Boards receives budget requests
Representatives from Pawnee Mental Health Center presented a 2020 budget request in the amount of $116,587 to the Cloud County board of commissioners during its regular meeting on Monday.
Representing Pawnee Mental Health were Robbin Cole, Myra Pfeifer, Gilletta Molleker and David Redmond.
It was reported to the commission that Pawnee provided treatment services to unduplicated individuals in Cloud County in 2018, an increase of 64 from 2017. Cloud County citizens account for approximately 7.5 percent of total clients served by Pawnee and those citizens received approximately 24 percent of all services provided by Pawnee.
The 2020 budget request is an increase from $87,270, representing approximately 7.75 percent of Pawnee's total county funding budget for 2020.
It was also reported that Cloud County has a vacancy on the Pawnee Mental Health Board and an alternate position. The board meets 10 times a year on the fourth Tuesday of the month from 4-6 p.m. in Clay Center. Individuals interested in serving as a representative for Cloud County should contact a county commissioner or the County Clerk's Office.
Sheila Nelson-Stout, Patrick Wallerius, Susan Sprague and Kendra Krier of OCCK, Inc. presented a 2020 budget request with a 3 percent increase. The 2019 request by OCCK was for $107,686.
In Cloud County, OCCK provided assistive technology to 30 people, helped 11 people get jobs and assisted 34 people to live independently.
It was reported to the board that OCCK is sponsoring a I/DD and Dementia Workshop and Train-the-Trainer Workshop in the fall. The workshop is appropriate for any staff in both disability-related and aging-related agencies. Topics include, but are not limited to: What is dementia? Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's disease, challenges of diagnosing dementia, early education and screening, and end of life care. For more information contact Kathryn Pears.
A 2020 budget request for the County Clerk in the amount of $6,304 was presented to the board. The 2019 budget was $5,758, not including payroll.
Andy Asch, Highway Department administrator, met with the board and presented new hires.
Asch also reported he had talked to the Kansas Department of Emergency Management and that the Fort Kearney Road will be resealed over the summer.
A call was made to Eric Voss, Emergency Preparedness director, about a disaster declaration. Voss reported that he was working on the declaration.
The board would declare a state of Local Disaster Emergency for Cloud County.
The hiring of Stephen J. LeDuc and Gerald D. Bray as summer mowers at a rate of $11.50 per hour, effective May 20, was approved by the board.
Brandy Bray, Health Department administrator, and Emily Benedick with the North Central Regional Planning Commission, discussed the grant process and Low/Moderate Income Surveys with the board.
Bray also reported that she still needed a Family Planning nurse.
A request for Capital Outlay funds for the Cloud County Sheriff's Department in the amount of $21,000 for a 2018 Kansas Highway Patrol used Dodge Charger was approved by the board.
The board approved the hiring of Alan Garcia as a Corrections Officer at a rate of $14.62 per hour to fill an open position, effective May 8, and the hiring of Nicole Turner as a part-time summer office clerk for the Register of Deeds, effective May 20, at a rate of $11.50 per hour to fill an open position.
The retirement of Sheila Collins, Maintenance, effective May 31, and the resignation of Laken Schroeder, Register of Deeds office clerk, effective May 1, were acknowledged by the board.
The board approved payroll deductions and benefits totaling $190,212.32 and the following payroll expenses totaling $160,180.28:
General Fund, $87,012.94; Appraisal, $4,917.70; Noxious Weed, $1,668.79; Solid Waste, $4,512.12; Road & Bridge, $43,104.95; County Health, $17,476.33; Election, $1,487.45.