Trailer for voting machines OKed
BY DALE HOGG
dhogg@gbtribune.com
For every election, Barton County Clerk Donna Zimmerman and her office have to coordinate the delivery of voting machines worth $333,000 to polling places scattered across the county.
Since the new electronic voting machines were purchased in 2006, this process has called for the rental of a trailer, costing about $700 each time. But, Zimmerman said she’s had trouble finding a trailer of appropriate size in good condition and clean enough to haul the sensitive computerized equipment.
This ended Monday when the County Commission voted to purchase an enclosed trailer from Cheyenne Trailer Sales of Great Bend for $7,233. This was the lowest of the five bids received that met Zimmerman’s specifications.
“My only question is why haven’t we done this before now,” commissioner John Edmonds said.
The trailer will be 16 feet long and eight and a half feet wide. It will also include the necessary suspension to cradle the machines and a big enough door to allow easy access.
The idea had been discussed at commission study sessions in the past. Zimmerman sought bids from eight vendors in Great Bend, and around the state, but only received five back.
Another problem with the rental trailers was making sure they were available when needed. When it comes to elections, her department can’t wait for a trailer to be returned by a previous user.
From current immunizations to outdated medications, the Barton County Commission Monday morning learned much is being done to promote health in the county. Meeting at the Courthouse in Great Bend, commissioners heard reports from Landfill Manager Mark Witt and Health Department Director Lily Akings.
Outdated medications
The Barton County Landfill has been named as a Kansas Medication Disposal Program take-back location for Barton County, Witt told the commission. It is one of 11 landfills and 31 pharmacies (including Cardinal Pharmacy in Hoisington) statewide to participate in the effort.
“We are permitted to allow unused and expired medications,” Witt said. Included are: prescription and over-the-counter drugs; pet medications; vitamins; inhalers; and lotions and ointments. Not allowed are: narcotics and controlled substances; illegal drugs; or devices used with bodily fluids, such as syringes and IV bags.
This is free to the public, but the medications must be dropped off at the landfill. The items will be accepted from 8 a.m. to noon every third Saturday or by appointment.
“People can get these out of the home for safety reasons,” Witt said. This will help prevent potential poisonings of children and the possible abuse of the drugs. It is also a more environmentally friendly method of disposal,
Witt said the KMDP was initiated a year ago by the Kansas Bureau of Waste Management and he was notified earlier this year about participation. “With the population in the area, I thought it would be a good program to offer.”
Guidelines, though, are pretty stringent. When a medication is brought in, landfill personnel make sure it is allowable and they log it.
Then it is immediately placed in an approved container with latex paint so it becomes inactive. Not long after this, it is placed in a lined portion of the landfill.
Witt said he was at first worried about people breaking in to the landfill to take the medications. But, since they have been rendered useless, this shouldn’t be a problem.
This is an on-going permit that the county can have as long as it wants it, Witt said. As a formality, it has to be renewed each year.
Immunizations
The national immunization rate is 64. 5 percent and the Kansas rate is 64.1 percent. In Barton County, it is 83 percent. “One of the missions of public health is preventable diseases,” Akings said.
Despite this success, “there are still dangers out there,” she said. There has been a whopping cough outbreak in Johnson County and several cases of measles in Finney County.
“Immunizations have made an enormous impact of preventable diseases in this country,” BCHD Health Nurse Melissa Hagerman said. And, this is the best way to continue the fight against the 16 illnesses covered by the immunizations.
Hagerman said the number of recommended immunizations has gone up over the years from four to 14. But, these are important since the diseases are serious.
As a side note, the commission learned the health department is taking several steps to assure the stored vaccines stay at the appropriate temperature. The temperatures are checked regularly and logged.
“We’re very, very careful to watch that closely,” Akings said. There is a backup generator to power the refrigeration equipment in the event of a power outage.
