Pottawatomie County commissioners Monday approved hiring a McPherson accounting firm to help guide administrators with $4.9 million the county is expected to receive in coronavirus aid.
At the recommendation of Administrator Chad Kinsley, the commission approved hiring the firm of Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Lloyd to audit and do the reporting for the funds the county anticipates receiving through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The federal funds are being distributed by the state to counties based on population. The county, in turn, intends to redistribute the funds to cities within the county (based on population) and retain a percentage based on the population in non-incorporated areas.
“I think being careful about the accounting is the biggest thing at this moment,” said Commissioner Dee McKee who, with Kinsley, participated in meetings with city representatives last Thursday and Friday via ZOOM.
The cost for the accounting services is a maximum of $35,000, said Kinsley, who said he has worked with the firm before.
“This is all new to everybody, and this is a good, reputable firm,” he told commissioners. Cost for the accounting will be paid with money the county receives through the CARES act, he added.
“It’s not coming out of our pocketbook,” Kinsley said.
Four county communities — Belvue, Wheaton, Louisville and Havensville — indicated initially they are not interested in participating in the CARES program, although representatives of Louisville and Havensville did participate in the meetings, Kinsley said.
Participants in the program must have a plan in place by Aug. 15, detailing how the money will be spent on COVID-19 related expenditures as specified in the CARES act.
In other business Monday:
• Commissioners deferred action on a request by Treasurer Lisa Wright to purchase a QLess system — software designed to manage or eliminate waiting lines.
Cost of the system is $8,500, with a $3,000 annual maintenance fee.
Wright also asked to use the former commissioners’ room in the County Office Building as a “holding” room for customers, so they are not waiting in the hallway outside her office.
Commissioners were receptive to the idea, but asked Wright to investigate similar programs before they made a decision.
The commission also deferred action on Wright’s request to hire an additional employee to handle the workload in the treasurer’s office.
“My staff does not take breaks, and there are some days they do not eat lunch,” Wright said. “Our office is busting butt almost daily while employees in the clerk’s office are goofing off.”
In a survey of treasurer’s offices in eight other counties with similar populations, Wright said hers has the least number of employees (six), even though Pott County has the highest population.
“It’s frustrating to see other (county employees) running up and down the hallways,” Wright told commissioners.
Commissioner Greg Riat said he saw the situation as two separate issues: Wright’s staffing needs and possible “unprofessional” activity in the County Office Building.
He asked Kinsley to investigate both and report back to the commission.
• Zoning Administrator Gregg Webster reported 29 building permits issued in June with a total value of $4.6 million.
Year-to-date, Webster’s office has issued 127 building permits, compared to 100 during the same six-month period last year.
• Public Works Director Peter Clark gave the monthly report for Sanitarian Scott Schwinn, who was out sick.
“I just wanted to first give a shout-out to Scott because he’s been putting in a lot of extra hours lately,” Clark said.
The county landfill will be closed Saturday for installation of a new scale for the transfer station, Clark said.
Replacement of the scale was on the commission’s list of capital improvement priorities for 2019-20.
Through the first six months of 2020, the landfill has shipped 1,433 tons more solid waste than during the same period last year, Clark said.
He also noted that Schwinn plans to take a more proactive approach to residential lagoons in the county. Many are in poor shape with trees and fencing in disrepair, he said.
• Clark reviewed the proposed 2021 budgets for the Road & Bridge and Rural Highway Departments, both under the umbrella of the Public Works Department.
The proposed budget for Road & Bridge is $7,002,655, compared to $7,003,305 for the current fiscal year.
The proposed 2021 budget for Rural Highway is $4.5 million, compared to $5.2 million for the current fiscal year.
• Hal Bumgarner, EMS director, reviewed the rotation plan and mileage histories of the county’s seven ambulances.
Bumgarner is also requesting purchase of an ATV with a stretcher slide in his proposed 2021 budget.
The ATV will allow emergency personnel quicker access to persons needing medical attention while attending large festivals, such as Wamego’s Fourth of July celebration.
Estimated cost of the ATV is $22,000, Bumgarner said.
• Years-of-service certificates were presented to Jennifer Merrow, 15 years with emergency management; Colby Area, 10 years with the sheriff’s department; Martie Baker, five years with public works; and Liz Parthemer, 5 years with the health department.
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