Commission spends half of meeting time conferring with attorneys

By Charlene Sims, Journal staff

LCJeditor@icloud.com

MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commission met briefly in session lasting less than 40 minutes on Monday, August 3. Twenty minutes of that meeting was held in a closed-door session for attorney-client privilege with two attorneys, County Counselor Jacklyn Paletta and contracted lawyer Scott Nehrbass from Foulston Siefkin LLP.

Newly hired Public Works Administrator J.D. Handly reported to the commission that he had gone up to the Linn County Park for a half a day. Handly said that he spent time with the manager and the staff and found things to be very orderly.

“I would like to commend them for their passion,” Handly said. “It’s not something that you can make people do to be passionate about their jobs. So, I could see the passion in each one of them. I was pleased with what they’ve got going on up there.”

Commission Chair Alison Hamilton called for public comment at 9:37 a.m. and since no one was there, the meeting was then adjourned. Public comment was on the agenda for 10 a.m.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Learned from Handly that a wheel bearing went out on road grader in the Pleasanton district. Handly said that he would like to commend the operator for her attentiveness. While there was damage done, she caught it really quickly otherwise there could have been extensive damage.

• Approved the repairs for the road grader being done in-house. Handly said the mechanical parts are $9,760 which includes one key component which is very expensive. Handly said his understanding was that this part could be machined, not replaced, so it should be less than the $9,760. Handly said he would also like to commend the mechanic over there. He said he just dove right into that, took ownership and I think it’s going to be a good deal having it done in-house.

• Approved replacing county planning commission member David Fisher with Earl Nation. Fisher had asked to be replaced but was reappointed to a second term until a replacement was found. Nation will fulfill the rest of that three-year term.

• Learned from Handly that the engineering company CFS will begin the drilling on the old military bridge. Handly said they would take the core samples in the middle of the month.

• Learned that because of the pending sale of two lots at the industrial park in La Cygne that the county will be relocating its burn site. It will be relocated 220 to 300 yards south on some additional property that the county owns. Those permits have already been approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

• Heard from Handly that the county finally got access to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) training provider registry account. He said that was vital to be able to to do in-house commercial driver’s license (CDL) training. He told the commissioners that once the county gets it curriculum in place they will restart the program. The good news is the county got control of that federal account, he added. Handly said he had given Paletta a contract for the employees that take the course to sign so they would commit to working for the county for a certain period of time, depending on what the commissioners decide.

• Approved hiring Franklin Gaines, a seasoned grader operator, according to Handly, as an equipment operator at the Mound City shop for $20.61 per hour.

• Approved hiring Damon Duren, who has some mechanic experience and a CDL, as an equipment operator for District 3 at $18.91 per hour

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• Approved hiring Shawn Chappell as an equipment operator at $15.09 per hour, primarily as a mower for District 3.

• Approved the hiring of Isaiah Handly, presented by former Public Works Administrator Jesse Walton, as an equipment operator at the rate of $17.99 per hour for the Pleasanton shop.  Hamilton asked who Isaiah Handly’s direct supervisor would be. Walton answered Todd Miller. It appeared that the approval was unanimous.