October 19th, 2026

FORT SCOTT — Lab tests commissioned by Bourbon County found asbestos in damaged pipe insulation and fittings in the courthouse, according to reports in the commission’s Oct. 19 agenda packet under “Asbestos Report – Beerbower.”

An environmental firm, APEX Environmental Consultants, took the samples Sept. 29. Schneider Laboratories reported results Oct. 5. All three samples of mudded pipe fittings were 55% chrysotile asbestos. All three samples of pipe insulation were 45%. EPA treats anything over 1% as asbestos-containing. The samples came from the North Custodial Room, the Custodial Restroom and the South Custodial Room in the courthouse basement. APEX rated the material “friable/damaged.” In its recommendations, it said the insulation “is on the verge of a fiber release incident.” Previous photos show the insulation from the pipe insulation accumulating on the desk below the damaged area.

APEX recommends removal by a KDHE-licensed contractor, with advance notice to KDHE. It said more suspect material may be present in the boiler room and elevator room and has not been quantified. Flooring samples from the district court jury room and judge’s chambers showed no asbestos. APEX called the survey limited and “not intended to be a full asbestos inspection.”

Air samples

APEX also took five air samples in the building. Measured fiber concentrations were all below APEX’s clearance level of 0.010 fibers per cubic centimeter, ranging from 0.0032 to 0.0075. The method counts fibers of a certain size but does not identify what they are.

Separately, APEX took two bulk samples of foyer drywall at 108 W. 2nd St., the building the district court is to use during the elevator shutdown. The lab detected no asbestos in either.

The report text raises several questions

• How much damage. The recommendations say “nearly 3 linear feet of the subject pipe insulation fittings” were damaged and asbestos-containing. The results table lists about 600 linear feet of the insulation, “friable/damaged,” and 13 fittings.
• “Abatement.” The air-monitoring letter calls its work “post-abatement clearance sampling… following the abatement project.” FortScott.biz has found no record of an abatement.
• “Residence.” Both inspection letters say the survey covered “the subject residence.” The building is the courthouse.

Commissioners meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the courthouse, two days before the elevator goes out of service for renovation. FortScott.biz detailed the history leading up to the asbestos study on Sunday.

The reports (PDF)

• Limited asbestos inspection, courthouse, 210 S. National (APEX .1)
• Limited asbestos inspection, 108 W. 2nd St. (APEX .2)
• Air monitoring, courthouse (APEX .3)

Highlights:

• Asbestos testing to be discussed
• Expenses of $13,145 to attorneys of Matthew Bonner, Clifford Lee, Justin Meeks, and Fisher, Patterson, Sayler & Smith LLP
• Milburn wants to discuss a change to the TEC support contract which the County pays for the video stream equipment.

Bourbon County Commission Meeting Agenda – October 19, 2026, 5:30 PM

agenda-packet (full PDF)

• I. Call Meeting to Order (Page 1)
• II. Pledge of Allegiance (Page 1)
• III. Prayer – Beerbower (Page 1)
• IV. Introductions (Page 1)
• V. Approval of Agenda (Page 1)
• VI. Approval of Minutes (Page 1)
• VII. Approval of Accounts Payable (Page 1)
  • Batch due 10/9/2026 — $334,783.98
  • Batch due 10/16/2026 — $259,024.30
• VIII. Executed Documents for Record (Page 1)
• IX. Public Comments (Page 1)
• X. Executive Session K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)( ) (Page 1)
  • a. Employee Benefits – Jeremy and Don
  • b. Sheriff Office personnel – Beerbower
  • c. Employee Performance – Tran
• XI. Department Updates (Page 1)
  • a. PVD Compliance Call @5:45 – KDOR – Mike Dollman
  • b. Transfer Station – Diane – Tran
• XII. New Business (Page 1)
  • a. Revising of Resolution 21-26 to address meetings that fall on BBCO approved Holidays – Clerk Clarkson
  • b. CIC accounting import – Milburn
  • c. PO Period of Performance Verizon – Milburn
  • d. TEC Remote Support Change – Milburn
  • e. Bourbon County Conservation District – Motley
• XIII. Old Business (Page 2)
  • a. HR – RFP Review
  • b. Benefit Contribution Review – Milburn
  • c. Well Testing – Milburn
  • d. Backhoe Bid – Beerbower
  • e. Asbestos Report – Beerbower
  • f. Auction update – Allen
  • g. Election Space in Commission Room – Beerbower
• 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 8–53)

The packet includes two full accounts-payable batches covering invoices across all county departments and funds.

Batch Due 10/9/2026 — Grand Total: $334,783.98 (Pages 8–19)

• Non-Departmental / Funds Summary: Total $334,705.07 across 13 funds. Notable amounts include County Sheriff/Correctional $160,450.13 (including Enterprise FM Trust fleet lease/maintenance $115,835.32 and Benchmark Government Solutions inmate meals $16,734.25), Bond Sales Tax-County Jail $72,196.05 (Enterprise FM Trust fleet lease, prior year liabilities), Road & Bridge Sales Tax Fund $65,060.78 (Coastal Energy Corporation PG64-22 asphalt product $14,219.10 and $8,180.10, G.W. Van Keppel Co repair labor $7,118.58), Landfill $7,804.51, Mental Disability appropriation $13,750.00 to Tri-Valley Developmental Ctr, and Road and Bridge $11,956.98 (John Deere Financial grader lease payments $9,126.40 combined). (Pages 8–13)
• County Department Operations:
  • County Commission — $552.71 (Page 14)
  • County Treasurer — $15.95 (Page 15)
  • County Attorney — $13,145.00, including $3,500 each to contracted assistant county attorneys Matthew Bonner and Clifford Wayne Lee, and $2,500 to Justin Meeks (Page 16)
  • County Coroner — $1,750.00 for cremation of unclaimed body (Page 17)
  • District Court — $43,598.93, including a $42,244.25 deposit to McClelland Inc for a courtroom audio upgrade (state-reimbursed) (Page 18)
  • Emergency Preparedness — $191.63 (Page 19)

Batch Due 10/16/2026 — Grand Total: $259,024.30 (Pages 29–53)

• Non-Departmental / Funds Summary: Total $157,781.83 across 12 funds. County Sheriff/Correctional totaled $64,951.94, dominated by INA Alert alarm system invoices of $5,093.54, $39,082.61, and $8,303.50, plus numerous Freeman Fort Scott Hospital inmate medical charges. Landfill totaled $14,598.87 (mostly Road & Bridge-supplied clear/dyed diesel and Allen County Public Works MSW hauling $5,858.35). Road and Bridge totaled $49,712.08, including Judy’s Fuel & Oil Co bulk fuel deliveries exceeding $10,000 per invoice and a $5,777.72 Foley Equipment steering system repair. Road & Bridge Sales Tax Fund totaled $23,278.18, including $6,045.88 in dyed diesel for the asphalt plant. (Pages 29–38)
• County Department Operations:
  • County Commission — $19.69 (Page 39)
  • County Treasurer — $475.90 (Page 40)
  • County Attorney — $14.88 (Page 41)
  • County Register of Deeds — $84.29 (Page 42)
  • Courthouse Maintenance — $57.99 (Page 43)
  • District Court — $13,222.54, including $11,865.00 to For The Record for a recording program (state-reimbursed) (Page 44)
  • Emergency Preparedness — $520.58 (Page 45)
  • I T — $9,893.24, including $9,828.24 to Stronghold Data LLC (Page 46)
  • Dispatch — $60,500.00 to City of Fort Scott for dispatching services (Page 47)
  • Juvenile Detention — $11,282.18 to SEK Regional Juvenile Det. Ctr (Page 48)
  • Ambulance Service — $3,912.98 (Page 49)
  • Courthouse General — $1,258.20 (Page 50)

2. Official Meeting Minutes Approval – October 5, 2026 (Pages 3–5)

• Attendance & Logistics: Commissioners Motley (D4), Allen (D3), Beerbower (D2), Milburn-Kee (D5), and Tran (D1) were present, along with County Counselor Bob Johnson and Clerk Ann Clarkson. (Page 3)
• Agenda & Minutes Approval: Agenda approved unanimously (Motley/Allen); September 28, 2026 minutes approved as written (Milburn-Kee/Beerbower). (Page 3)
• Financial & Payables Approvals: Accounts payable, August financials, AP corrections from 9/18/26, and tax roll corrections were each approved unanimously. (Page 3)
• Executive Sessions: Three separate executive sessions on employee job performance were held (5:36–6:01 PM, 6:02–6:22 PM, 6:23–6:43 PM); a motion authorizing Commissioner Allen to work with Dr. Cohen on payroll change forms failed 2-3. (Page 4)
• Old Business: Updates on the asbestos inspection/IT move, transfer station pressure-washer and roll-off dumpster findings from KDHE, and discussion of a 5% transfer station wage increase with no consensus reached. (Page 4)
• Backhoe Bid & HR RFP: Backhoe motions for five CAT models each failed for lack of a second; HR RFP closing October 7 reported with 3-4 responses received. (Page 5)
• New Business: Motion to authorize Commissioner Motley to sign a letter of support for Dr. Roger K. Harris’s tobacco distribution license application passed unanimously. (Page 5)
• Adjournment: Motion to adjourn carried unanimously (Tran/Motley). (Page 5)

3. Special Meeting Minutes – October 9, 2026, Columbus Day Rescheduling (Pages 6–7)

• Purpose: Address cancellation and rescheduling of the October 12, 2026 Columbus Day holiday meeting. (Page 6)
• Discussion: Commissioners weighed alternate dates (October 13, 14, 15); the conference room was confirmed unavailable on the 14th, and the Clerk did not object to holding accounts payable for one week. (Page 6)
• Action: Motion to cancel the October 12 meeting entirely and reconvene October 19, 2026 carried by voice vote with no opposition (Motley/Milburn-Kee). (Page 6)

4. Tax Roll Corrections (Pages 59–82)

A series of county-approved tax abatement/correction forms for real estate and truck personal property, largely tied to a BOTA ruling (2026-907-TX from 9/1/17) and prior-year value protests.

• Truck tax roll corrections for Kevic Lee Miler (2003 Ford Excursion) across tax years 2023, 2024, and 2025, each noting the vehicle was moved to Linn County and taxes paid there. (Pages 59–64, 80)
• Grace Baptist Church Inc. real estate abatements (424 S Margrave, Fort Scott) for tax years 2017 through 2025, reducing assessed value to $0 under BOTA ruling 2026-907-TX. (Pages 65–79)
• Farrington, Buddy E & Jannah L real estate corrections (1636 195th St) for tax years 2023 and 2024/2025, moving value to prior year due to protest, reducing total tax by $686.84 and $713.02 respectively. (Pages 69–70, 77)
• Liberty Cellular Inc. real estate abatements (205th St, SC234 Scott Township) for tax years 2017-2019, reclassified as personal property per guidance from the state. (Pages 75–76, 78)
• S&K Oil Production, Inc. oil lease correction (GEO8561, Marion Township) reducing assessed value from 641 to 572, a net tax change of -$10.96. (Page 81)
• Curfman, Amanda B real estate correction (999 215th St) reducing total tax by $1,496.78 due to a quality/CDU/physical value adjustment. (Page 82)

5. Shared County Appraiser MOU with Allen County (Pages 54–56)

• Purpose & Appointment: Establishes a shared county appraiser arrangement under which Danielle Louk serves as County Appraiser for both Bourbon and Allen Counties. (Page 54)
• Payroll & Benefits Split: Allen County continues to administer Louk’s payroll, KPERS, and health insurance; Bourbon County reimburses half of the health insurance cost ($452.50/month, $5,430.00 annually). (Page 54)
• Prorated 2026 Payment: Bourbon County’s prorated share from September 21–December 31, 2026 is $1,508.30, due through accounts payable by the second week of October 2026. (Page 55)
• Term & Termination: Effective September 21, 2026 upon approval by both commissions; either county may terminate with written notice. (Pages 55–56)

6. Tobacco Distribution Support Letter – Roger K. Harris (Page 57)

• Letter requesting Bourbon County’s approval of tobacco distribution in the county for Harris’s business, Eagles and Osprey LLC, operating from 804 195th St., Fort Scott (a HUBZone location), signed by the Commission Chairman on October 5, 2026. (Page 57)

7. Citizen Attendance Sign-In Sheet (Page 58)

• Attendees included Roger Harris, Mike Milburn-Kee, Clint Walker, Rachel Walker, Marlon Merida, Jason Silvers, Teri Hulsey, Jean Tucker, and Bryan Murphy. (Page 58)

8. KPERS/PVD Compliance Report & Related Documents (Pages 83–109)

Background materials for the agenda’s PVD Compliance Call item, including the county’s 2026 compliance scorecard, PVD Directive #24-046 explaining the scoring methodology, the procedural compliance checklist, a ratio-study primer, and statewide/county appeal data.

• 2026 Compliance Scorecard: Bourbon County’s overall score is 63.1 out of 100 (minimum for substantial compliance is 75), driven by residential median ratio and commercial statistical measures falling out of range, plus a statutory deduction for late trend-study publication. (Pages 83–84)
• PVD Directive #24-046: Explains the statewide scoring criteria, statistical/procedural/statutory components, and includes worked compliance scoring examples. (Pages 85–99)
• Procedural Compliance Checklist: Confirms Bourbon County met nearly all mass appraisal process, land valuation, depreciation, and cadastral mapping requirements, but flags non-compliance on publishing the trend study at least 10 business days before mailing change-of-value notices. (Pages 102–106)
• Mass Appraisal Ratio Study Explainer: A primer on median ratio and coefficient of dispersion (COD) calculations used to judge appraisal level and uniformity. (Pages 107–108)
• Appeal Data: Statewide and Bourbon-County-only valuation appeal statistics for 2024-2026, including percent of parcels appealed and adjusted by property class. (Page 100)

9. Proposed Resolution Revising Meeting Schedule (Repeal of Resolution 21-26) (Pages 110–112)

• Purpose: Repeals Resolution 21-26 and establishes updated rules for meeting agendas, AP/payroll approval timing, work sessions, and public participation. (Page 110)
• Meeting Schedule: Regular meetings every other Monday at 5:30 p.m. starting May 4, 2026; a dedicated AP-approval-only meeting on the alternating Monday, followed immediately by a work session. (Page 111)
• Public Participation: Three-minute comment limit per speaker with a sign-in card requirement. (Page 111)
• Holiday Provision (new Section 8): If a holiday on the County’s observed-holiday resolution falls on a regularly scheduled meeting day, that meeting is rescheduled to the following day — the specific change this item asks the commission to adopt. (Page 112)

10. CIC Software Proposal – Payroll Interface (Page 113)

• Proposal for a CIC Payroll Interface (import/export) annual license at $1,200/year plus $360 in implementation hours, for a first-year total of $1,560.00; valid through November 14, 2026. (Page 113)

11. Verizon Wireless PO Period of Performance (Page 114)

• GSA Multiple Award Schedule purchase order renewing cellular service on 150 lines for a 12-month term beginning October 9, 2026, with an estimated total of $120,000 for access and equipment fees. (Page 114)

12. TEC Remote Support Fee Change (Pages 115–116)

• Total Electronics Contracting is introducing a $60-per-machine annual fee for remote support software beginning January 1, 2027; Bourbon County currently has 4 machines identified (phone system, livestreaming computer, health department DVR, hospital DVR), for an estimated $240/year. (Page 115)
• Internal email from IT asks commissioners to determine which machines remain in the county’s purview, noting the hospital camera system may no longer be county-controlled. (Page 116)

13. HR RFP Review — Three Responses (Pages 118–149)

Supporting materials for the Old Business item reviewing proposals received for the Human Resource Services RFP issued September 14, 2026 (due October 5, 2026).

• The RFP itself: Scope covers recruitment, employee relations, benefits/KPERS administration, compliance, training, and policy development; evaluation criteria and submission timeline included. (Pages 118–120)
• OneDigital proposal: National HR advisory firm with a Kansas office in Overland Park; proposes a dedicated consultant/generalist/account manager team; estimated pricing of $4,000–$6,000 per month. (Pages 124–135)
• HR Solutions On Call, LLC proposal: Firm already serving as Bourbon County’s interim HR provider (Dr. Steve Cohen, principal); proposes a $4,300/month retainer covering all listed services with no additional fees; lists other Missouri county/municipal references. (Pages 136–147)
• Millie Lipscomb (individual) proposal: Current HR Manager at Niece Products of Kansas; proposes $2,800/month for 20–25 hours/week with a 6-month minimum, no insurance coverage carried. (Pages 142–144)

14. Benefit Contribution Review Materials (Pages 148–152)

• Employee Insurance Benefit Proposal: Recommends standardizing the county insurance contribution at $1,100/month per employee electing coverage, and offering $2/hour premium pay (~$4,160/year) to the roughly 35 eligible employees who opt out, at an estimated $145,600 annual cost. (Page 148)
• Proposed Compensation & Benefits Structure: Outlines a proposed Compensation & Benefits Committee of eight (four elected officials, four department reps) to oversee job descriptions, salary surveys, and a CPI-based performance raise matrix (1 to 5 rating scale tied to raise percentages). (Page 150)
• Commissioner Milburn-Kee memo: Argues for completing a full compensation/benefits survey before adjusting wages, proposing 1.5%–2% cost-of-living plus a performance-based pool up to a 5% total increase, within each department’s existing budget. (Page 152)

15. Well Testing Update (Pages 153–155)

• Email update reports wells have been located and cleaned out, with some needing concrete/regrouting repairs to stop surface water intrusion; requests better path access and mowing assistance, with repairs targeted for late the following week. (Page 153)
• Ground Water Elevation 2026 maps for Bourbon County Landfill Permits No. 206 and No. 512 showing monitoring well locations and conditions (several noted “Poor” due to ground settling). (Pages 154–155)

16. Asbestos Report — Courthouse Air Monitoring (Pages 157–164)

• Findings: APEX Environmental Consultants’ post-abatement air monitoring (October 1, 2026) found all five courthouse sample locations — basement elevator lobby, north/south janitorial rooms, janitorial restroom, and 3rd floor elevator lobby — below the clearance level of 0.010 f/cc. (Pages 158–161)
• Background: Testing followed a suspected fiber release from asbestos-containing pipe insulation in the basement, thought to have traveled via the elevator shaft. (Page 158)
• Technician certifications: Included for project manager Tristan O’Brien. (Pages 163–164)