The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, March 20, 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.

The collector’s month-end report and 2024 annual settlement were reviewed and approved.

Additions and abatements to the tax books were reviewed and approved as follows: February 2025: Personal Property – Additions to the tax books: 2024, $10,477.57; 2023, $1,646.99; 2022, $785.79; 2021, $254.15. Abatements to the tax books: 2024, $107.85; 2020, $2,477.38 (outlawed); 2019, $4,931.46 (outlawed). There were no additions or abatements to the tax books for real estate or ag rock.

The commission met with Chief Deputy Travis Cochenouer at 9:00 a.m. to discuss departmental matters related to the sheriff’s office. Also present for the discussion was Rhonda Wiley, Emergency Management/911 Director. Deputy Cochenouer discussed the need to update their existing CAD system, and the cost associated with doing so. He presented two options for the commission to review: one from CIS at a cost of $98,000 over four years and the other from Justice Systems (a cloud-based product) at a cost of $31,200. Deputy Cochenouer recommended the Justice System product due to the cloud-based .gov domain, which he feels is more secure and less expensive than continually updating an onsite server, but wanted the commission and Director Wiley to have time to research the product before any decisions were made. After a lengthy discussion about the product and who their current clients are, Director Wiley stated that her office would be happy to reach out to existing clients about their service and the product. In addition, Deputy Cochenour reported that the current CAD system they are using is outdated and has not been maintained.

Deputy Cochenour presented a draft intergovernmental agreement for the commission’s review for a school resource officer (SRO). The agreement would require financial commitment from each school district that wanted an SRO available to the school. If all three schools and the county agree, the officer would be an employee of the county and serve as the SRO and a county deputy under the direction of the county sheriff. The commission will review the proposal and meet with Sheriff Riley and Deputy Cochenour before they move forward.

Director Wiley presented Flood Plain Permit #2025-01 for review and approval. The permit was requested by Dan Stanton for a 36-foot diameter grain bin. Director Wiley reported to the commission that this was ag variance and met the flood plain guidelines for approval. The commissioners approved Permit #2025-01.

Director Wiley then presented the contract with Commenco Technology Solutions which is due for renewal for Atchison County 911, MO-Vesta software support. The cost of this service has continued to skyrocket and she would like approval to seek support with a different vendor on an as-needed basis. The current contract is not due for 30 days, so the commission granted approval to see what options are available.

Director Wiley reported that after attending the 911 conference she has learned that there are grant dollars available for new 911 equipment and a phone system if counties consolidate. She has been in discussions with Holt County about virtual consolidation which would greatly benefit both counties and the Atchison-Holt Ambulance District. Director Wiley will continue to pursue the option and keep the commission updated.

Director Wiley then presented an intergovernmental agreement between Atchison County and Southeast Nebraska counties for the sharing of information through IPAWS. The commissioners voted to approve and sign the agreement.

Jack Wiley, Maintenance Supervisor, met with the commission and provided a detailed report with photos of the damage provided by Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc. (MCR). Supervisor Wiley had noticed red residue from the brick on the stairs on the front of the building. Following closer inspection, he noticed a significant crack and the darkening of the bricks created by water damage. Water had also begun to seep into the interior of the entryway. Due to the significant damage found during the inspection by MCR and the need to get the problem fixed ahead of spring rains, the commissioners voted to accept the proposal as an emergency repair that is needed to prevent further damage to the building. MCR has provided tuck pointing on the building numerous times and there are no local restoration companies located in Atchison County. Supervisor Wiley will notify MCR and get on their schedule as soon as possible. The proposal was signed by Presiding Commissioner Livengood.

At 1:00 p.m. the commission met with Assessor Rochelle Long, Emergency Management Director Rhonda Wiley, Assistant Director Mark Manchester, and Ryan Schieber with SAM Surveying & Mapping, LLC to review a proposal and service agreement to provide professional GIS mapping services. The services will support the county’s effort to successfully develop a comprehensive plat book by referencing the county’s existing GIS database. Mr. Schieber stated the county’s current software is outdated and the new 911 regulations for address points do not allow the information to merge without hours of manual updates. The new software will allow the county to continue to print their own plat books with greater ease and accuracy. Following a lengthy discussion, the commissioners voted to approve the agreement in the amount of $12,000.

Kenny Wallace, Road and Bridge Supervisor, was in to meet with the commission and presented the intergovernmental agreement between the City of Rock Port and the County of Atchison for the county to aid with maintenance of certain roads within the city limits. Following review, the commissioners voted to approve the agreement for 2025 maintenance.

Supervisor Wallace and the commission discussed entering into a professional development reimbursement agreement with Bracton Cook to assist with housing costs related to heavy equipment schooling. Bracton currently works part-time for Atchison County Road and Bridge and has proven to be an excellent asset to the department. He would like to return to Atchison County following his schooling. He has a full ride academic scholarship. The agreement would be a professional development agreement to assist with his housing with reimbursement being waived if he returns to Atchison County and works as a full-time employee for a minimum of three years. Clerk Taylor will draft the agreement for review and approval.

There being no further business, the commission adjourned.