Clerk’s Office To Be Closed For Lunch Next Week
The Greenwood County Commissioners held a 38-minute meeting on Monday, Sept. 15, where they discussed purchasing tires for Road and Bridge, the recent fence viewing, closure for lunch at the clerk’s office next week and routine weekly items.
During the Road and Bridge report, Administrative Assistant Kassie Lazar presented three bids for tires for the department. Lazar noted the department doesn’t specify the brand of tire when requesting bids, however, it notes the size and ply requested. The bids, all from local businesses, were as follows: Rocks 54 Tire & Oil, $20,000; Tireland, $22,400; and West Creek Repair, $22,470. The commission approved the bid from Rock’s 54 Tire & Oil.
In old business, the commission shared their findings from the recent fence viewing at 2775 DD50 Road, in Fall River. Commissioners Mac Obourn, Judd Everitt and Ron Mast attended the viewing, which lasted approximately 90-minutes, and all noted that the fence was substandard and needed to be repaired. The discussion of who was responsible for repairing the fence was not shared. Both property owners, Curly Hebb and Brad Smith, were in attendance, along with Smith’s attorney Jason Stitt, who referenced state statute, noting that Smith wasn’t responsible as the property is unoccupied and unimproved. Commissioner Roy Ballard noted that a similar situation, years ago, happened in his district, where the owner of unoccupied/unimproved property was responsible for replacing fence. To conclude the discussion on Monday, the commission asked Stitt to send his reasons/justifications to County Clerk Deann McCaffree, who will share them with the commission and County Counselor Paul Dean. A decision on the fence viewing was tabled until Counselor Dean could review the topic. Dean was unable to attend Monday’s meeting due to a court proceeding.
Following a five-minute recess, County Treasurer Stacy Pearse shared that due to unforeseen staffing shortages, the Treasurer’s Office will close for 30 minutes next week, Sept. 2226, to allow staff members a lunch break. Staff plans to close the office from 1111:30 a.m. In addition to the closure, driver’s license appointments will not be scheduled for the week of Sept. 22-26. Commissioner Obourn suggested that Pearse look into hiring a fifth full-time employee to avoid the office being closed during the work week. The clerk’s office currently has four full-time employees and one part-time employee. It was noted that this typically wouldn’t occur; however, two staff members will be out of the office due to medical absences. Pearse further stated that the hardship of breaking her back and needing surgery wasn’t planned. The commission reviewed the treasurer’s report and approved the following presentation of claims: special payables, $6,178.18; payables, $137,612.74; and payroll, $158,166.03. The commission also approved the Sept. 8 meeting minutes as presented.
Before the meeting opened, three commissioners discussed the closure of the Treasurer’s Office with County Clerk Pearse. Discussion was also held during the recess with four of the commissioners regarding the fence viewing. According to the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA), “the only topic that may be discussed by a majority outside of a meeting is to determine a mutually acceptable meeting time. Discussion alone triggers KOMA requirements, regardless of whether an agreement is reached or a survey of how members are going to vote takes place. None of those actions are permitted.”
Greenwood County Clerk McCaffree also stressed that those wishing to speak at future Greenwood County Commission meetings need to contact the clerk’s office to request to be on that specific meeting’s agenda.
The meeting adjourned at 9:43 a.m.
The next meeting is planned for Monday, Sept. 22, at 9 a.m.
