Barton County Commission meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Barton County Commission did Wednesday morning:
• Heard a report on youth crew’s participation in Take Down Tobacco Day earlier this month in Topeka. Taking part were Tally Wikum, Hoisington High School, Jasmine Figueroa, Great Bend High School, Ransom Hardcastle, Great Bend Middle School, and Keegan Roblyer, Great Bend Middle School, said Katelyn Sigler, health educator with the Health Department.
All of these students are a part of the local Central Kansas Partnership Coalition through the Health Department, Sigler said.
Take Down Tobacco Day at the Kansas Capitol is hosted by the Resist Program, The Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, American Lung Association, American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. The purpose of this event is to educate students about the importance of youth advocacy in tobacco prevention and how to talk to decision makers.
• Tabled action on a grant match of $435,714 for Great Bend Economic Development Inc.’s effort to establish a childcare center in Great Bend. The commission will address the request on March 30 after it has time to discuss splitting the cost with the City of Great Bend.
• Approved accepting $3,867 in additional grant funding from Kansas Department of Health and Environment Teen Pregnancy Targeted Case Management for the Health Department. Health Director Karen Winkelman said they plan to use the funds to sustain a teen parent support group in cooperation with the Dream Center.
• Kept in place the countywide the burn ban.
• Approved the Kansas Department of Transportation cost-share program agreement for the resurfacing of SW 40 Avenue (Airport Road).
• Finalized the purchase of land to expand the county sandpit near Ellinwood. Following the completion of a survey, the total cost, based on actual acreage of 54.1135, is $270,567.50. The purchase from Marvin Sessler was approved last November, contingent on the survey work. It just south of Ellinwood at 1127D SE 10 Rd.
The county will work with the owner of the neighboring Knop Sand Company who was also seeking to buy the land.
• Recognized the resigning District 4 Commissioner Jim Daily.
There was a transfer of leadership at the Barton County Courthouse Wednesday morning as resigning District 4 County Commissioner Jim Daily was honored for his service and his replacement Jon Prescott was sworn in to fill the vacancy.
Daily was recognized during the County Commission’ agenda meeting, a meeting that marked his last. He announced his resignation, effective Wednesday, at the Feb. 2 commission meeting.
He is moving to the Wichita area so he can better care for his wife who has cancer.
“When you first were appointed, I didn’t know how much I would enjoy working with you,” District 5 Commissioner Jennifer Schartz said. But, since his appointment three years ago, they have worked through the pandemic and other challenging issues.
“We did what we could to keep the county safe,” she said. “There is no one else I would have rather worked with than you.”
She praised his integrity, and his ability and willingness to listen to all sides. “You are leaving Great Bend with one more friend,” she said.
“Barton County is in a better place because of Jim Daily,” said commission Chairman Shawn Hutchinson, District 3. ““There can be no higher honor than that.”
“The people of Barton County have always been supportive,” an emotional Daily said. “Great Bend and Barton County have been home to me for a long time.”
Daily was sworn into office on April 15, 2019. Prior to that, he served as Barton County sheriff from 1989-2001 before moving to Newton where he became police chief until moving back to this area.
He was most proud of the commissioners coming together, despite not always seeing eye-to-eye. He also thought the county Facade Grant Program and the passage of the Second Amendment proclamation were among the high points of his tenure.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to be a part of this panel,” he said.
Then, during the commission study session following the agenda meeting, County Clerk Bev Schmeidler swore in Prescott. He was picked by the Barton County Republican Central Committee on Feb. 17 to fill the term that expires in January of next year.
He has already filed to run in this fall’s mid-term election to run for a chance to keep the seat.
Prescott will sit for his first commission meeting next Wednesday morning.
Commissioners serve four-year terms, with two of the five commissioners being elected in the same year, and the other three commissioners elected two years later. Districts 1, 4 and 5 are on the ballot this year.
Nominees had to reside in District 4. According to the Barton County website, the district encompasses the bottom third of the county, excluding Great Bend and the immediately surrounding area, and includes Ellinwood and Pawnee Rock.
