Minutes 10/13/2009

October 13, 2009

The Morris County Commissioners met on Tuesday, October 13, 2009, at 9:00 a.m.; all members present.

Jennifer Kassebaum, Emergency Management Coordinator, gave a report on the status of the county’s All Hazard Mitigation Plan.  A planning meeting for the development of the Plan will be held on October 27^th.  

Kassebaum also gave a report of a meeting held on October 7^th with city officials, first responders and county officials on the conversion of Council Grove City Lake property addresses.  All roads throughout the City Lake will be renamed and new numbers will be assigned to all residences.  The new addressing is a phase of the county’s E-911 project.  It is anticipated that the conversion will be effective January 1, 2010.

Genevieve Nichols, Director of Council Grove/Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, gave a monthly report.  She plans to attend a Regional Planning Organization Project public meeting in Manhattan on October 15.  The annual Chamber dinner meeting will be held on November 11, and the county will sponsor (Hay, Revere) a table this year.   Motion carried.

Commissioner Jost reported on a Flint Hills Regional Transit Pilot Project meeting she attended recently about the implementation of a mass transit system in a 17 county area, which includes Morris County. Mrs. Jost is part of a Team that is studying the feasibility of a commuter program.  A similar program has been implemented in the rural areas of other states.  

The purchase of a used 2001 Dodge Caravan with 22,296 miles was approved (Revere, Hay) for the County Clerk/Election Office.  The vehicle was purchased from Federal Surplus Property for $8,000.  Motion carried.

William A. Kassebaum, county counselor, and Sharon Pittman, county appraiser, discussed recent decisions handed down by the Small Claims Division of the Kansas Court of Appeals (COTA) on properties at the Council Grove City Lake.  The decisions are in favor of the property owners, however, the opinions of value set by COTA give no basis on how the values were determined.  The county will appeal (Jost, Revere) the COTA decisions.  Motion carried with Commissioner Hay abstaining. 

John Lee gave the weekly noxious weed and solid waste reports.  KDHE determined the cover on the old landfill site is in good condition during the annual cover inspection conducted on October 6^th.  Pursuant to KDHE requirement, the county will prepare and submit a grazing plan for approval.

The minutes of the October 6^th meeting were approved (Hay, Revere) as presented.  Motion carried.

Jeff Blosser, county engineer, gave a report of his department.  Commissioners approved the purchase (Revere, Hay) of a used 2001 Dodge 2/4T pickup with a utility bed from Federal Surplus Property for $10,000.  Motion carried.

The commissioners, county engineer and county counselor took a field trip to the Kahola area to view a road.

The meeting adjourned at 3:25 p.m.