To begin the weekly meeting of the Greenwood County Commission, Clerk Deann McCaffree gave Stacie Pearse the oath of office for County Treasurer on Monday, July 28, following the official appointment from the Greenwood County Republican Committee and Governor Laura Kelly.
In old business, Jamie Lindamood provided an update on the Eureka Downs Building, on behalf of the Greenwood County Community Center (GC3) group. She noted that the fair board has contracted a track manager to assist with the upcoming projects for the facility. In regard to the building itself, it was noted that the majority of the repairs will come after funds arrive from the historical horse racing (HHR) wagering from Golden Circle Casino in Park City.
In addition to these funds, the Greenwood County Fair Board (GCFB) was named as the recipient of a $2 million grant from the sports betting fund. The funds are to aid the GCFB in renovating the Eureka Downs facility, with hopes of horse racing returning to the State of Kansas. Lindamood noted that the GCFB has received the first half of the funds and will receive the second half once the first has been spent. The first project on the list was to repair the roof, which has been completed. The GCFB has acquired a bid to replace the HVAC system to provide heating and air conditioning for the full concourse building, which came in well over $1 million. It was noted that repairs will continue as funds come in; however, plans are for horse racing to return around August of next year.
Discussion continued regarding various chip and seal roads within the county. Levi Vinson with Emergency Management shared a spreadsheet that included several factors to rate the roads on a priority basis. Commissioners again expressed the possibility of working with various cities within the county to complete chip and seal work. Commissioners plan to communicate with city representatives this week to discuss the potential cooperative.
Commissioner Preston Evenson shared he had received calls regarding why new hires have been approved at a higher rate.
Evenson stated that the county had recently approved a pay scale for Road and Bridge, which notes the pay rate for various positions, including education/training. Evenson said that he hoped that having the tiered system would continue to motivate workers.
The 2026 budget was approved for publication. The budget will be printed in a future edition of The Eureka Herald.
Commissioner Judd Everitt shared that Lila Wunderlich had passed away. Wunderlich owned and operated Jim and Lila’s Café with her husband for 62 years in Piedmont. Everitt expressed appreciation for her hard work and dedication to the business within Greenwood County.
The July 21 meeting minutes and the special payables totaling $3,319.45 were approved as presented.
It was noted that Road and Bridge crews were busy over the weekend following the rain Thursday/ Friday of last week.
The next Greenwood County Commission meeting is slated for Monday, Aug. 4, at 9 a.m.
