland, Member

ATTEST:

__________________________________

Laura Montgomery, Certified County Clerk