LARNED — The Pawnee County Commission met at 9:15 a.m. April 16 for a regular meeting at the Pawnee County Courthouse. The following are approved minutes submitted by Pawnee Commission clerk Ruth Searight.
9 a.m. — Pawnee County commissioners Donna Pelton, chair; Kathy Bowman and John C. Haas were present.
Searight gave each commissioner a copy of all payments to each vendor in 2011, and a copy of the clerk’s report, general ledger and interim.
Marsha Reece and Jenny Manry, Larned Pride members, gave updates on the activities, plans and schedule for installing the playground equipment, and other items for the Camp Pawnee projects and grants.
They reported that Wildlife and Parks Grants are funding $53,000 with an additional $13,000 match from other grants. The Kansas Wildlife and Parks meeting is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. April 26 at the Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th Street North, Wichita.
Commissioners signed the Wildlife and Parks Grant. Commissioners approved the chair Donna Pelton to sign checks as needed this week for the items and materials needed for the playground.
• Commissioners sorted through mail.
9:55 a.m. — Kurt Demel, Pawnee County highway administrator, gave information and updates on activities, and goals. He presented and discussed the annual report. Demel gave an update on damage in the county from the storms over the weekend.
Demel informed commissioners of the increase in costs from Eakin that will be a $10 to $15,000 increase.
He gave an update on the Camp Pawnee activities his department will be helping with.
Demel discussed signage for Camp Pawnee, and he is tracking it for the needed matching fund and in-kind work for the grants.
He discussed the annual KDOT report. He gave further updates on accidents, equipment and road work. He gave 2011 snow removal costs.
10:40 a.m. — John Settle, Pawnee County attorney, discussed the Pawnee County-Larned Airport and his visiting with Jacque Butler, city attorney, regarding the accounting.
• Commissioners read, corrected and approved minutes of April 9, 2012.
1:30 p.m. — Denise Wood, Community Corrections/Juvenile Justice Authority, director, discussed the 2013 comprehensive plan. She discussed the statistics on revocations. She discussed cell phone policy.
• Commissioners approved publishing their Commissioners’ Quarterly Financial Report, as presented.
• Commissioners Approved and signed checks for payables.
2:30 p.m. — Matt Heyn, Pawnee Valley Community Hospital administrator; Shae Veach, Regional Vice-President, HaysMed, and Settle were present.
They discussed the Health Facilities Group Changes and Enhancements, and the additional equipment and costs for the new hospital facility.
Commissioners approved the following Estimates for Additional Project Alternates: Patient Lifts — $22,000; Roller Shades — $5,080; PACU Build-Out — $55,000; Administration Revisions — $11,500; Sleep Lab Millwork — $6,610; and Relocate Isolation Room — $11,800. Approximately Total Additional — $111,990.
The commissioners approved a purchase of the ultrasound machine for approximately $180,000.
They discussed Medical in Rural America.
They discussed the Humana Plan as a supplement to Medicare.
4:20 p.m. — The meeting was adjourned until a special meeting at St. John at the Stafford County Annex at 6:30 p.m. Commissioners will meet with officials from surrounding counties regarding tax revenues as well as other topics that affect local government.
6:30 p.m. — Pawnee County commission reconvenes, Stafford County Courthouse Annex, St. John.
Bowman and Haas present.  Pelton is absent.
Other county personnel present — Ruth Searight, Pawnee County clerk; John Settle, Pawnee County attorney; Carl Miller, Pawnee County appraiser. Courtland Holman, Larned Chamber of Commerce director.
Counties represented by Commissioners, Personnel and Economic Directors — Barton; Edwards and Stafford.
The group discussed taxes, zoning, feedlots and wind farms.
They discussed the Western Kansas Legislative Group and their activities.
They discussed if the group felt like they would like to meet again to determine if they could work as a group for the preservation and enhancement of our tax base.
Each county will meet next week  in their regular session, and will decide if they would like to have a representative on forming this group.  The Stafford County clerk will be the contact person.
8:40 p.m. — The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting was scheduled at 9 a.m. April 23.