Minutes 02/10/09, 02/17/09

The Morris County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, February 10, 2009, at 9:00 a.m.; all members present.

TinaRae Scott, director of Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, gave a report of current and upcoming activities the agency will be participating in to promote the community.  She invited the Commissioners to meet with Lt. Col. Matthew Van Wagenon to discuss how Ft. Riley troops can be of assistance to the county.

The minutes of the February 2^nd and 3^rd meetings were approved as presented (Hay, Revere).

Tom Bennett, BG Consultants, was given the authority to put together project proposals on a couple of bridge decks needing extensive repairs so that the county will be ready to proceed when the federal stimulus package is passed.   

Action was taken (Hay, Revere) to accept a bid of $83,000 submitted by Martin Tractor for a 2006 CAT wheel loader for the county road department.   Payment for the equipment will be made through a four year lease purchase agreement with the Farmers & Drovers Bank at an interest rate of 3.15%.   Commission Chair-woman Diana K. Jost was authorized to execute the paperwork for the Agreement.  

The road superintendent gave the weekly report of his department.  The report included the following:

___Signal lights and arms have been installed on two railroad crossings in the county.

___It is anticipated that it will be another month to six weeks before bridge replacement project 64 C-4269-01 is completed

      and open to the public.

___An estimated cost to chip/seal hospital parking areas and Keller Street this year will be $9,000.

 Bids were received for 4,000 gallons of winter blend diesel fuel and 4,000 gallons of regular unleaded fuel as follows:

Farmers Coop            1.783/gal-diesel       1.585/gal-unleaded       Total  $13,272

Cardie Oil                  1.766/gal-diesel       1.651/gal-unleaded             Total    13,668

Action was taken (Hay, Revere) to accept the quotes from Farmers Coop.

The county treasurer presented financial reports for the end of January.

The meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.

The Morris County Commissioners met on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, at 9:00 a.m., all members present.

A letter was drafted and sent to the Morris County Hospital Board stating that the county will provide diesel fuel for the hospital generator in the event their supply is depleted due to an emergency situation. 

Commissioner Revere moved (Hay) to declare all employees in the recycling, transfer station and noxious weed departments as safety sensitive employees and subject to the county’s drug and alcohol testing policy.   The motion passed unanimously.

Bids were opened and reviewed as follows for the lease of a five acre tract of hay ground located in 28-16-6.

                                       Bidder                      Amount

                                    Clyde Waylan              $25.00

                                    Steve Nelson                30.00

                                    William Smithson         31.00

                                    Robert E. Hay               40.00

Commissioner Revere moved (Jost) to accept the highest bid submitted by Robert Hay.  Commissioner Hay abstained.   The term of the lease will be from March 1, 2009 through February 28, 2010.  Motion carried.

Several tax abatement orders were reviewed and approved.

John Lee made the weekly noxious weed and solid waste reports.  Action was taken (Hay, Revere) to sell approximately 40 gallons of Pasture Guard herbicide at a reduced price of $25.00 per gallon.  The herbicide was purchased last year and there are some solid contaminates in the containers, however, the chemical has been analyzed and the ingredients are still active.

Bids were opened and reviewed for this year’s chemical inventory as follows:

TYPE OF CHEMICAL &                                                         VAN DIEST                VEGETATION MGMT

  Container size                                         Quanity                   Price/gal                     Price/gal______________

2,4-D Amine (Bulk)                         330  gal                       11.59  *                  no bid

2,4-D Amine (2 ½ gal)                        1620  gal                      11.61  *                   12.06

2,4-D LV Ester (2 ½ gal)                 1260  gal                    15.69                      14.99  *

Generic Roundup (2 ½ gal)         1800  gal                 28.53  *                    30.45

Tordon 22K (2 ½ gal)                    300  gal                 64.97  *                   no bid

Element 4 or equiv (2 ½ gal)            15  gal                  55.67  *                    90.90

Generic Banvel   (2 ½ gal)            150  gal                  36.97                       32.60  *

Remedy-Rangeland (2 ½ gal)           40  gal                  71.62  *                   no bid

Pasture Guard (2 ½ gal)              100  gal                  48.76  *                   no bid

Action was taken (Hay, Revere) to accept the bids as indicated above with an (*).

The road superintendent gave a report of his department.  Tom Bennett, BG Consultants, presented a proposal for the rehabilitation of the Rock Creek Bridge. 

The project cost is estimated to be $190,000 with another $23,000 for design engineering.   Bennett was authorized (Revere, Hay) to submit a Request for Construction Project using Recovery Funds 2009 on the project to KDOT.

The Commissioners discussed sending additional project proposals to KDOT for funding consideration.

The latest information from KDOT is that the federal stimulus plan may offer project funding to municipalities without a local match, however, that has not been confirmed.

Martin Tractor agreed to extend the power train warranty on two 2004 CAT motor graders to the year 2011 or 6500 hrs at no additional cost to the county.

Larry Cordell was in to request a load of gravel on a road in his area.