The Atchison County Commission met Thursday, September 11, 2025. Present for the meeting were: Presiding Commissioner Curtis Livengood, North District Commissioner Jim Quimby, South District Commissioner Richard Burke, and Clerk of the Commission Susette Taylor.

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: August 2025: Personal Property – Additions to the tax books: 2024, $4,474.39; 2023, $2,321.58; 2022, $177.47. Abatements to the tax books: 2024, $901.91; 2023, $1,689.00. There were no additions or abatements to the August 2025 tax books for real estate or ag rock.

The commission voted to appoint Curtis Livengood as the voting delegate from the commission for the 2025 Missouri Association of Counties annual meeting. Ballots were provided by Clerk Taylor to select the additional voting delegates. Atchison County will be allowed four delegates for 2025. Additional voting delegates will be Clerk Susette Taylor, Collector Diane Livengood, and Recorder Eliza Beasing.

Assessor Rochelle Long met with the commission to review a service contract and license agreement with Vanguard Appraisals, Inc., to provide personal property website e-file online submission for five years. Assessor Long reviewed the details of the product with the commissioners. The contract covers installation and training, enhancements, updates and version control, consultation and additional installation on additional computers. This product will allow citizens the ability to complete their assessment sheets online using a personalized QR code and the data will integrate directly into the software. Assessor Long feels it will be a great benefit to the citizens and the efficiency of the office.

The commissioners voted to approve the contract/agreement with Vanguard Appraisals, Inc.

The commissioners, Clerk Taylor and Road and Bridge Administrative Assistant Allison Cherry traveled to the Atchison County Highway Barn, where they met Road and Bridge Supervisor Kenny Wallace and Matt Fazio with Great River Engineering for the bid opening for BRO-0003 (24) and BRO-0003 (25). There were two contractors who presented bids. In attendance were Todd Paxson with AM Cohron & Son, Inc., Atlantic, Iowa, and David Refojack with Lewis-Company, Grain Valley, Missouri. Both companies bundled the bids with Cohran being the lowest at $1,738,402.30. Lewis-Company bid $2,143,195.24.  All bids were tabled for review by Great River Engineering.

Presiding Commissioner Livengood was notified by MoDOT that federal funds are now allocated for the preliminary engineering phase for Project No. R003002, R003003 and R003004.

Rhonda Wiley, Emergency Management/E-911 Director, was in to discuss office matters. She reported that she has one new hire, and the MULES software has been installed on the computers at the 911 Center. Director Wiley reported that she and Candis Stanton have completed training on operating the program and the remaining dispatchers are currently studying and will be required to take the training as well. This will give 911 the ability to assist officers when needed with additional information.

Clerk Taylor reported that J-Mac Paving would begin work to provide a new overlay of the parking lot at Pleasant View Nursing Home next week.