The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, May 9, 2024. Present were: Presiding Commissioner Curtis Livengood, South District Commissioner Richard Burke, and North District Commissioner Jim Quimby. Susette Taylor, Clerk of the Commission, was absent.
Presiding Commissioner Livengood called the meeting to order.
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.
Bills were reviewed and approved for payment.
Month-end department reports were reviewed and approved.
The commission spent the day inspecting county property.
There being no further business, the commission adjourned.
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The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, May 16, 2024. Present were: Presiding Commissioner Curtis Livengood, South District Commissioner Richard Burke, and North District Commissioner Jim Quimby. Susette Taylor, Clerk of the Commission, was absent.
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 spent the day inspecting county property.
There being no further business, the commission adjourned.
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The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, May 23, 2024. Present were: Presiding Commissioner Curtis Livengood, South District Commissioner Richard Burke, and North District Commissioner Jim Quimby. Susette Taylor, Clerk of the Commission, was absent to attend a LAGERS training, where she and Deputy Clerk Amy Meinecke completed the required hours to become a Certified Lagers administrator.
Presiding Commissioner Livengood called the meeting to order.
Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.
Bills were reviewed and approved for payment.
All three commissioners participated in the FEMA evaluation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) coordination and response to a hostile action event Tuesday, May 21, at Cooper Nuclear Station.
Kamron Woodring, Atchison County Road and Bridge Supervisor, met with the commission and presented a revised agreement from Cow Branch Wind to lease a one-half acre section of the laydown side. After review, the commissioners voted to approve the lease.
Supervisor Woodring then presented a revised road maintenance agreement between Cow Branch Wind and Atchison County for road use while replacing components and blades on the turbines within the Cow Branch Wind Farm. Supervisor Woodring reported that the roads will be inspected and documented prior to and after the project to meet the specifications of the agreement. After review, the commissioners voted to approve the agreement. The agreement will be on file in the Atchison County Road and Bridge office.
Maintenance Supervisor Greg Beck was in to discuss replacing a tree on the northeast corner of the courthouse lawn that blew down in a storm last year and mulching all the trees in the lawn. The commission approved both.
Emergency Management/911 Director Rhonda Wiley and Emergency Management/911 Deputy Director Mark Manchester met with the commissioners on Thursday, May 23. They had received the results from the FEMA evaluation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) coordination and response to a hostile action event which was held Tuesday, May 21, at Cooper Nuclear Station.
Atchison County participated in a full-scale exercise, which takes place every other year. This year, it was a hostile action-based exercise, which must be conducted in an eight-year cycle. The last hostile action based, full-scale (all response agencies within the 10-mile emergency preparedness zone) was 10 years ago. The EOC personnel were evaluated on 10 different abilities including activation and mobilization, direction and control, emergency alerts to the public, ability to demonstrate back up methods of communication, ability to coordinate with other agencies such as the Nemaha County Sheriff’s office and the Nemaha County EOC, as well as other criteria. Director Wiley reported FEMA found no issues. The results are preliminary with the full report expected to be out in six to eight weeks.
Other agencies within the Atchison County response which were also evaluated or interviewed during April and early May were: Pleasant View Nursing Home, Atchison County Sheriff’s Office, and Atchison County Head Start (all with no issues). One issue was identified with Community Hospital-Fairfax. The equipment supplied to the hospital by the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), was not properly documented and up to date (SEMA).
Every four years, Atchison Holt Ambulance and Nodaway County Ambulance alternate evaluations. This year Nodaway County Ambulance participated. Two issues were identified. Equipment supplied to the ambulance by the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, was not properly documented and up to date (SEMA). The second issue was the latest operating guidelines for personnel were not in the ambulance.
Director Wiley will supply the full report once it becomes available from FEMA.
Director Wiley also discussed some changes coming with how the public is alerted, (update in technology), and possibility of future funding potential for emergency management.
There being no further business, the commission adjourned.
