County commission approves 2011 budget

Cloud County board of commissioners Monday approved the 2011 budget which allows for $9,035,228 in expenditures and a mill levy of 55.629, the same levy as issued in the 2010 budget. Expenditures for 2010 were $8,160.886.
A complete budget summary was published in the Aug. 18 Blade-Empire. At the hearing prior to the vote on next year’s budget, no one was present to express opposition.
Following approval of the 2011 budget, the board conducted a hearing to amend the 2010 budget to increase the expenditure amount for the County Employee Benefit Fund in the amount of $100,000. No one attended to express opposition to this proposed amendment which the board approved.
Commissioners approved a resolution allowing property taxes levied to finance the 2011 Cloud County budget to exceed the amount levied to finance the 2010 budget.
In other business, Sheriff Brian Marks reported his department had received four radios from Homeland Security. Commissioners acknowledged the resignation of Laura Garrison-Fiek as part-time corrections officer effective Aug. 6.
The board approved a classification change for David Tanking from part-time corrections officer to full-time corrections officer to fill a vacant position effective Aug. 26. At the request of County Attorney Robert Walsh, the board had a five-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel. Marks was included in the session.
Andy Asch, highway administrator, Chad Blackwood, Murphy Tractor and Mark Jennings, John Deere Credit, discussed lease purchase options for the purchase of equipment for the Highway Department. Blackwood invited the board, Asch and Justin Murdock, Solid Waste director, to a tour of the John Deere factory in Davenport, Iowa, on Sept. 22-24.
Asch reported his department met with FEMA representatives last week regarding the damage from the recent rains and will meet with them again Sept. 8. He also discussed various other routine items.
Murdock reported he would be meeting with FEMA representatives Tuesday. He also gave a report on the Kansas Organization of Recyclers Conference he attended last week.
Diana Gering, co-Health administrator reported her department will be implementing a new “Medication Management Program.”
Commissioners approved the hire of Janet Price as a part-time cartographer in the appraiser’s office effective Sept. 8 at her previous rate of $14.12 per hour plus mileage.
Jim Johnson, maintenance manager, discussed the sale of surplus property from the Health Department. The board decided to give the other county departments the opportunity to inspect and request any of the surplus equipment for their departments,                            as well as place any of their surplus equipment on the sale bill.                                                                                                                                                    Adjournment was at 11:45 a.m.
The courthouse and county offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 6, in observance of Labor Day. Commissioners will meet again on Tuesday, Sept. 7. They will participate on KNCK Coffeetime Friday, Sept. 3.

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