LARNED — The Pawnee County Commission met at 9 a.m. Sept. 16 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, chair; Kathy Bowman and John C. Haas were present.
• Commissioners approved and signed checks for payroll, bills and expenses.
• Commissioners via telephone, Haas tried to call Jim Johnson, Sunflower Diversified, but had to leave a message.
• Commissioners discussed the dispatching bill.
• Commissioners discussed the Public Transportation Bus.
9:10 a.m. — Ruth Searight, Pawnee County clerk, gave commissioners a preliminary bill for the ROZ program.  Searight forwarded the bill to PCEDC.
She gave commissioners information from the county clerk’s meeting in May, regarding personnel, fair wage and hour, EEOC and other pertinent information.
Pelton informed Searight that they would want some information regarding BCBS sent to department heads to hand out to their employees and signed and returned to the commissioners.
9:20  a.m. — Commissioners further discussed ROZ program. Via telepone, visited with PCEDC and commissioners decided to turn the email and questions over to the PCEDC.
9:45 a.m. — Richard VonFeldt, VonFeldt, Bauer and VonFeldt.  Presented and discussed the 2012 Audit.  After discussion, Pelton made motion to accept the audit as presented, seconded by Bowman, concurred by Haas.
10:15 a.m. — Via telephone, Jim Johnson, Sunflower Diversified Director.  Further discussed Sunflower picking up the cardboard from the city and the state facilities. Haas recommended that the trucks be weighed before and after the collection at the Pawnee County Co-op.  All were in agreement with the $30 tipping fees per ton.  
Tickets will be paid forward from Sept. 1. Written agreement will be drawn up by John Settle, County Attorney, and presented later.  All tickets need empty and full weight.
10:25 a.m. — Denise Wood, Community Corrections/Juvenile Justice Authority, director.  
10:30 a.m. — Executive session, 10 minutes, personnel exception.
10:55 a.m. — Kyle Beckwith and Chaz Beckwith, Beckwith Mortuary.  Discussed indigent burial reimbursement which has been $800.  Recommended  an increase to better cover actual expenses.
Haas stated they would visit with County Attorney John Settle, and get back with them.  
Further discussed the actual costs involved for indigent burial. Approved a payment increase to $1,300 for indigent burial, effective Sept. 16, 2013.
11:35 a.m. — Mary Beth Herrmann, Pawnee County health administrator, was present. Commissioners signed for the WIC grant, and will receive the full amount that was requested. Commissioners approved the employees continue to receive the additional WIC monies in their payroll, from Oct. 1, through Sept. 30, 2014.
Herrmann gave update on a meeting in Dodge City that she and Holly Corman attended regarding low literacy. The books will be implemented into the home visits and WIC program.
Herrmann and Haas attended a meeting last week.
11:40  a.m. — Scott King, Pawnee County sheriff, and Derek Slack, undersheriff, were present.  
11:40 a.m. — Executive session, 20 minutes, personnel exception.
11:55 a.m. — Commissioners read and approved minutes of Sept. 9 and a special meeting Sept. 10.
Noon — Via telephone, commssioners told Kyle Beckwith of the new increased indigent burial rate.
1:20 p.m. — Rod Wheaton, Pawnee County solid waste supervisor, was present. Commissioners signed DOC contract for 2013-2014.
1:55 p.m. — Commissioners discussed the terms of the PVCH Foundation board. Commissioners will visit with Linda Henderson to review the terms.
Haas revealed that they have discovered s flaw in the hospital flooring and all but one hallway has to be replaced, due to a manufacturing defect.
2:30  p.m. — Kurt Demel, Pawnee County highway administrator, presented commissioners with pictures of a township blacktop road that was disced by a farmer (approximately 1,800 feet). Haas asked how much it would cost to seal it.  
Demel thought between $10,000 and $12,000, adding if the road is left damaged, it will be lost. Commissioners decided that the farmer will be presented a bill for the total road repair.
2:50 p.m. —  The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting was scheduled at 9 a.m. Sept. 23.