LARNED — The Pawnee County Commission met at 9 a.m. Dec. 8 for a regular meeting at the Pawnee County Courthouse. The following are approved minutes submitted by Pawnee County clerk Ruth Searight.
Pawnee County commissioners Kathy Bowman, chair; John C. Haas, Donna Pelton were present.
Ruth Searight, Pawnee County clerk, gave the commissioners the following for their review and approval — payables; draft minutes Dec. 1; amended budget; change orders; two replacement checks; and Kansas Health Foundation Grant forms.
• Commissioners approved and signed change orders 2014 - 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, and 24.
• Commissioners approved and signed checks for payables.
• Commissioners read, corrected and approved minutes of Dec. 1. 2014.
• Commissioners approved to publish amended budgets for road and bridge and special oil royalty.
• Commissioners approved and signed the two replacement checks.
• Commissioners approved and signed the Kansas Health Foundation Grant for Extension.
9:30 a.m.—Don and Donna Nolde, Jim Forrest, Betty Tauscher, Martha Appel, Betty Fyler, Gwen Walters, and Charles Wonsetler, from the Welcome Inn; Mike Gilmore, Tiller and Toiler.
Gave information on use of the buses. They discussed the public transportation bus, and the need for more volunteer drivers, and Welcome Inn Senior Center overseeing the use of the bus.
10:05 a.m.—Kurt Demel, Pawnee County highway administrator, gave updates on road work. He discussed the sight distance needed for roads, and trees blocking the sight distance. He discussed Kansas Statutes governing the sight distance. He gave updates on roads, sanding and other department activities and plans, and gave update on personnel.
• Commissioners signed two road crossing permits.
10:55 a.m.—Shae Veach, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital acting administrator; John Settle, Pawnee County Attorney. lnformed them that the Second Amended and Restated Affiliation Agreement was ready to be approved and signed by the Pawnee County board.
Motion by Haas, seconded by Pelton, to approve the Second Amended and Restated Affiliation Agreement. Vote was all ayes, and Bowman signed for the Board. John Jeter, President, signed on Dec. 2. for HaysMed Partners-Pawnee Country lnc.; Shae Veach lnterim Administrator, signed for Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, on December 312014; John Jeter, President and CEO, Hays Medical,Inc., signed the Joinder for Hays Medical Center lnc. who joins in the A/R Agreement for the limited rights, privileges, obligations and purposes therein expressly set forth.
• Settle informed the commissioners that the Public Building Commission will sign at their meeting Monday, Dec. 15.
• Commissioners discussed the Health Service Agreement to qualify for the 3408 contract (pharmacy grant). Settle stated that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is not part of this contract. consideration has been given by both parties, and Pawnee County will cover any costs.
Settle said Doug (attorney) is not going to say it is okay, because CMS has not said it is okay, and they are waiting for Scoff Palecki, Foulston Siefkin, to okay the Agreement. It needs to be in place before Jan. 1, 2015.
Haas made motion for Chair, Kathy Bowman, to sign the Health Service Agreement when Palecki okays the Agreement. Pelton seconded. All ayes.
• Settle discussed the overcrowding at Osawatomie State Hospital and the impact on Larned State Hospital. They discussed the staff injuries at the State Facilities. They are transferring patients to Larned State Hospital, and completing a change of venue. Lamed State Hospital is over census now.
The Advisory Group will meet in January, 2015.
The Pawnee Valley Community Hospital MRI ribbon cutting was scheduled at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Settle discussed the trees that need to be trimmed. Settle will decide what statutes to use, and Demel should put in writing what needs to be done, and Settle will file an action.
• Commissioners further discussed the MRL The MRI has short bore, and patients at hospital will be able to wear some goggles and watch some movies, etc.
• Commissioners discussed the ambulance service.
• Searight gave each commissioner a clerk’s report and interim statement through 181.
She informed them that Mark Bauer had called, and said that Aaron Koehn, Richard VonFeldt, and he had discussed the Pictometry contract, and were in agreement that only the first project cost needed to be encumbered.
12:05 p.m.—The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting was scheduled for 9 a.m. on Dec. 15.