Meeting Information
3:00 p.m. Reception to honor Keith Browning for receiving the "Engineer of the Year by the Kansas County Highway Association."
Gaughan called the regular meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday,
October 16, 2013 with all members present.
CONSENT AGENDA 10-16-13
Gaughan moved approval of the following Consent Agenda:
► Commission Order Nos.13-028and 13-029 (on file in the office of the Clerk).
Motion was seconded by Flory and carried 3-0.
PUBLIC WORKS 10-16-13
The Board considered a request to rebuild the engine of Equipment No. 302, a 2005 Caterpillar 140H motor grader, and pay for the work using Equipment Reserve funds. Keith Browning, Director of Public Works, presented the item.
Browning received an estimate of $25,461 to rebuild the engine. It comes with a 3-year/5000 hour warranty. Replacement cost for a new motor grader is approximately $260,000. Browning stated he anticipates the rebuild to last through the scheduled 2016 replacement.
Gaughan opened the item for public comment. No comment was received.
Flory moved to authorize the rebuilding of the motor grader engine as requested from staff with payment to come for the Equipment Reserve fund. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
SUSTAINABILITY 10-16-13
The Board considered revisions of the Food Policy Council's purpose to serve as an advisory board to both Douglas County and the City of Lawrence. Eileen Horn, Sustainability Director, presented the item.
Horn stated at their October 1 meeting, the City Commissioners expressed interest in requesting the County amend the scope of the Council to serve as a joint city-county advisory council. This will allow for greater collaboration between city and county efforts to support agricultural producers, grow food sector businesses, and increase our citizens' access to health local food.
Flory suggested adding a representative for the senior community. The Commission agreed. Horn stated that would bring the total council appointees to 23.
Gaughan opened the item for public comment. No comment was received.
Flory moved for staff to revise the resolution creating the council to be a
joint resolution serving both the City of Lawrence and Douglas County and to bring back to the County Commission for approval and then forward to the City Commission for consideration. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
AGRITOURISM/MORATORIUM 10-16-13
The Board considered a moratorium on the issuance of county agritourism registration. Gaughan asked Linda Finger, Interim Director of Zoning and Codes, to update the Board on the agritourism applications for registration received and their status'. Fingers stated applications for the following have been received and approved: Pinwheel Farms, Washington Creek Lavender Farm, Pendleton Farm Market, Schaake's Pumpkin Patch, Prairie Elk Christmas Tree Farm and Strawberry Hill Christmas Tree Farm. The KC Pumpkin Patch application was withdrawn.
Flory stated his request for the moratorium and further review of our regulations is not geared towards elimination of the program. He is concerned there needs to be more clarity on what applications need Commission review and what process there is for the Board to set conditions. Flory said the last process taught the Board a lot of about what wasn't clarified sufficiently in our legislation. Flory said we just need to improve our product.
Gaughan opened the item for public comment.
Scott McCullough, Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Director, asked for clarification on the process the Board would like to follow. Flory suggested a study session with the County Commission and Planning Staff to determine what information should be taken to the Planning Commission for review.
Gaughan suggested the November 6 County Commission meeting at 4:00 p.m. for the study session.
Gaughan opened the item for public comment.
Jim Hendershot, 175B E 2300 Road, Wellsville, stated he along with a group of neighbors would be willing to take part in the study session. He asked for clarification there are no pending agritourism applications. Finger stated that is correct.
Rick Hird, 856 E 1150 Road, Baldwin City, stated he has been involved with the Committee that produced the text amendment. He would like to be involved with the study session. Hird stated he feels the process for the applications worked as anticipated and d s not understand why the Board did not apply conditions to the KC Pumpkins Patch application and go on.
Flory responded it was not clear what authority the Board had to place conditions on the application under our own regulations and in what circumstances the applicant must ask for a Commission review as opposed to an administrative review.
Hird asked if the moratorium is really necessary for applications that do not anticipate 100 people in attendance. Gaughan stated he agrees the review is the right thing to do. It's possible the text amendments could be completed before April 30, 2014 and the moratorium can be lifted.
Hird asked if the Morton Building exemption will be discussed at the study session since the egress issue on agricultural buildings was not addressed in the building codes.
Flory stated the conclusion was there was no one asking for anything different than what existed in the building codes so didn't make changes to the building code at that point.
Gaughan said building code revisions was the reason he felt a study session was necessary prior to the KC Pumpkin Patch application.
Flory moved to approve Resolution 13-29 placing a temporary moratorium on agritourism registrations. Motion was seconded by Gaughan and carried 3-0.
Flory moved to initiate a text amendment on agritourism standards to the Douglas County Zoning Codes.
Gaughan opened the motion for public comment. No comment was received.
Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 10-16-13
Gaughan moved to approve the accounts payable in the amount of $1,902,860.76 to be paid on 10/17/13; a manual check in the amount of $525.00 paid on 10/10/13; payroll in the amounts of $1,502.31 paid on 06/07/13, $842,826.08 paid on 06/07/13, $845,351.29 paid on 06/21/13, $874,885.14 paid on 07/05/13,$813,475.28 paid on 07/19/13; KYPERS in the amounts of
$95,826.68 paid on 06/14/13, $96,841.96 paid on 06/28/13, $104,354.03 paid on 07/12/13, $96,259.80 paid on 07/26/13; FICA in the amounts of $61,617.16 paid on a 06/14/13, $61,804.98 paid on 06/28/13, $64,064.04 paid on 07/12/13,
$59,375.54 paid on 07/26/13. Motion was seconded by Flory and carried 3-0.
Gaughan moved to adjourn the meeting; Thellman seconded and the motion carried 3-0.
____________________________ ____________________________
Mike Gaughan, Chair Nancy Thellman, Vice-Chair
ATTEST:
____________________________ _____________________________
Jamie Shew, County Clerk Jim Flory, Member
Time and Date