The Atchison County Commission met Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Present were: Presiding Commissioner Curtis Livengood, South District Commissioner Richard Burke, North District Commissioner Jim Quimby, and Susette Taylor, Clerk of the Commission.
Presiding Commissioner Livengood called the meeting to order.
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.
Bills were reviewed and approved for payment.
Clerk Taylor presented the updated Northwest Missouri Cooperative Mental Health Board of Trustees Bylaws and Inter-County Agreement to the commission for review. The revised agreement and bylaws incorporates the changes discussed a few weeks ago when the counties met as a group, such as:
1) No obligation to initially agree to participate on the board. Once the board is appointed, they put together a plan with expected expenses for 2023. The board then approaches each commission to present the plan with needed funding. The commission then decides whether to continue to participate by funding their respective share or withdraw entirely;
2) Shortened notice requirement to withdraw from board after initial funding and participation. Counties must give written notice to withdraw by June 30 of the year immediately preceding their withdrawal. For example, if it is the year 2034 and that county no longer wanted to participate, they would have to give written notice by June 30, 2034, to be able to withdraw on January 1, 2035;
3) Increased the number of board members to 14 as follows: Nodaway, 7; Atchison, 2; Holt, 2; Gentry, 2; and Worth, 1;
4) County funding can be achieved by the county entering into agreements with third parties within the county;
5) Quorum – seven voting members present at a meeting.
Clerk Taylor stated that she had forwarded the documents to Attorney Ivan Schreader for review. He had some concerns about some of the language and those were passed on to Judge Rice for review. He in turn had some questions which have been forwarded to Attorney Schreader for additional review.
Attorney Schreader then called the commission via conference and they verbally discussed the agreement.
The commission requested Clerk Taylor set up a meeting with those who are currently working with mental health in Atchison County so they could obtain additional outside input before making a decision that could potentially allocate Atchison County tax dollars to be spent outside of the county. Clerk Taylor will try to arrange the meeting and have individuals present at Thursday’s meeting.
Clerk Taylor reported on the Missouri Employment Law Conference.
The commission reviewed county infrastructure needs along with recommendations from the ARPA Final Rule. The current needs for the county that will fit under the guidance would be:
1) County Road and Bridge repairs or upgrades. (tube replacements)
2) NextGen 911
3) 988 Implementation
4) Law Enforcement training and recruiting
5) Cyber Security
6) 911 Office upgrade
After reviewing the needs within the county, the commission will vote at their next meeting whether to move forward with allowing applications or if the funds will be used for countywide infrastructure improvements.
There being no further business, the commission adjourned.
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The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, May 19, 2022. Present were: Presiding Commissioner Curtis Livengood, South District Commissioner Richard Burke, North District Commissioner Jim Quimby, and Susette Taylor, Clerk of the Commission.
Presiding Commissioner Livengood called the meeting to order.
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.
Bills were reviewed and approved for payment.
The commission met with the following individuals to discuss what they see as the needs for Atchison County regarding mental health and get their input about a five-county mental health initiative: Glenn Scott, Connection Counseling; Julie Livengood, Atchison County Health Department Administrator; Nikki Graves, Victim Advocate for C.A.R.E.; Treavor Whipple, Connection Counseling; and Sheriff Dennis Martin. The commission had met with the Atchison County school counselors earlier in the year to get their input as well. Mr. Scott also presented a letter from Sam O’Riley, Outreach Director with Community Services.
The commission asked about services they are currently able to provide and the needs they see in the future. They went over the terms of the intergovernmental agreement, the structure of the board and funding. Concern was shared about Atchison County tax dollars going outside of the county for these services, when one of the biggest concerns they currently have is no funding for travel.
Following a lengthy discussion voted unanimously to not sign the Five County Revised Mental Health Board Agreement and By-laws and request that Atchison County be removed from the language of the agreement.
After reviewing all the county’s infrastructure needs that are allowable through the ARPA Funding, the commissioners voted to keep the ARPA money within the county and begin working on a plan for the allocation of funding to projects that the county is required to have in place and upgrades needed to county roads and bridges.
Even though the commission had reached out to see and understand additional county needs, those entities are not directly supported by county tax dollars and can qualify for additional grant money that will be or is available from the state and federal government.
There being no further business.
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The Atchison County Commission met Tuesday, May 24, 2022. Present were: Presiding Commissioner Curtis Livengood, South District Commissioner Richard Burke, North District Commissioner Jim Quimby, and Susette Taylor, Clerk of the Commission.
The commission reported to the Tarkio Resource Center for the radiological graded exercise. Preliminary results from the exercise are fantastic. Emergency Management Director Rhonda Wiley is extremely proud of the Atchison County team.
There being no further business, the commission adjourned.
