LARNED — The Pawnee County Commission met at 9 a.m. Oct. 21 for a regular meeting at the Pawnee County Courthouse. The following are approved minutes submitted by Pawnee Commission clerk Ruth Searight.
Pawnee County commissioners Donna Pelton; Kathy Bowman and John C. Haas, chair, were present.
• Mark Wagner, Pawnee County emergency management/zoning, discussed virus issue going on in the courthouse computers. He discussed getting estimates on mapping our computer network in the courthouse.
Haas asked Wagner to put together an Internet computer policy.
9:15 a.m. — Marsha Reece, Pawnee County Extension Office, visited with the commissioners about the fishing dock.  Haas signed completion letter and will visit with them when they come to inspect.
• Commissioners read, revised and approved minutes of Oct. 14.
• Commissioners approved and signed checks for payroll, bills and expenses.
• Commissioners sorted through the mail.
• Ruth Searight, Pawnee County Clerk, gave each commissioner an updated approved wage and salary list.
When asked, Searight said they had not received the $30,000 due from McPherson County for a Sexual Predator defense.
Commissioners approved and Haas signed contract with Farm and Home Publishers for Plat books and advertising, for $478.
• Commissioners approved and signed a payroll change form for Sabrina Quinn step raise, Level II, to step six, effective Oct. 4.
9:45 a.m. — Kurt Demel, Pawnee County highway administrator, discussed bids on bridge inspections from Kirkham Michael and BG Consultants. Haas made motion, and Bowman and Pelton concurred to keep Kirkham Michael for the bridge inspections.
Demel gave updates on roads. He gave updates and discussed Camp Pawnee lodge and roof. Haas commended Demel for keeping the bridges and roads up.
10:05 a.m. — Denise Wood, Community Corrections/Juvenile Justice Authority director,  presented and discussed quarterly reports.
Commissioners accepted and signed report as presented.  They are being audited by KDOC now.
11 a.m. — John Settle, Pawnee County attorney; executive session, 30 minutes, attorney/client privilege
11:35 a.m. — Executive session, 15 minutes, attorney/client privilege.
11:50 a.m. — Executive session, 15 minutes, attorney/client privilege.
12:05 p.m. — Commissioners agreed to join a lawsuit with other counties on the Oil and Gas Depletion Trust Fund.
• Commissioners discussed Sunflower Diversified.
• Commissioners approved a thank you letter to be published in the Tiller and Toiler for those who made the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital Gala so worthwhile.
1:30 p.m. — Commissioners signed a letter of support for Sunflower Diversified for Public Transportation Buses.
Wagner gave an update on computers, and learned it would take a couple of hours to map and find the virus, at a cost of $100 per hour. Commissioners approved the request.
2 p.m. — Matt Heyn, PVCH administrator, and Shae Veach, Regional Vice-President, and via telephone, Bill Overbey, CFO, both with HaysMed, and  John Settle, County Attorney.  Heyn informed commissioners that the plan is to bring the audit to the November meeting.
Heyn gave an update on operations, which included: nuclear camera; Chris Whittington, M.D.; Foundation; CT scanner; ultrasound; and vacancies.
PVCH has 37 days cash on hand and most critical access hospitals have 20 to 25 days.
Via telephone, Overbey discussed financials. He reviewed the operating statistics, income statement and balance sheet. He discussed Kansas Hospital Association legislative dinner, and Haas will attend with Heyn.
Overbey informed commissioners if the Critical Access License is stripped, it would have an impact of $1.3 million on PVCH.
• Commissioners discussed a quote for a pickup truck.
• Commissioners discussed the flooring, sewer line, floor drain and other issues at the hospital.
• Commissioners discussed David Spared doing the landscaping for now.
3:30 p.m. — Settle discussed Alco, and putting forth the effort to keep it from closing.  They will organize a meeting with the city manager, economic development and the Mayor Tuesday.
4 p.m. – The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will start at 9 a.m. Oct. 28.