Minutes, July 25, 2005

MINUTES

JULY 25, 2005

 

The Board of Ellsworth County Commissioners convened this 25^th day of July 2005 at the Ellsworth County Courthouse.

Members Present:

Lavel Heitschmidt, 1^st District Commissioner

Kermit Rush, 2^nd District Commissioner

Terry L. Kueser, 3^rd District Commissioner

1. OPENING BUSINESS:

Chairman Rush called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the Agenda as printed.

Commissioner Heitschmidt seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the Minutes of the regular meeting on July 18 and the recessed meeting on July 22, 2005.

Commissioner Heitschmidt seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

No one was present for the Public Forum.

2. APPOINTMENTS:

Roger Pearson, ECMC Administrator, reported a loss for the month of June of $172,997 and a year-to-date loss of $184,425. The Commissioners discussed at length the hospital board’s proposal to purchase the Century building. Kevin Cowan, Gilmore & Bell, will be meeting with the Commissioner this afternoon to discuss the financing of the project.

Al Oller, representing Holyrood’s senior meal program, handed out the recent distribution by the Ellsworth County Council of Aging of the county’s funding for the Services for the Elderly. According to the County Clerk only 98.5% of the tax money for 2004 was collected so the Council on Aging only received 98.5% of the money requested. However, instead of all the centers being cut funds on the second half of distribution, Holyrood was the only one cut and the other received additional funds. Mr. Oller expressed his concern that Holyrood was not getting their fair share of the tax subsidy. The Commissioners will ask the Council on Aging’s president to attend a meeting and see how the funds were distributed and try to correct it if needed.

Kevin Ludlum, EMS Director, asked permission to purchase a radio for his new employee for $598 which including programming. The Commissioners agreed. In regards to the previous bids presented on the repair and coating of the EMS roof, Commissioner Kueser asked if the Hensley bid included a warranty on the workmanship. Mr. Ludlum will contact the company and get back to the Commissioners before the meeting is over. Paramedic, Shelly Maze, has withdrawn her request for county funding for schooling at the present time. Commissioner Kueser moved to go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel from 10:03 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. Commissioner Heitschmidt seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. The Commissioners returned to open session at 10:15 a.m. No action was taken.

Kevin Cowan, Gilmore & Bell, presented options available for financing the purchase of the Century building. Of the options, Mr. Cowan and the Commissioners agreed the issuance of revenue bonds would be the best source of funding. The County would issue the bonds and the hospital would pay the bonds off with their revenues. The Commissioners asked that Mr. Cowan start the necessary paper work for the revenue bonds.

3. OLD BUSINESS:

Mr. Ludlum reported the Hensley bid for the EMS roof did contain a warranty on the workmanship. Therefore, Commissioner Kueser moved to accept the bid of Hensley Coating, Inc. in the amount of $16,952 to clean, prime, repair and coat the EMS roof.

Commissioner Heitschmidt seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

Commissioners Rush and Kueser will attend the Bio-terrorism meeting in Russell on August 16, 2005.

4. NEW BUSINESS:

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve Abatements 60 & 61 for $462.16.

Commissioner Heitschmidt seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

5. OTHER BUSINESS:

The Ellsworth County Commissioners hosted the Rice County and Ellsworth County elected officials and department heads at a noon luncheon at Orozco’s Café in Kanopolis.
Thirteen attended the meeting. The next meeting will be in the fall with Rice County being the host.

6. ADJOURNMENT:

Chairman Rush adjourned the meeting at 2:45 p.m.

 

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Janet L. Andrews, Ellsworth County Clerk