Bourbon County Commission Meeting Agenda – November 9, 2026, 5:30 PM

agenda-packet (full PDF)

Agenda as of November 6th, 2026 7:46 PM Central for the November 9th, 2026 5:30 PM meeting, fetched from HeyGov when this draft was created.

• I. Call Meeting to Order (Page 1)
• II. Pledge of Allegiance (Page 1)
• III. Prayer – Milburn (Page 1)
• IV. Introductions (Page 1)
• V. Approval of Agenda (Page 1)
• VI. Approval of Minutes (Page 1)
• VII. Approval of Accounts Payable – $200,526.36 (Page 1)
• VIII. Executed Documents for Record (Page 1)
• IX. Public Comments (Page 1)
• X. Executive Session K.S.A. 75-4319(b)( ) (Page 1)
  • a. Executive Session K.S.A. 75-4319(b)(1): Non Elected Job Performance, 10 minutes – Milburn (Page 1)
• XI. Department Updates (Page 1)
  • a. ADA Compliant Website (Page 1)
  • b. Benefits – Jeremy; also discuss Contribution Review (Page 1)
• XII. Old Business (Page 1)
  • a. Sheriff IT – tabled from last week; Motley request to table again (Page 1)
  • b. Asbestos RFP – tabled from last week – Beerbower (Page 1)
  • c. 105 W 2nd Proceeds – Beerbower request from last meeting (Page 1)
  • d. Purchasing Policy – Milburn (Page 2)
  • e. RAG Award – Milburn (Page 2)
• XIII. New Business (Page 2)
  • a. KORA (Page 2)
  • b. Budget Overage Discussion – Milburn (Page 2)
• XIV. Commission Comments (Page 2)
• XV. Future Agenda Topics (Page 2)
• XVI. Adjournment (Page 2)

Detailed Information Packet Summary

1. Accounts Payable Bills & Invoices (Pages 7–28)

The packet includes the full open-invoices-by-department summary for the batch due 11/6/2026, totaling $200,526.36 across 201 invoices.

Batch Due 11/6/2026 — Grand Total: $200,526.36 (Pages 7–28)

• Non-Departmental Funds Summary: Total $180,192.41 across 91 invoices. Major funds: Election $9,740.82 (34 invoices, mostly election-worker pay and equipment delivery fees, including Clear Ballot Group $195.69 for election contractual services and Clear Ballot Group $484.00 for four batteries for election machines); Employee Benefit $949.88; Landfill $7,014.80 (including Allen County Public Works $5,837.73 for MSW hauling and United Tire Recyclers $1,056.35 for scrap tire disposal); County Sheriff/Correctional $85,561.17 (22 invoices, including Advantage Computer Enterprises $14,345.00 for computers and $16,598.00 for a server, Benchmark Government Solutions $16,695.30 for inmate meals, and CHCSEK $8,115.11 for inmate medical); Noxious Weed $79.99; Road and Bridge $12,143.32 (including John Deere Financial grader lease payments of $7,220.61 principal/$1,905.79 interest); Road & Bridge Sales Tax Fund $6,396.29; Bond Sales Tax – County Jail $2,400.57 (court-project supplies and labor from Advantage Computer Enterprises and Mayco Ace Hardware); Emergency Services Sales Tax $55,905.57 (Freeman Fort Scott Hospital, October sales tax contractual services). (Pages 7–13)
• County Department Operations:
  • County Commission – $62.32 (Joseph Allen mileage reimbursement) (Page 13)
  • County Treasurer – $15.95 (Culligan of Joplin cooler rental) (Page 14)
  • County Coroner – $6,050.00 (Forensic Medical – dental, external exam, autopsy, report of death) (Page 15)
  • District Court – $2,885.31 across 97 invoices, largely jury-service and mileage payments plus Xerox/SEKAN Printing office supply invoices (Pages 16–22)
  • Emergency Preparedness – $73.02 (Evergy, tower utility) (Page 23)
  • Ambulance Service – $2,545.48 (medication, medical supplies, vehicle maintenance, utilities) (Page 24)
  • Noxious Weed – $8,046.00 (Van Diest Supply Company – Alligare 2,4-D chemicals) (Page 25)
  • Courthouse General – $655.87 (Cintas mats/cleaning supplies, CE Water Management monthly treatment) (Page 26)

2. Official Meeting Minutes Approval – November 2, 2026 (Pages 3–6)

• Attendance & Logistics: Chair Motley presided; Commissioners Beerbower, Allen, and Milburn present; Baker Tilly HR consultant Matt Lawn and HR consultant Millie participated by phone for their items. Meeting ran 5:30–8:30 PM at 123 South Main Street. (Page 3)
• Agenda Modifications: Beerbower’s sheriff IT funding item was confirmed under New Business; Item XI.a (account reconciliation) kept with Lawn joining by phone; Item XIII.c (Kansas WorkforceONE) removed — speaker unavailable; Item XIII.e (Room 12) removed — not ready. Motion to approve agenda as amended carried by voice vote. (Page 3)
• Minutes Corrections: Minutes of October 26 and October 27 approved; Milburn noted she was absent on 10-27. Motion carried by voice vote. (Page 3)
• Financial & Payables Approvals: Accounts payable of $347,346.93 approved by voice vote. Separately, a $1,560 CIC payroll-integration invoice (missed from payables two weeks prior) was addressed — $780 due now, $780 upon implementation, plus a $1,200 annual fee; commission authorized a $780 ACH payment. Chair Motley also reported the 108 West 2nd Street sale closed, with proceeds included in payables. (Pages 3–4)
• Executive Session: Motley moved a 10-minute K.S.A. 75-4319(b)(1) executive session on non-elected personnel/policy compensation, including Teri Hulsey and all 4 commissioners, 5:35–5:45 PM; passed unanimously with no action taken. (Page 4)
• Old Business Actions: Auction results reported (medical/kitchen equipment sold; unsold lighting, tables, sinks, toilets, equipment, and a printer to go to the transfer station). Personal-use-of-county-property policy adopted 3-1 (Allen dissenting) after KCAMP liability discussion. (Pages 4–5)
• New Business Actions: Sheriff IT separation resolution (Advantage Computers of Iowa, $90,139.25 from Fund 370/jail sales tax) failed by voice vote amid RFP and fund-use concerns; tabled one week. ICC-IMS road-management cold-call presented as information only, no action. Hope Outreach of Fort Scott presented by Joan Brown; Commissioner Allen named non-voting county liaison. HR contract with consultant Millie authorized for Chair Motley’s signature. Asbestos RFP draft to be emailed by Beerbower. (Pages 5–6)
• Administrative Actions: Commission comments covered employee morale, county-property policy, and a flagged potential $70,000+ personnel budget overage. Meeting adjourned with no opposition. (Page 6)

3. October 27, 2026 Special Meeting – 108 W 2nd Street Contract (Pages 29–30)

• Purpose: Special noon meeting called to address the contract offer on 108 W 2nd Street, with Commissioners Allen, Beerbower, and Motley present along with court and county staff. (Page 29)
• Contract Amendment: Roof work by the buyer’s contractor limited to weekends/after hours in coordination with the District Court, which was temporarily operating in the building during an elevator project. Motion to accept the amended contract carried with no opposition. Realtor Diann Tucker was to be contacted to finalize and sign. (Page 29)

4. 108 W 2nd Street Sale Documentation (Pages 35–42)

• Treasurer’s Receipt: $120,390.36 received 10/30/2026 from Security 1st Title for the 108 W. 2nd St. closing, credited to the General Fund as real estate proceeds. (Page 35)
• Closing Check & Settlement Statement: Check No. 588466 from Security 1st Title, $120,390.36, for sale to The Alta Davis Educational Revocable Living Trust at a $125,000.00 sales price, less property tax proration, title fees, and a $3,750.00 brokerage fee to Stewart Realty Co. ALTA Settlement Statement confirms Lot 2, Block 125, City of Fort Scott, signed by Gregg Motley, Chairman. (Pages 37–42)

5. HR Consulting Agreement – Millie Lipscomb (Pages 43–44)

• Scope & Status: Independent-contractor agreement between Bourbon County and HR consultant Millie Lipscomb of Fort Scott, signed by Chair Motley and Lipscomb on 11/2/2026. Consultant limited to advisory capacity “unless directed by Commission,” cannot bind the county or discipline employees, and bears her own business expenses. (Page 43)
• Term & Pay: $2,800/month recurring fee; agreement effective upon Commission signature and expires October 31, 2027 unless extended; either party may terminate with 30 days’ written notice. Scope includes compliance/policy audits, performance review assistance, payroll process review, handbook updates, salary surveys, and job description review. (Page 44)

6. Hope Outreach of Fort Scott – Mission Statement (Page 45)

• Mission: The nonprofit-in-formation’s stated mission is to provide compassionate, collaborative support helping individuals experiencing housing instability overcome barriers, through opportunity, responsibility, equity, and respect. (Page 45)

7. Personal Use of County Property Policy (Page 49)

• Adopted Language: Passed in the 11/2/26 meeting by a 3-1 vote for addition to the handbook: county-owned vehicles, equipment, machinery, tools, materials, and other property are for official county business only and may not be used personally or loaned for personal use; no employee, supervisor, department head, or elected official may independently authorize an exception. (Page 49)

8. CivicPlus Web Central / Website Proposals (Pages 50–84)

• Scope: A lengthy CivicPlus sales proposal (valid 60 days) covering the Civic Impact Platform, Municipal Websites Central content management system, hosting/security, accessibility tools (AudioEye, Acquia Web Governance, DocAccess), optional add-ons (CivicPlus Agent, Athena, Video, Marketplace App, SeeClickFix 311), premium implementation timeline (16–28 weeks), and department header/subsite design options — tied to the agenda’s “ADA Compliant Website” department update item. (Pages 50–84)

9. Employee Insurance Benefit Proposal (Pages 85–86)

• Current Structure: Of 117 eligible full-time/salaried employees, about 82 use county insurance (roughly 18 receiving up to $1,700/month, 64 receiving $925/month) while about 35 eligible employees receive no benefit. (Page 85)
• Proposed Structure: Standardize county insurance contribution at $1,100/month per employee electing coverage (based on ~$1,077,600 annual Blue Cross spend ÷ 82 users); offer $2/hour premium pay (~$4,160/year) to the ~35 employees with qualifying outside coverage, at an estimated $145,600 annual cost. (Pages 85–86)

10. Proposed Compensation & Benefits Structure (Page 87)

• Administration: Proposes a Compensation & Benefits Committee of four elected officials plus representatives from Public Works, EMS, County Attorney, and Appraiser (eight members) to promote continuity across commission turnover. (Page 87)
• Salary Administration: Job descriptions, salary surveys, CPI-based raise floor, five measurable annual goals per employee, and a 1–5 performance rating matrix tying raises to CPI plus 0–5% for performance (or pay reduction for poor ratings). (Page 87)

11. Commissioner Milburn-Kee: Employee Compensation Position Statement (Page 89)

• Position: Calls for a full compensation/salary survey against comparable counties before any wage decisions; suggests 1.5–2% cost-of-living plus performance-based increases up to a 5% total pool, and cautions departments against shifting commodities/contractual funds into wages without a sustainability plan. (Page 89)

12. Bourbon County Draft Purchasing Policy (Pages 90–97)

• Purpose & Thresholds: Establishes a county-wide purchasing process with competitive-bid thresholds: under $2,500 (price comparison), $2,500–$9,999 (3 written quotes, PO required), $10,000–$24,999 (3 quotes/proposals plus contract review), and $25,000+ (formal sealed bid/RFP, Board award). (Page 91)
• Key Provisions: Bans purchase-splitting to avoid thresholds; requires sole-source justification and Board approval over $10,000; limits emergency-purchase authority; requires rebidding recurring/term contracts at least every three years; sets conflict-of-interest and vendor-contact rules; and defers to stricter Kansas statutes (K.S.A. 68-521, 19-214) for public works. (Pages 92–97)

13. KCAMP Risk Avoidance Grant (RAG) Approval (Pages 98–99)

• Approval: KCAMP approved Bourbon County’s $2,000 Risk Avoidance Grant application for asbestos bulk sampling; the county has no further RAG funds remaining for 2026 and was encouraged to reapply in 2027. Letter addressed to Mika Milburn from Risk Manager Patrick Smith. (Pages 98–99)

14. KORA Request Billing Dispute with Stronghold Data (Pages 100–114)

• Sample Invoice: A sample $90.00 Stronghold/Bourbon County Clerk invoice (5 hours at $18/hour) illustrates KORA records-processing costs billed to a requester, Thomas Metcalf. (Page 100)
• Email Chain: Extensive correspondence between County Clerk staff, Commissioner Milburn-Kee, and Stronghold Data (Adam Lopardo, Joe Thomas) over new $95/hour KORA fulfillment charges starting 8/21/2026, confusion over who approves requests, an outstanding invoice #52415 later waived as a one-time courtesy, and Stronghold’s November 3 request for a single county point of contact and advance-consolidation of requests going forward — Stronghold reported 65 KORA requests and 107+ hours of engineering time fulfilled since July 2025. (Pages 101–115)

15. Register of Deeds Payroll Shortfall Email & Commentary (Pages 116, 126)

• Issue Raised: Register of Deeds Lora Holdridge emailed Baker Tilly’s Matt Lawn that her office payroll budget is short about $77,000 and needs amending. (Page 116)
• Commissioner Response: A commissioner’s written commentary questions whether the third Register of Deeds employee (added in 2023, reduced to 2–2.5 FTE for the 2026 budget) should instead be paid from the Register of Deeds Technology Fund as originally proposed, cites Allen County’s leaner staffing model, and asks whether a tech-fund-to-general-fund transfer resolution would be appropriate rather than a budget amendment funded by taxpayers. (Page 126)
• Supporting Statute: K.S.A. 28-115a (Register of Deeds Technology Fund) is included, confirming the fund may be used for equipment/technology and, per a cited Attorney General opinion, for salaries/benefits with a reasonable nexus to electronic data maintenance. (Page 127)

FORT SCOTT — Baker Tilly told Bourbon County commissioners the county will be ready to close its books at year-end, as specialists work through unreconciled items.

“We’ll be ready for year-end close for sure, and so there shouldn’t be any delay in audit or anything else going forward,” Matt Lawn of Baker Tilly told commissioners by phone Nov. 2. Lawn said a team of the firm’s bank reconciliation specialists is clearing unresolved items. Asked whether the work is only for payroll, he said, “It’s more than just payroll.” He said a cost proposal will follow once the scope is clear.

A week earlier, County Treasurer Jennifer Hawkins told commissioners that seven payrolls had not hit the county’s general ledger, leaving her unable to give departments accurate budget reports, and that variances now run to four pages. “There needs to be a lot of checks and balances. I can’t do everything,” she said.

The Bourbon County Monitor reported Oct. 30, from emails it obtained through an open-records request, that Hawkins told commissioners the clerk’s accounts payable account had been overdrawn, with $262 in fees, and that a report listed 87 items totaling a net $445,695.40. The Monitor reported that auditor Emily Franks replied, “the items not in bank is a very big problem which needs to be addressed prior to audit.”

Read the full story on the Nov. 2 meeting.