Minutes, December 10, 2007

ELLSWORTH COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

MINUTES

DECEMBER 10, 2007

The Board of Ellsworth County Commissioners convened this 10^th of December 2007 at the Ellsworth County Courthouse.

Members Present:

Albert W. Oller, 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 Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve the Minutes of December 3, 2007. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

No one was present for the Public Forum.

2. APPOINTMENTS:

Teresa Shute, Noxious Weed-Landfill Supervisor, reported on the E-Waste meeting she attended at Osborne. In order to collect and transport E-Waste from the different regions, it was decided to form a coalition and each county involved was asked to appoint representatives to the organization. The Commissioners appointed Teresa Shute and Tisha Wacker to represent Ellsworth County on the Solomon Valley E-Waste Coalition. There are many problems to be addressed with this grant problem and Mrs. Shute will keep the Commissioners informed.

Geneva Schneider, County Treasurer, visited with the Commissioners on the short-term investments for tax revenues. She was finally able to get 4.52% from the Citizens State Bank.

Joe Shepack, County Attorney, asked the Commissioners if they wanted to charge a fee for the requested permit for use of the county's right-of-ways from Smoky Hill Wind Project II, LLC. Since they have not had a chance to review it yet, they will do that and talk with the Road & Bridge Supervisor and schedule it on the Agenda for next week. In the meantime, Mr. Shepack will check out their legal descriptions to make sure they are county roads not township roads.

Barbara and Jerald Pickering, owners of the Dry Dock, asked the Commissioners for a special permit to keep their establishment open until 2:00 a.m. January 1, 2008. The Dry Dock, which sells cereal malt beverages on premise, has a mandatory closing at 12:00 Midnight. Commissioner Kueser moved to issue a special permit to the Dry Dock to remain open until 2:00 a.m. on January 1, 2007. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

Rob Fillion, Director of Smoky Hill Development Corporation, asked the Commissioner to consider giving the organization some of the remaining money in the county's economic development budget. These funds could be used to help fund their many expenses and projects including the Professional Development program. Commissioner Rush moved to give $7,726 from the Economic Development budget to the Smoky Hill Development Corporation to use at their discretion. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

Jo Funk with the Salina-Saline County Health Department, discussed the newly written Sanitary Code and will meet with Mr. Shepack after the New Year to get it organized and submitted through the proper channels. Mrs. Funk also presented the Commissioners with a beautiful array of homemade cookies and candies.

Upon the request of Michelle Maze, EMS Director, Commissioner Kueser moved to go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel from 11:00 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. Commissioner Rush seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. The Commissioners returned to open session at 11:15 a.m. Commissioner Kueser moved to go back into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel from 11:15 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Commissioner Rush seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. County Attorney, Joe Shepack, was included in the executive session. The Commissioners returned to open session at 11:30 a.m. No action was taken.

Upon the request of EMS employee, Deedra Stertz, Commissioner Kueser moved to go into executive session to discuss non-elected personnel from 11:34 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. The Commissioners returned to open session at 11:50 a.m. No action was taken.

Commissioner Kueser moved to go into executive session from 11:50 a.m. until 12:05 p.m. to discuss non-elected personnel. Commissioner Rush seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. County Clerk, Jan Andrews, was included in the executive session. The Commissioner returned to open session at 12:05 p.m. Commissioner Kueser moved upon the recommendation of EMS Director, Michelle Maze, to terminate the employment of Deedra Stertz effective December 14, 2007 unless a pre-termination hearing is requested within three days by Mrs. Stertz. Commissioner Rush seconded the motion. Motion carried 2-1.

3. OLD BUSINESS:

Commissioner Rush moved to appoint Lavel Heitschmidt to represent Ellsworth County on the Juvenile Corrections Advisory Board. Commissioner Kueser seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

4. NEW BUSINESS:

Commissioner Kueser moved to approve 2007 Abatements 34,35,36,37 & 38 in the amount of $110.10. Commissioner Oller seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0.

5. ADJOURNMENT:

Chairman Rush adjourned the meeting at 12:20 p.m. There will be no Commissioner meeting the week of December 24, 2007.

 

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Janet L. Andrews, Ellsworth County Clerk