The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, January 22, 2026. Present at the meeting 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.
Erich Gamm with West Union Trenching inquired about the possibility of leasing the county lay-down site along Highway 136 for a place to park their equipment for a fiber project they will be doing for Midwest Data Center in 2026. The commission requested Clerk Taylor contact Kevin Rost with Goldberg Architects to see if having them on the site would affect anything the county might want to do with the property during 2026. If not, the commission agreed to lease it.
The commission met with Collector Diane Livengood, Assessor Rochelle Long and Clerk Susette Taylor to discuss SB 3 and Section 137.1055 about how the requirements of the statute could adversely affect the county and political subdivision within the county. Atchison County is a party to a lawsuit that was heard in Cole County on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, in which the judge is expected to rule on by January 27. If the ruling is in favor of the counties the requirements of this statute would be ruled unconstitutional pending further litigation. After a lengthy discussion the commission took no action at this time.
Emergency Management/911 Director Rhonda Wiley set a bid opening for Next Gen 911 equipment to move to voice over IP at the 911 Center for 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 19, 2026. All bid specifications can be requested from her.
There being no further business, the commission adjourned.
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The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, January 29, 2026. Present at the meeting 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 reviewed and approved as follows:
Personal Property – December 2025: Additions to the tax books were: 2025, $28,741.05; 2024, $2,446.72; 2023, $200.52. Abatements to the tax books were: 2025, $925.80; 2024, $23.63.
Real Property – December 2025: Additions to the tax books were: 2025, $5,961.17. Abatements to the tax books were: 2025, $ 4514.38.
Ag Rock – December 2025: There were no additions to or abatements from the tax books.
Assessor Rochelle Long met with the commission to present her two-year maintenance plan for the assessor’s office. After review and discussion the commissioners voted to approve Assessor Long’s plan to submit to the State Tax Commission.
Clerk Taylor reported that a pre-construction hearing for BRO-025 (Kirby Bridge) will be held Friday, February 20, at 1:30 p.m. in the commission room.
Matthew Fazio with Great River Engineering provided a project status update on BRO-R003(002) on K Avenue. He noted that all three of the scour projects are moving at the same time and preliminary plans will be completed over the next three weeks. After that, progress should move very quickly.
Clerk Taylor reported that she had visited with Sheriff Riley about the board members on the County Law Enforcement Restitution Board and expressed that he would like to keep all members the same. Sheriff Riley renewed the appointment of Curtis Hedrick and Deanna Beck who will serve a new three-year term, and the commission renewed the appointments of John Brown and Janet Griffin.
Road and Bridge Supervisor Kenny Wallace met with the commission to submit the state bid specifications to purchase a 2026 John Deere excavator from Murphy Tractor and Equipment as approved in the 2026 budget. Following review Quote #1473305 was signed by Presiding Commissioner Livengood.
Supervisor Wallace then presented State Contract #MC250182007 from Joe Machens proposal for a 2026 Ford F350 Crew Cab 4×4 pickup for the department as approved in the 2026 budget. After reviewing the contract, the commission approved moving forward with the purchase.
Bids from Road Groom Manufacturing were reviewed for an 8-foot road groom and an 11-foot road groom. There are no local options to purchase this type of equipment, and this is the only company that has been found to sell it; therefore, the commission is waiving the requirement to bid. The commissioners voted to to move forward with the purchase of the 11-foot groom.
Supervisor Wallace requested purchasing two drum mowers for the excavators. The commission requested that he get some estimates for review.
West Union Trenching entered into a one-year lease Agreement with the county to rent six acres adjacent to the landfill located at Highway 136 and L Avenue to be used for equipment and materials for a fiber project they are doing for Midwest Data Center.
The University Extension office hosted the commission for lunch and presented their annual update.
There being no further business, the commission adjourned.
