The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, June 12, 2025. 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.

Month-end department reports were reviewed and approved.

Additions and abatements to the tax books were approved as follows:

May 2025: Personal Property – Additions to the tax books: 2024, $4,308.97; 2023, $2,292.04; 2022, $2,098.03. Abatements to the tax books: 2024, $480.82. There were no additions or abatements to the May 2025 tax books for real estate or ag rock.

Chris Roup, president of the Atchison-Holt Ambulance District Board of Directors, met with the commission to discuss potential site options in the county to construct a new north location office for the district in the future. It was an informational meeting only and no decisions were made.

The commissioner, Clerk Taylor and HR Director Amy Meinecke participated in a conference call with Sara Isenhower and Matthew Hickman and discussed the county’s group health insurance policy.

Anita Sutter met with the commissioners and Road and Bridge Supervisor Kenny Wallace about road concerns and the need for additional rock on 290th Street leading up to their home. She provided photos of the areas of concern. The commissioners stated that the county has been making efforts to widen many of the county roads and understood that when this work happens before heavy rain it does result in less than satisfactory conditions in the short term. CART rock has not been applied to 290th Street yet and would be forthcoming. Mrs. Sutter thanked the commission for their time.

An application for a county liquor license for retail liquor by drink and Sunday by the drink from the Grainery, 119 N. 3rd Street, Tarkio, Missouri, was presented. After review, the commissioners voted to grant the license.

Public Administrator Brenda Hughes met with the commission to request authorization to move from EMS desktop software to a web-based software which would give her the flexibility to update client information no matter her location. Pricing is based on the number of clients and could fluctuate with numbers. The current company being used is the same company that offers the web-based version, so implementation would be very seamless. Administrator Hughes reported that monthly client costs would be billed back to the client and reimbursed to the county and there are no ongoing annual support charges or IT costs with the web-based version like there is with the desktop version. After reviewing the details and enhanced security of the web-based system, the commissioners voted to move forward with the implementation immediately.

Administrator Hughes then inquired about a separate phone to be used solely for Public Administrator business that would be able to be passed on to future office holders to reduce the confusion with clients related to the change of numbers. The commission agreed this would be beneficial and Clerk Taylor will coordinate getting an additional phone through the county public safety contract.

Assessor Rochelle Long met with the commission to report that all impact notices for the 2025 tax book have gone out in the mail. She provided a copy of the letter that was sent with the notices explaining that the increase was mandated by the State Tax Commission of Missouri and was implemented statewide. Assessors who refuse to comply will have funding for the office withheld by the commission.

Assessor Long inquired if new subdivisions in the county were required to be approved by the county commission. Presiding Commissioner Livengood and Clerk Taylor agreed that since the county does not have planning and zoning it would not be required, but due to the location of the subdivision, any structures built in it would be required to have a floodplain permit and adhere to the flood plain ordinance.

Assessor Long reported that she had received the contract for aerial photography from Eagleview and requested that the commission and Clerk Taylor review it to see if there were any concerns. Clerk Taylor agreed to review and forward to legal counsel.

There being no further business, the commission adjourned.