County board hears report on possible road projects

Cloud County Highway Department administrator Andy Asch met with the county board of commissioners during its regular meeting on Monday to discuss possible road projects.
Asch reported that it would cost between $104,002-$184,880 to return the “Norway” road (Union Road west) to a gravel road depending on what portion of the work the county did. He also discussed repairing only seven miles on the Ames/Miltonvale blacktop at a cost of $533,000 and work on the “Norway” road at a cost of $76,000.
Brandi Bray, Health Department administrator, met with the board and discussed grant applications for $7,493.73 to purchase a Welch Allyn Spot Vision screener and $13,086.70 to purchase Stop the Bleed kits for each county vehicle, and basic life support and Stop the Bleed training.
The Welch Allyn Spot Vision screener can quickly and easily detect vision issues on patients from six months of age through adults, and can be used to perform KANBE health assessments.
Bray also reported the Board of Health meeting is scheduled for April 10 invited the commissioners to an educational luncheon on April 11. The topic of the luncheon is Spinosad Topical Treatment, a new treatment for head lice.
Wonda Backstrom, Community Corrections/JJA director, and Dawn Snyder, Community Corrections/JJA assistant director, shared the funding allocation comparison for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 with the board. They also shared information collected regarding facility costs throughout the various judicial departments across the state.
Nancy Reynolds and Barbara Henry with the Cloud County Commission on Aging presented a budget request totaling one mill for the services to the senior citizens in the county for fiscal year 2020.
Solid Waste director Mike Hake reported to the board that the Transfer Station will be closed April 26-29 for road repairs. He also said that the Recycling Center is looking for a part-time employee and full-time temporary employee and the cost of building a bunker for glass collection would be $1,020-$1,500.
Jason Grogan, John Paul Breault and Mellissa Williamson from the Brown Grand Theatre met presented a report to the board on a grant application for Meridian Way Wind Farm funds.
Cloud County has again received a gift of $300,000 in wind farm funds from EDP Renewables.
The county received 29 grant applications totaling more than $600,000 by the March 30 deadline
The Brown Grand Theatre requested $75,000 to help support new seating. The total cost of the project is estimated at $208,129.11.
The current seats in the Brown Grand are 93 years old and 21 percent are broken in some fashion and replacement parts are difficult to find.
Additionally, the seats were not designed for the grade slope in the theater and are different sizes. A total of 477 new seats will be placed in the orchestra and first balcony levels and the secondary balcony will be returned to its original bench-style seating.
The theater hosts over 7,500 patrons a year.
Dan Thalmann, Clay County Hospital Foundation, and Audra Walter, Clyde Family Physicians, presented a wind farm grant application to the board in the amount of $60,000 to purchase a medical equipment for a new 4,000-square foot medical clinic to be constructed in Clyde. The clinic will be open 40 hours per week.
Walter reported that the clinic will help Clyde's economy not only from Cloud County residents, but those from Clay, Republic, Saline and Washington counties.
Eric Voss, Cloud County Emergency Preparedness director, and Jeff Morgan discussed a wind farm grant application for additional repeaters and digital radios for the Rural Fire Departments.
It was reported that the Cloud County Sheriff's Department, the Concordia Police Department, Fire Department and EMS and the Miltonvale EMS have all switched to digital, and that makes communicating with Rural Fire more difficult.
Voss was asked by the commissioners about the county's Emergency Plan not being up to date.
Voss said he expected the plan to be completed and approved by the Local Emergency Preparedness Committee by the end of May.
It was reported to the board that the sales tax received March 26 totaled $52,095.28 compared to the prior year of $62,152.90.
The board recognized the classification change for Rhonda Brooks, Community Corrections/JJA Services resource officer from $21.18 to $22.79 effective March 5 due to step movement.
The 2020 budget for the Maintenance Department totaling $130,778.40 and $10,000 for capital outlay was reviewed by the board. The 2019 budget totaled $123,488, excluding capital outlay.
The board reviewed the following Wind Farm grant applications:
City of Jamestown in the amount of $14,987 to replace a ramada over the existing concrete patio at the Community Center. Total cost of the project is estimated at $17,253.
Clyde Community Ambulance Service for $6,179.50 to purchase a new ZOE 740 Select Vital Signs Monitor with case to improve monitoring of patients during transport. The total cost of the project is estimated at $6,179.50.
Concordia Wesleyan Church in the amount of $1,000 to purchase a safe and secure check in/out system for all children under the age of four that are placed in nursery rooms. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1,080 for the initial setup.
Cloud County Community College Cultural Affairs Committee in the amount of $7,500 for community-wide and college-wide listening, learning and empowerment sessions with Dr. Teri Houston on April 25. Total cost is estimated at $8,500.
North Central Kansas Teens for Christ in the amount of $10,000 to purchase equipment for monthly rallies. The total cost is estimated at $31,051.27.
Cloud County Resource Center in the amount of $4,099.97 to cover the purchase cost of 22 banquet tables, 64 plastic folding chairs and two storage racks.
Hungry Hollow Ministries in the amount of $1,000 to purchase 30 identifying shirts for mission team leaders and for safety wear and equipment.
Cloud County Maintenance Department in the amount of $73,902 to purchase equipment for access control to all doors in the Courthouse. The total project cost is estimated at $73,902.
The board approved the following expenses totaling $1,36,447.56:
General Fund, $39,060.12; Employee Benefits, $207.68; Juvenile Justice, $2,837.31; Appraisal, $214.29; County Health, $14,467.93; Election, $2,920; Court Services, $94.80; Road & Bridge, $51,143.50; Juvenile Reinvestment, $47.79; Community Corrections, $618.17; County Tourism & Convention, $92.38; Noxious Weed, $375.45; Solid Waste, $18,568.14; Special Alcohol & Drug, $5,800.