Meeting Information
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016
6:00 p.m.
CONSENT AGENDA
(1) (a) Consider approval of Commission Orders
(b) Consider approval of Real Estate Contract with USD497 for USD497 to sell property located at 146 Maine Street and in return purchase Douglas Count property located at 711 E 23rd Street;(Craig Weinaug)
(c) Consider approval of consulting contract with AJW Consulting, LLC. (Craig Weinaug);
(d) Approval of Project Agreement with KDOT Roadside Safety Improvements on Route 458 from E 1800 to E 2000, KDOT Project No. 23 C-4857-01, DGCO Project No. 2015-17 (Keith Browning); and
(e) Consider approval of Consent Agenda approval of construction contract for Project No. 2015-69 Bridge Deck Repair 17.82N-10.00E (Keith Browning)
REGULAR AGENDA
(2) Public Hearing on the 2017 Budget and consider approval of a County resolution expressing the property taxation policy of the Douglas County Commission with respect to financing the annual budget for 2017.
(3) (a) Consider approval of Accounts Payable (if necessary)
(b) Appointments
-Board of Construction Codes Appeals (1) position 12/15
(c) Public Comment
(d) Miscellaneous
(4) Adjourn
August 10, 2016
Flory called the regular meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 with all members present.
MEMORIAL 08-10-16
Flory honored the passing of long-time County Counselor Evan Ice. Flory commented the County lost a good friend. Evan was not just a good lawyer, but a superb human being. He will truly be missed.
CONSENT AGENDA 08-10-16
Flory moved approval of the following Consent Agenda:
► Project agreement with KDOT for roadside safety improvements to Route 458 from E 1800 Road to E 2000 road, KDOT Project No. 23 C-4857-01; and
► Accepted low bid and awarded a contract in the amount of $124,476.00 to Bettis Asphalt and Construction, Inc. for Project No. 2015-69, deck repair for Bridge No. 17.82N-10.00E, and authorized the Public Works Director to approve change orders totaling up to 20% of the contract amount.
Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
Pulled from the Consent Agenda
REAL ESTATE 08-10-16
The Board considered approval of a real estate contract with USD497 for USD497 to sell property located at 146 Maine Street and in return purchase Douglas County property located at 711 E 23rd Street.
Flory opened the item for public comment.
Matthew Conklin, 1611 Saint Andrews Drive, said he is an advocate for Kansas Appleseed in Lawrence, and raised a concern there has not been adequate communication to the public or the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) on this item and associated the action with the approval of a contract with Treanor Architects for preliminary design services for the jail expansion.
Gaughan responded this item is not the same. This is a real estate transaction we are pursuing to build a crisis center. Providing notification to the CJCC has been rectified. The County Commission is and has been discussing with the public the importance of building a crisis center to serve the population of this community. Gaughan said this is the seconded public meeting this week where this transaction will be approved.
Flory added this item was discussed at a prior County Commission meeting and he specifically said in that meeting, he was leading the negotiations with USD 497. Discussions concluded this property would still be a significant benefit to a public entity if the construction funds for the crisis center were not approved by the voting public.
Craig Weinaug, County Administrator, stated there has been four or five public charettes for the design of the facility and the site has been identified in all of those meetings over the last six months.
Flory moved to approve the Real Estate Contract with USD 497 to sell property located a 711 E 23rd Street to USD 497 in exchange for 146 Maine Street property plus $500,000.00. Motion was seconded by Gaughan and carried 3-0.
CONTRACT 08-10-16
The Board considered the approval of a consulting contract with AJW Consulting, L.L.C.
Flory opened the item for public comment.
Matthew Conklin, 1611 Saint Andrews Drive, asked for background on the conversations that led to this item.
Gaughan stated he has asked for a Public Relations Officer for a number of years. The City of Lawrence has a means of communicating with the public. It is his strong preference to have a single point of contact for the media to contact us for better functioning information.
Flory added this relates to a number of different areas of the County. We are approaching this position with reason by not adding staff and benefits with a long-term commitment. A consulting contract will be a significant benefit in communicating the business of the County and provide some relief to administrative staff.
Jessie Brinson, Douglas County resident, asked for clarification if the firm would communicate the agendas and talk to the public.
Gaughan stated that is one example where he feels we have fallen short. We depend on our administrative staff to get out agendas. He hopes to eventually have a full-time Public Relations Officer to work with each department. Currently each department has their own way of communicating with the media and individuals in the community. We need to be more proactive with things coming down the pike and response time to the media with open records requests.
Flory said background information is available on the Douglas County website for all the items on the agenda. That material provides a detailed description of the purposes we intend to accomplish with this consultant and the expertise of the individual we are entering a contract with. That document should answer any questions.
Thellman moved to approve the Services Contract with AJW Consulting, LLC in the amount of $5,000 per month through January 17, 2017. Motion was seconded by Gaughan and carried 3-0.
PUBLIC HEARING 08-10-16
Flory moved to open a public hearing to receive public comment on the 2017 Budget.
No comment was received. Flory moved to close the public hearing. Motion was seconded by Gaughan and carried 3-0.
Gaughan moved to approve the 2017 Budget and Resolution 16-19 expressing the property taxation policy of the Douglas County Commission with respect to financing the annual budget for 2017.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 08-10-16
Flory moved to approve accounts payable in the amount of $488,343.36
paid on 08/11/16; and payroll in the amounts of $981,436.11 paid on 06/24/16, $963,870.42 paid on 07/08/16, $952,263.20 paid on 07/22/16, and $931,858.94 paid on 08/05/16. Motion was seconded by Gaughan carried 3-0.
APPOINTMENT 08-10-16
Flory moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
____________________________ ____________________________
James E. Flory, Chair Mike Gaughan, Vice-Chair
ATTEST:
____________________________ _____________________________
Jamie Shew, County Clerk Nancy Thellman, Member
Time and Date