Barton County Administrator Richard Boeckman publicly told county commissioners Monday morning that he plans to step down from his post come next March, but he said he is not ready to completely retire.
“I’m at a time in my life I would just like to slow down a bit,” the long-time county official said. He plans on reopening a private law practice in Great Bend in 2017 and perhaps continue working for the county on a part-time basis.
“I personally would hate to see you go,” Commission Chairman Don Davis said. “I made that decision myself a few years ago. It’s a tough decision to make.”
But, Davis said he appreciated Boeckman. “I applaud you for all you’ve done for Barton County.”
Boeckman has talked with commissioners about his leaving on and off over the years and the topic came up again at the commission’s study session last week. “At some point, you just have to pull the trigger,” he said.
He has served as administrator/county counselor since January 2004. For 14 years prior to that, he contracted with the county as counselor.
Born in Wetmore in Nemaha County, Boeckman attended the University of Kansas on a Navy Reserve Officers’ Training Corps scholarship. He joined the Marines in 1971.
While in the Marines, he was part of the evacuation force following the fall of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. “My son was born while I was off the shores of Vietnam,” he said.
When he returned to the states, the Marines sent him to law school and he became a judge advocate. “It was an exciting time in my life.”
After leaving the service, he wanted to practice private sector law in Kansas. He moved to Great Bend in 1981 from North Carolina to work at Lee Turner’s law firm.
Now, he anticipates the commission will start looking for a replacement administrator and consider hiring a separate counselor. But, either way, it has six months to take action.
In other business Monday morning, the Barton County Commission:
• Held two 15-minute executive sessions and one 30-minute executive session to discuss matters relating to non-elected personnel. The commission emerged and no action was taken. With commissioners in the sessions were Sheriff Brian Bellendir and County Clerk Donna Zimmerman.
• Approved using the “buy-back” option on a T650 T4 Bobcat track loader. In 2014, Road and Bridge purchased the loader, with Pallet Forks, Auger, Grapple Bucket and Snow Bucket for a combined bid price of $53,719 from Bobcat of Salina. Under the offer made at time of purchase, the county exercised the $3,000 “buyback” option and received a new 2015 Model T650 Bobcat Compact Track Loader with full warranty. Now, Road and Bridge Director Dale Phillips recommended the commission exercise the current buyback option for a 2016 model.
Phillips said the current loader has over 500 hours on it already. The machine gets used daily and has lessened the need to use other pieces of equipment.
