Development agreement approved by county board

The Cloud County board of commissioners approved allowing chairman Bill Czapanskiy to sign a development agreement with Nextlink Internet during its regular meeting on Monday.
An internet provider based in Hudson Oaks, Texas, Nextlink has committed to the construction of an approximately 4,000 square-foot facility that will be located west of the Cloud County Law Enforcement Center in the North Development.
Nextlink delivers broadband high-speed internet access and voice services to residential, business, K-12 education, higher learning and government agencies in rural areas located in Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
As part of the agreement, Nextlink will purchase the land in the North Development, will cover the costs of building engineering and construction, will start business operations in Concordia sometime during the year 2021, will have approximately eight full-time employees with an average wage of $15 per hour, will cover the costs of the building and property maintenance of the site and will promptly pay local property taxes annually.
The estimated cost of the Nextlink development is $500,000.
The county, as part of the agreement, will pay $24,000 to aid in covering the cost of the site purchase and will provide access to the Cloud County Neighborhood Revitalization Program which provides property tax rebates for those building within the district.
The final eligibility for the Neighborhood Revitalization Program is determined by the County Appraiser  in conjunction with the County Clerk, and does not require a public meeting.
The rebate is only on the incremental increase in property value and not the entire property value.
Rebates are for a five-year period on a graduated level as follows: Year one at 95 percent; year two at 70 percent; year three at 60 percent; year four at 50 percent; and year five at 25 percent.
The development agreement has already been approved by CloudCorp and the city of Concordia.
Also during the meeting, the board received 2021 budget requests from Pawnee Mental Health Service, Commission on Aging, Cloud County Museum board and the Cloud County Fair board.
Pawnee Mental Health Services requested $87,290, which is the same amount that was budgeted in 2020.
Robbin Cole, executive director, reported that Pawnee Mental Health Services was closed to the public on April 4 and plans to open on July 1. She said that 535 Cloud County residents were served in 2019.
The Commission on Aging requested one-mill for the 2021 budget, which is the same as 2020. It received $97,300 in 2020.
Barb Henry and Nancy Reynolds reported to the board that the Commission on Aging is a coalition of five Senior Centers in the county. Each city has a representative.
Quentin Smith presented a budget request of $38,000 for the Cloud County Museum, which is the same as 2020.
Smith reported to the board that the museum had received a PPP loan/grant of $4,400 and a Dane G. Hansen COVID-19 grant of $5,000. The museum is currently closed to the public.
The Cloud County Fair Board requested $47,000 for the 2021 budget year. The 2020 budget was $40,000.
Lisa Mosher and Danny McReynolds reported to the board that the county will have a fair this summer, but it will be different than in past years. There will be no carnival. The final details were to be determined at a meeting last Monday night.
Other budget proposals presented to the board included:
Cloud County Conservation District - $25,000, 2020 - $25,000; Emergency Preparedness - $45,220, 2020 - $43,296; Register of Deeds - $91,456, 2020 - $88,456; Information Technologies - $190,465.40, 2020 - $187,385 (2021 includes $37,400 in capital outlay); District Court - $197,869.33, 2020 - $197,869.
Kristi Benyshek, District Court Clerk; Eric Voss, Concordia Fire Chief; Wanda Backstrom, Community Corrections/Juvenile Services director; and James Quillen, Emergency Preparedness director, reported to the board that the doorways that have been prepared in the Courthouse are not to code, and discussed installing plexiglass in the doors to their offices.
Voss indicated that the doors are not labeled as fire doors.
The board recommended getting quotes to install plexiglass in doors for the District Court and Community Corrections/Juvenile Services offices.
Andy Asch, Highway Department administrator, met with the board and reported that the seal was failing on the work that was completed on 11th Street, Union Road and the Ames/Miltonvale blacktop. He said similar problems have been reported by other counties and he would be meeting with the supplier.
Asch also requested that a stop sign be erected at 150th and Hawk Road.
The board approved a resolution acknowledging the installation of a stop sign in the southeast corner of 150th and Hawk Road.
The board met with department heads during the meeting. Reports presented included:
Mike Hake, Solid Waste director – Recycling Center will be closed on Saturdays. The summer hours will begin on Monday and will be from 6:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Jerry Collins, IT director – Smart Board installed in the meeting room.
Benyshek – Employees are back at work, but as equipment is issued, they will begin to go home and only one person will be in the office each day. Appearances are being done online.
Quillen – KDEM has extended the date for the emergency plan to be completed. Applying for a grant for a drone.
Asch – Chemical sales are picking up.
JoDee LeDuc, County Treasurer – Dropbox was installed at the Courthouse on May 11. From May 12-June 5, 351 people used it for 12 different offices. Outstanding tax payments total $96,828.65, a paid-to-date percentage of 96.13 percent compared to 95.38 percent in 2019. Delinquent letters were sent for personal property and will be sent for real estate in July. Real estate tax sale is scheduled for June 16. Pictures of properties can be found in the west hallway on the main floor of the Courthouse.
Barry Porter, Appraiser – Participating in conference calls this week. Will be sending letters out to properties to be inspected. Certified values to the County Clerk's Office.
Brandi Bray, Health Department administrator – There were two pending COVID-19 cases and 169 negative tests. Will be receiving 50 hygiene packs from Independent Corrections. Receiving an Aetna grant and will set up a mobile food pantry. Have fans available for those in need. State approved a second childhood licensing position. It requires a bachelor's degree and will be posted in the paper. Office is back at full staff. Fountain drinks were allowed to open with plexiglass installed as a guard. Discussing using grant money to assist with the cost.
Henry Eilert, Maintenance director – Installed the dropbox. Mowing, and will be cleaning out the boiler and planting grass on the south side of the building.
Jana Roush, Register of Deeds – Regular business.
Shella Thoman, County Clerk – August 4 is the primary election. Letters were sent out to all active registered voters in Cloud County regarding voting by mail. Voting by mail is not required, the polls will be open. Application deadline for voting by mail is July 28. Ballots will begin to be mailed and advanced voting will start on July 15. Letters will be mailed to board workers. Board workers will be needed at every location. Discussed how to move forward with COVID pay if employees choose to go to a state that requires a quarantine. No decision was made.
Commissioner Czapanskiy – Asked departments to reduce the number of credit cards in each office. A generic card is available in the Clerk's Office if a department needs one.
It was reported to the board during the meeting that sales tax received May 26 totaled $71,766.83 compared to the prior year of $79,139.39.
The board approved the following expenses totaling $106,907.40:
General Fund, $27,766.35; Road & Bridge, $41,718.07; Special Bridge, $3,045.66; Employee Benefits, $1,000; Juvenile Reinvestment, $331.12; Auto Special, $832.61; Juvenile Justice, $1,038.34; Community Corrections, $1,940.37; Appraisal, $1,313.92; County Health, $19,132.07; Noxious Weed, $2,486.31; Election, $173.37; Solid Waste, $2,375.55; County Tourism & Convention, $3,753.66.