Lyon County commission action session

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By Brandy Nance (Contact)

Originally published 09:15 a.m., August 28, 2008
Updated 10:17 a.m., August 28, 2008

10:15 a.m.

Commissioners approved the 2009 budget for Lyon County following a public hearing at 10 a.m.

Before they passed the 2009 budget, commissioners talked about the possible shortfall with the delay in the one percent sales tax collection. County Controller Dan Slater said the county will tap into reserve funds, but only if needed.

“What it boils down to is we have the extra reserves to cover this,” Bob Davis, Lyon County commissioner said.

Slater said the county looked at the option of no-fund warrants, which is a loan but that option would be costly to the county. The other option the county looked at was the usage of funds from the county’s multi-year capitol outlay fund. Under statute, the county can use the money to cover shortfalls. Slater said the shortfall could be $500,000 on the high end or it could be nothing. The county will not automatically transfer money from that fund to the general fund, Slater said. The county will go as long as it can without taking that action.

The mil levy for 2009 stands at 46.637, down from 2008’s 51.639.

10 a.m.

Commissioners passed a proclamation declaring the fourth Monday of every September as Family Day — a day to eat dinner with your children. Based on surveys conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, “children and teenagers eat dinner with their families the less likely they are to smoke, drink and use illegal drugs.”

9:30 a.m.

Commissioners discussed a new identification card system for Lyon County, which will be required for all first responders in Lyon County. Rick Frevert, of Lyon County Emergency Management, talked about the cards and expanding the use to Lyon County employees.

The card would be given to county employees and would be coded for each employee. The card would have multiple purposes. It would grant access to security points in county buildings and would give the county the ability to track a worker’s whereabouts. The tracking ability would allow emergency management to track a worker in an emergency situation or disaster. Frevert used the example of sending an employee to a disaster area. If the employee gets lost or hurt, they can be located. When located the employee’s card can be scanned and emergency contact information would be relayed to emergency personnel.

The other aspect of the card will allow Lyon County to track where employees go in county buildings. Right now, the county has no ability to tell which employee entered a secured area and for how long. The card system would give them that ability.

We want people to know that just because you have a card that works on a door doesn’t mean you can go through it,” Frevert said. “If you go somewhere you’re not supposed to there will be a paper trail and you will lose your privileges.”

9:10 a.m.

County commissioners approved the consent agenda at 8:10 a.m. this morning:

• Adopt 2009 holiday schedule for Lyon County.

• Appoint Marie Kuhlman to Lyon County Council on Aging Board.

• Approve Ken Barrows, of LCAT, attending the Kansas Department of Transportation annual meeting in Wichita.

• Approve the quote of Midwest Striping Inc. of Grand Island, Neb., to paint strip asphalt roads in Lyon County at $12.95 a gallon, which includes paint, beads and application for an estimated cost of $32,375.

• Approve the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office to replace and repair the fire alarm panel in dispatch center in the amount of $3,500.