Shawn Hutchinson took the gavel and the center chair as he assumed duties as the Barton County Commission chairman Tuesday morning, taking over for Jim Daily who held the post for the past year.
“You are going to be a tough act to follow, if not an impossible act to follow,” Hutchinson said to Daily. “You really are a silver-tongued devil.”
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with this group,” Daily said. He said it has been a good year for him, one he’s enjoyed and learned from.
“It has been an experience I will never forget,” he said. He hopes he filled with role well.
It was a year ago this week that Daily took over as chairman and Hutchinson was named chairman pro tem.
This week, it was Daily who moved to elect Hutchinson as his successor.
After the commission named Hutchinson as chairman, they elected District 2 Commissioner Barb Esfeld as pro tem for 2022.
Barton County Commission meeting at a glance
Here’s a quick look at what the Barton County Commission did Tuesday morning:
• Appointed District 3 Commissioner Shawn Hutchinson as the new commission chairman and District 2 Commissioner Barb Esfeld as the chairman pro tem.
• Adopted resolutions exempting the county from the generally accepted accounting principals (GAAP) for 2022. The waiver is for the reporting of the county’s financial statements and reports, and to allows the county to use the regulatory basis of accounting under the Kansas Municipal Audit and Accounting Guide. This is done annually, Operations Director Matt Patzner said.
In short, GAAP requires reporting cash and non-cash assets, and liabilities.
However, when it comes to what the state wants in its budget documents, this won’t work. So, many municipalities waive GAAP annually and operate on a regulatory basis (modified cash basis), tracking cash, certain accounts payable and encumbrances only, to make reporting easier.
Auditors must note this in their reports, but there is no averse impact for it.
• Designated the Great Bend Tribune as the official county newspaper.
The newspaper selected must meet the qualifications as prescribed state statute. To meet this statute, and to best reach the citizens of Barton County, the commission selected the Tribune.
• Accepted a bonus from Phase 4 General Distribution and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 payment from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Health Department.
The payment of $26,296.81 is funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, and the ARPA.
• Approved the repair of a Cat 826K compactor for the Barton County Landfill by Foley Equipment of Salina at cost of $210,608.78.
The landfill owns and operates the compactor that is used daily to compact municipal solid waste, but it was damaged during a fire at the landfill in June 2021, Solid Waste Director Phil Hathcock said.
Due to the extent of the damage, the machine was transported to Foley where it was disassembled, inspected and repaired.
Barton County has submitted an insurance claim for the fire damage and will be reimbursed upon approval of the invoice, Hathcock said.
The insurance covered all but about $8,100 of the repairs.
