April 30, 2024 The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners met in the courthouse commission meeting on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Chairman Dennis Ray called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. with Vice Chairman Debora Smith and Member Ryley Hembry present. County Clerk Dawn Harlow was in attendance as recording secretary.
Others present for portions of the meeting: Felicia Strahm, Elizabeth Sheldon, Tanya Paul, Alan Hunter, Carol Torkelson, Kelly Gourley, and Jennifer Machado.
Correspondence: a letter of support for the Lincoln Recreation Department’s grant application; a budget request for the Lincoln County Area Fair Board; and a letter from North Central Flint Hills-Area Agency on Aging with their annual budget request for administration expenses. Debora Smith moved to sign a letter of support for the City of Lincoln’s Recreation Department’s application to the Dane Hansen Foundation, seconded by Ryley Hembry. Motion carried.
Debora Smith moved to approve payroll in the amount of $239,269.78, seconded by Ryley Hembry. Motion carried. Dennis Ray moved to approve accounts payable in the amount of $449,106.64, seconded by Ryley Hembry. Motion carried.
Dennis Ray forwarded a request to temporarily close a portion of Madison Ave in Westfall for an auction on May 18. The board approved the request.
Dennis Ray moved to recess into executive session for ten minutes for the purpose of discussing employee evaluations, pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4319(2)(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of nonelected personnel, to reconvene in the courthouse commission meeting room with the commission, HR Felicia Strahm, and Health Department Administrator Elizabeth Sheldon, seconded by Ryley Hembry. Motion carried. Time in: 9:03 a.m. Time out: 9:13 a.m.
The chairman reconvened the meeting to regular session at 9:13 a.m. Dennis Ray moved to increase Elizabeth Sheldon to Grade 35 Step 19, at $30.50, effective April 26, 2024, seconded by Debora Smith. Motion carried.
County Appraiser Rhonda Wright announced her retirement effective June 25, 2024. The board expressed their appreciation to Wright for her many years of service. The board requested that Strahm advertise the position.
Tanya Paul, DVACK, requested that the board proclaim April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Dennis Ray moved to approve the sexual assault awareness proclamation for the month of April, seconded by Debora Smith. Motion carried.
The board discussed the construction plans for the courthouse rehabilitation project. The board approved the submission of the plans to the Kansas State Historical Society and authorized Clerk Harlow to pay the application fee.
The chairman called the public hearing to order at 10:00 a.m. to hear public comments concerning a potential conflict of interest with a CDBG-CVR grant project between Lincoln Park Manor and Lincoln County. The following individuals were in attendance: Alan Hunter, Kelly Gourley, and Carol Torkelson present. With no comments received, the Chairman closed the public hearing at 10:10 a.m.
Carol Torkelson, North Central Regional Planning Commission, presented the environmental review for the board’s approval. Debora Smith moved to allow the chairman to sign the environmental review for the Lincoln Park Manor project for the CDBG-CVR grant, seconded by Ryley Hembry. Motion carried.
Economic Development Director Kelly Gourley reported that the sign for McReynolds Park is being installed, and grass has been planted.
Dennis Ray moved to recess into executive session for fifteen minutes for the purpose of discussing personnel billing at the clerk’s office, pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4319(2)(b)(1) to discuss personnel matters of nonelected personnel, with the commission, County Clerk Dawn Harlow, and Deputy County Clerk Jennifer Machado, seconded by Ryley Hembry. Motion carried. Time in: 10:17 a.m. Time out: 10:27 a.m.
The chairman reconvened the meeting to regular session at 10:27 a.m. with no action taken.
The board scheduled their May 6, 2025, board meeting to begin at the Lincoln County Transfer Station/Landfill and Noxious Weed Department. The board requested that all employees for both departments be present. The board will convene at the courthouse commission meeting room beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Clerk Harlow provided examples of budget forms currently used and forms available with the software program. Clerk Harlow requested that the board determine what dollar limit should be used when determining whether an item should be placed on the inventory, providing input received from some department heads and experience when completing the inventory for the Clerk’s Office. The board will discuss this further at a later meeting.
Dennis Ray moved to approve the minutes as corrected, seconded by Ryley Hembry. Motion carried.
The chairman adjourned the meeting at 11:09 a.m. The next meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. Monday, May 6, 2024, beginning at the Landfill/Transfer Station 1385 N 170th Rd, Lincoln.
