Greenwood County Commissioners held a routine business meeting on Monday, March 2, where they also discussed the pending pay scale and addressed several other agenda items.
The discussion came after Commissioner Roy Ballard expressed concerns about the county website’s navigation and outdated information, including unposted Road and Bridge openings and the absence of the county pay scale.
Emergency Management Director Levi Vinson explained that the tiered pay system takes additional time to update because it must be personalized for individual departments. Entry- level and maximum pay rates have been determined for all departments, and Vinson noted the pay scale was drafted at an appropriate time, as most departments aligned with recent market study findings due to consistent Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) approved by commissioners in recent years.
Department heads plan to meet to review the pay scale for elected officials. Discussion highlighted that the current scale is based on terms rather than years of service, meaning raises are reflected only upon re-election at fouryear intervals. It was noted that this method can create budgeting challenges and suggested smaller annual increments may be easier to manage. The drafted pay scale was presented and will be reviewed for possible approval at the next meeting.
Noxious Weed Director Debi Selfridge presented several reports, including the 2026 management plan and the annual eradication progress report. Commissioners approved and signed the reports for submission to the state. Selfridge also reported that she and employee Devin Harris recently attended noxious weed training.
Later in the meeting, Commissioner Ballard asked Selfridge to begin planning for spring spraying, noting brush concerns near bridges. He suggested exploring whether a skid steer could be used to remove brush in areas that cannot be mowed, followed by ground spraying to prevent regrowth.
Sheriff Heath Samuels reported that County Health Nurse Jayme Lewis is working with the Kansas Association of Counties (KAC) to potentially host a county budget and finance training in Greenwood County in May or June. The training would focus on annual operating and capital budgets, revenue estimation, and legal compliance for county officials.
Commissioners discussed whether township officials should also be invited. While the training is tailored to county budgets, it was noted that several townships have newly elected officials who could benefit from a better understanding of governmental budgeting. Officials also expressed hope that this year’s township meeting will see improved attendance after cancellations the past two years due to a lack of participation.
County Clerk Deann McCaffree announced the hiring of Lyndsey Linton as an accounts payable clerk at a starting wage of $16.48 per hour.
Maintenance Director Greg Rawlings reported that a third-party elevator inspection identified three deficiencies related to space limitations behind and beneath the elevator. The issues do not require the elevator to be taken out of service. Schindler Elevator Corporation will need to install a ladder in the elevator pit, and Rawlings is obtaining bids for the work. The county has one year to correct the deficiencies. Third-party inspections will occur every three to five years. It was noted that the newly leased grader is expected to arrive later this week or early next week.
Vice Chair Judd Everitt ran the meeting in the absence of Commissioner Preston Evenson.
The Feb. 23 meeting minutes, as well as the presentation of claims, including Special Payable for March 2, totaling of $2,660.60; Regular Payables for March 6, totaling $307,181.10; and Regular Payroll for March 6, totaling $160,983.03; were approved as presented The next meeting of the Greenwood County Commission is scheduled for Monday, March 9, at 9 a.m., followed by the Eureka Township monthly meeting.
