LARNED — The Pawnee County Commission met at 9 a.m. Nov. 25 for a regular meeting at the Pawnee County Courthouse. The following are approved minutes submitted by Pawnee County clerk Ruth Searight.
Pawnee County commissioners Donna Pelton, Kathy Bowman and John C. Haas, chair, were present.
• Mark Wagner, Pawnee County emergency management/zoning director, gave updates on two meteorological towers that were erected without proper permits.  The towers are located in the northwest part of the county.  The tower company has been contacted and will comply with the zoning regulations.
• Ruth Searight, Pawnee County clerk, visited with commissioners regarding Community Corrections/Juvenile Justice Authority needing to pay for their departments Larned bucks.
Searight gave them eight change orders for their review and approvals.
• Scott King, Pawnee County sheriff, and Derek Slack, undersheriff, discussed conceal carry new statutes. Commissioners suggested a meeting with all parties. King gave other updates.
• Commissioners approved and signed the following change orders: 2013 — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; 2013 — 9 and 11.
10 a.m. — Denise Wood, Community Corrections/Juvenile Justice Authority, discussed staffing and personnel. She gave updates on departments.
• Commissioners approved and signed payroll change form for Tina Schmidt, new part-time intake worker, effective Dec. 8, 2013.
• Commissioners approved and signed checks for payables.
10:20 a.m. — Kurt Demel, Pawnee County highway administrator, gave other updates.
10:30 a.m. — Eighteen individuals joined Demel and the commissioners to discuss concerns about the road south out of Rozel to Kinsley. The following are the people in attendance — Daniel Binder, Ron Pfenninger, John Price, Shirley Price, Bill Price, Lois Price, Rebecca Cain, Scott Anderson, Ray Colglazier, Kevin Milch, Shane Ryan, Dan Ryan, Gary Klenke, Orel A. Schadel, David A. Stiebe, Joy Ditges, Richard Josefiak, and Susan Bryant.
Dan Binder, Ray Colglazier and others addressed the commissioners with the safety issues, accidents, heavy equipment on a well traveled road.
Demel explained what it would take and the cost to get it back to an asphalt road, and the dollars are not available. A 5-inch asphalt was quoted by Venture at $350,000 per mile.
Commissioners discussed what can be done now to improve the road.  Group said take some of the sand off.
Commissioners discussed other options, as the group felt it was a vital artery for the county. Commissioners discussed options to build capital to improve the county roads.
Demel discussed the exchange program and gave other updates.
• Commissioners approved and signed project No. 73 C-4612-13, supplemental agreement No. 1, with the Secretary of Transportation.
• Commissioners read, corrected and approved minutes of Nov. 18, 2013.
1:30 p.m. — Pete Schartz, Pleasant Grove Township treasurer, discussed vacating or closing a road in their township, and the process to get it started.
Ryan Meckfessel, visited with Commissioners about the prairie dogs moving across his land from the federal Santa Fe Trail Ruts.
2 p.m. — Matt Heyn, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital administrator; Bill Overbey, HaysMed CFO, Shae Veach, HaysMed Vice-President Regional Operations, Pete Schartz, First State Bank, and Kim Barnes.
Heyn reviewed the utilization of funds for the new facility, and reviewed the October financials.
Informed the commissioners that the Pawnee Valley Foundation Gala raised $70,000. CHC donated $100,000, all to be matched by an anonymous donor for a new MRI.
Commissioners discussed the MRI units that are available.
Heyn presented and reviewed the financial statements and report of independent certified public accountants for Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Inc., June 30, 2013 (Wendling Noe Nelson & Johnson LLC).
• Commissioners discussed the $800,000. Haas gave his opinion of G. L. VonFeldt regarding the $800,000.
• Commissioners discussed options for funding maintenance of roads for long term.
• Commissioners discussed hospital and MRI.
• Commissioners discussed the Larned/Pawnee County Airport.
3:05 p.m. — The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting was scheduled at 9 a.m. Dec. 3.