COMMISSIONERS’ PROCEEDINGS
DECEMBER 6, 2022
The Rooks County Board of Commissioners met with the following present: Chairman, John Ruder, and Member, Tim Berland. Member Greg Balthazor was absent. Laura Montgomery, County Clerk, was present to write the minutes. Virgie Laska was present to write a report for the 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.
The commissioners review November 30th minutes. Ruder made a motion to accept the minutes with changes. Berland second the motion.
Berland weekly report: He received a text from Prockish but he didn’t respond back. He drove a few roads.
Ruder weekly report: He had a Red Bud meeting last Thursday. Cash flow isn’t good. Still have night time agency but it is less than it was 6 months ago. Berland asked “Do they have to be at 100% to help with cash flow.” The commissioners discussed staffing at the facility.
David Luke and Ed Harbin with K-Camp was in for the Commissioner’s decision on the insurance bids. The Commissioners have decided to move forward with K-Camp. The benefits of being in the group will benefit Rooks County.
Ruder made a motion to accept the bid from K-Camp in the amount of $132,808.00 and to sign the BYLAWS AND INTERLOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT FOR THE KANSAS COUNTY ASSOCIATION MULTILINE POOL. Berland second the motion. Ruder made a motion to sign Resolution 2022-R8 as follows. Berland second the motion.
RESOLUTION #2022-R8 OF ROOKS COUNTY, STATE OF KANSAS
WHEREAS, the undersigned Municipality, has authority under the Kansas Municipal Group-Funded Pool Act, K.S.A. 12-2616, et seq., as amended, to participate in and form a municipal self-insurance pool for the insurance coverage for certain liabilities; and
WHEREAS, the Municipality has reviewed an agreement to cooperate with other Municipalities to form such a self-insurance pool entitled “Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws and Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for the Kansas County Association Multiline Pool” (“KCAMP)
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPALITY, THAT:
- The Fourth Amended and Restated Bylaws and Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for the Kansas County Association Multiline Pool (“the Agreement”), a copy of which document is attached hereto and incorporated by reference into this Resolution, is hereby approved.
- The Undersigned is hereby authorized and directed to sign the Agreement on behalf of the Municipality.
- Neither this Resolution nor the Agreement approved hereby is intended to nor does it waive, nor shall it be constructed as waiving, any immunity or limitation on liability provided to the Municipality, its officers or employees, by any law, including but not limited to any such immunity or limitation appearing in the Kanas Tort Claims Act or amendments thereto. Furthermore, neither this Resolution nor the Agreement is intended to, nor does it provide for coverage in excess of the limitation on liability within the Kansas Workers Compensation Act, K.S.A. 44-501, et, seq.,
- The municipality further understands, and by execution of the Resolution and the Agreement agrees, that the individual Members of KCAMP may be subject to the payment of additional contributions approved by the Members at a special or annual membership meeting, duly called and noticed and at which a quorum is present.
- One copy of the signed Agreement shall be mailed to the Administrator of KCAMP along with a copy of this executed Resolution; one copy of the executed Agreement shall be filed with the County Register of Deeds for the County in which the Municipality is located; and one copy of the executed Agreement shall be filed with the Secretary of State.
The foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by a majority vote of the governing body of the Municipality in the State of Kansas, on this 6th day of December, 2022.
ATTEST:
John Ruder
CHAIRMAN
Ruder made a motion to accept the bid from K-Worc for Workman’s Comp insurance for 2023 in the amount of $73,568. Berland second the motion. Montgomery will reach out to Jes Pfannenstiel and let him know of the commissioner’s decision and to get any needed paper work.
Rich Bouchey, Road Supervisor was in for his weekly report: Bouchey present the landfill check in the amount $15,868.00.
Ruder made a motion to endorse the check from Noxious Weed in the amount of $5,134.95 for fuel reimbursement and D & A Testing. Berland second the motion.
The commissioners accepted the Road & Bridge and Landfill monthly reports.
Bouchey plans on raising the rock rate after the 1st of the year. The road crew worked on Logan Road last week and will work on the road next week. He has a skeleton crew with employees on vacation. He thinks K-Camp will be a good thing for his department. He is working on cross training his employees. They moved the dozier yesterday to the shop for maintenance. Bouchey and the commissioners discussed personnel, roads & equipment.
Casey with CAT was in to visit with the commissioners. Prices are going up 12% and he isn’t getting new equipment. They discussed electric vehicles pros and cons.
Ruder open the hearing for the Public Hearing for the Neighborhood Revitalization Program. Rooks County has had the program for almost 20 years. If accepted into the program, the tax payer’s real estate taxes are rebated over the course of 10 years. There was no one present and no public comment. Ruder made a motion to closed the hearing. Resolution 2022-R9 to renew the program for 3 years will be signed at next-week’s meeting.
Laura Montgomery, County Clerk, presented Resolution 2022 -R7 for the commissioners to approve and sign; Resolution of the Board of Rooks County Commissioners Authorizing Participation in the Rural Opportunity Zone Student Loan Repayment Program. Ruder made a motion to approve Resolution 2022-R7 as follows. Berland second the motion.
RESOLUTION 2022-R7
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF ROOKS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN RURAL OPPORTUNITY ZONE STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM CALENDAR YEAR 2023
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ROOKS COUNTY KANSAS,
Section 1. Pursuant to K.S.A. Supp. 74-50,223, the Board of County Commissioners expressed its intent to participate in the Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) student loan repayment program.
Section 2. Rooks County has been designated a Rural Opportunity Zone pursuant to K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 74-50,222. As of July 1, 2022, the County population was 4,867 as certified by the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Section 3. Rooks County Commissioners hereby obligate Rooks County to participate in the ROZ student loan repayment program as provided by K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 74-50,223 for a period of five years, which shall be irrevocable.
Section 4. Rooks County agrees to pay in equal shares with the State of Kansas the outstanding student loan balance of any resident individual for five years if the resident individual meets the terms of qualification provided by the State of Kansas in K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 74-50,223, and the appropriate rules and regulations. The number of qualified resident individual receiving such payments will be subject to the availability of funds.
Section 5. Rooks County intends to enter into partnership with Cities, Employers, and Foundations for the direct sponsorship of Rural Opportunity Zone Applications. Sponsored Applicants must meet all qualifications of the ROZ Program. All Sponsorships will be subject to ROZ student loan repayment rules and regulations.
Section 6. The maximum student loan balance for each qualified resident individual to be repaid jointly by Rooks County and the State of Kansas shall be $15,000 over a term of five years.
Section 7. Rooks County shall allocate $29,500 a year for the purpose of matching payments from the State of Kansas to qualified resident individuals. Rooks County shall revise its ROZ budget on an annual basis submitting a new Resolution to the State of Kansas by January 30th of each year. Rooks County shall submit their obligation in full to the Department of Commerce before the first day of October each year.
BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall be published once in the official county newspaper and shall be in effect from and after its date of publication.
Adopted this 6th day of December, 2022 by the Board of Rooks County Commissioners, Rooks County, Kansas.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ROOKS
COUNTY, KANSAS
John Ruder, Chairman
Tim Berland, Member
ATTEST: Laura Montgomery
Certified County Clerk,
Dated: 12/6/2022
Kim Northup presented the agreement for Klenda Austerman LLC RE: Provision of Legal Services for Ad Valorem Property Tax Judicial Foreclosure, K.S.A 79-2801 for the commissioners to review.
Berland made a motion to sign November 30th minutes. Ruder second the motion.
Mark Lowry with Garret Insurance Group, was in to ask what the commissioners had decided on the insurance bids. Ruder informed him the commissioners have decided to move forward with K-Camp and K-Worc for insurance.
Berland asked about Red Bud getting the funds for the guarantee of loan for the engineering and architecture. Ruder said Plainville City can’t make the guarantee because they don’t own the facility. The commissioners discussed transferring the facility over to Plainville. The plan has been to do this sometime in the future. If the county transfers the property now to Plainville City it might help the Senior Services Board get the need guarantee of loan for the Engineering and Architecture. And it might help in other areas to facilitate getting the new building. Ruder will talk with the Senior Services Board to see if they would want the county to transfer the building over to them before the end of the year so they can move forward on applying for loans and grants.
Ruder made a motion to review and sign weekly vouchers as follows. Berland second the motion.
COUNTY GENERAL 79455 – 79740 6,733.56
NOXIOUS WEED 79471 – 79475 65,867.83
GOLF COURSE 79476 – 79477 97.55
RCED 79478 – 79479 150.53
INSURANCE CLAIMS 79480 2,122.20
TOTAL 74,971.67
The commissioners discussed accepting Mark Lowry’s offer of consultant in the transition to KCAMP. Ruder thinks it would help the county clerk. By switching, the county will have more coverage for about $45,000 less. The savings would help pay the consultant fee. Berland and Balthazor had both questioned the consultant fee. They feel like it’s his job to continue to help with the current claims. When asked earlier about this being his job, Lowry replied that in reality it wasn’t. Ruder will talk to Lowry and ask if he would accept being a consultant for 6 months for the amount of $10,000.
Ruder asked Montgomery to reach out to Carlotta with the Lloyd Group on what the County can be reimbursed so funds can be used to help Red Bud.
With no further business to transact, Ruder made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Berland second the motion.
Adopted this 6th day of December, 2022
ROOKS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
______________________________________
John Ruder, Chairman
______________________________________
Greg Balthazor, Member
______________________________________
Tim Berland, Member
ATTEST:
__________________________________
Laura Montgomery, Certified County Clerk