[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6643981,"mediaKeyId","2531447-913031e4307175c5a616aeb1a8aafd78","parentId",2531447,"title","Goodland hospital leadership visits Sherman County commission to discuss recruitment, service expansion and sustainability","audioSeconds",376,"startMs",2694000,"endMs",3070000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531447-913031e4307175c5a616aeb1a8aafd78&start=2694&end=3070","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531447-913031e4307175c5a616aeb1a8aafd78/thumbnail_2694000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6643981/Sherman-County/Kansas/Goodland-hospital-leadership-visits-Sherman-County-commission-to-discuss-recruitment-service-expansion-and-sustainability","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643981-e6c2c3fb5c3ebf0ce2bfaa8374632603/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194626&Signature=brHpJyp9bKHyvCg2t~~Go2ckSTde7nVRE3IMeKzm~DdHNY3DfER3whmPHccWxqY777PLYAyf-TaWWD5kIiUIP-fpatLSnL7P-SRMhUoe~f~Vg3WiSYf0Axc3-hVwkh8V5rTbfN2oaGZBGspQyw75~-CxTC27ceC02HiaSOpmfjPzmjBrzOXOSs~5NA61qi728pzyGT6S86daHRbd3R2vHs8G353aqMmt769IwH9IV0WDzkh5Mkh0LdfusA4qNPCWrReIBBicRv1vWKVQ2K0jHIPiazwxLt7-3IqJxyqbY6xH80iCxoFLqx1KkCoyEgyh3KHhGF4VqZwpW00UoMnNaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sherman County, KS","date","2025-03-10T15:34:59.337Z","article","Sherman County commissioners met with hospital leadership visiting from the regional health system to discuss efforts to recruit physicians, expand services and sustain the local hospital.

Why it matters: hospital services and provider recruitment have direct implications for access to care in Sherman County and for the local economy and population retention.

Kevin Zimmer (introduced at the meeting) and members of the hospital leadership team described early priorities focused on understanding community needs, strengthening relationships with specialists who provide clinic days in Goodland and Atwood, and selecting service lines that would sustain the hospital financially. Zimmer said his immediate goal was to “learn everybody’s names, kind of, just, understand how we got to here and where the community wants to go moving forward,” and described rounding with staff and clinicians across days and shifts to better understand operations.

Commissioners expressed community concerns about the loss of specific services, notably obstetrics, and about whether the hospital is proactively recruiting specialists with local ties. One commissioner said community members worry younger generations will not identify the county as a birthplace if local birth services are not available. Commissioners also raised recruitment concerns and noted anecdotally that a notable percentage of county employees seek care outside Sherman County (the transcript records an estimate of about 15% of county workers going to Colby), which commissioners said represents an opportunity.

Hospital leadership emphasized a locally driven, strategic approach: identify services that can be sustained and that will draw patients from the region, maintain existing relationships with specialists who hold clinic days in Goodland and Atwood, and build a consistent patient experience so residents choose the local hospital. Zimmer said the team is focused on “what is possible” rather than what is not and described operational steps to support staff and to make the hospital a destination for regional care.

Financial context discussed in the meeting: leadership reported improved cash-on-hand figures (the transcript indicates a substantial increase from prior low-day levels to more than 200 days of cash on hand), and commissioners heard that specialty clinic volumes are strong on clinic days (the transcript recorded an example of dozens of specialty visits on a clinic day). Leadership said maintaining and expanding service lines depends on successful recruitment and retention of providers.

Ending: Hospital leadership offered to return with more specific, strategic proposals after additional assessment; commissioners welcomed continued partnership and asked leadership to report back on recruitment and service-line planning at a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sherman County - BOCC","oneSentenceSummary","Hospital leadership met with the Sherman County Board of Commissioners to discuss physician recruitment, possible service expansion and efforts to keep the local hospital financially sustainable.","taxTitle","Sherman County, Kansas","taxId",73466,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6643986,"Sherman County public health seeks credit-card solution after vaccine orders delayed by payment processing",72,1214000,1286000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531447-913031e4307175c5a616aeb1a8aafd78&start=1214&end=1286","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531447-913031e4307175c5a616aeb1a8aafd78/thumbnail_1214000.jpg","/articles/6643986/Sherman-County/Kansas/Sherman-County-public-health-seeks-credit-card-solution-after-vaccine-orders-delayed-by-payment-processing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643986-982028a9f855723510b3f8f8c83a298b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194626&Signature=RmKksYjnwwzS8DO9ge0CuK~40jV2IGdTyDqUuXV5mqSiJnrvNOt4993XW3YVW6Jc7CGIBWY3xVC0DLtmdzdjH8OF8YpBxDeqb4iJZmaCv~y0l9o5Fcd2Q-mD7PBhsK257t2lO4bjLKncFRLEgnA49Rw9pyMe0p3jytakdntsHvcbHbfhoLbA572VSQMhQAbPumgaCW90Epb4TnUmxBKmUSYvWYx537Z6ctiO~3DTNKRC0ToZFXh4Zke~9WI7FTKaFepbUqHZFTJiKl590jMeECFuRv-bL2bGcuKtfqDYAHyz5M0alGUYcoiwXRQ0BK2CC0GE3DNCIzRM7PlqI6JAZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sherman County public health staff told commissioners that recent vaccine orders were placed on hold because the vendor reported the county’s previous invoices as unpaid. The public health director said the delay limited the department’s ability to order vaccines in a timely way and asked the board to consider options to prevent future supply interruptions.

Why it matters: delayed vaccine orders can limit the county health department’s ability to serve residents and to run clinics and immunization programs.

Public health staff described the operational impact: after the commissioners sign checks at the biweekly meeting and staff forward payments to the county billing office, mail and processing delays have sometimes left vendors holding orders until invoices clear. The public health director said the department could place orders on a county credit card but was concerned about the county card’s single shared limit; she asked whether the county could either increase the credit limit or establish a separate card or account dedicated to vaccine purchases so that orders could be paid automatically.

The public health director said, “I could purchase these on the credit card, but since it’s the county card, these sometimes can be large orders, and I don’t wanna take them out” and later asked, “Is it an option for us to get another credit card just purely for vaccine orders? That way, when we place the order, it’s paid automatically.” Commissioners discussed alternatives, including asking the county administration to request an increased credit limit or to set up a separate account that would not be pooled with other county expenses. One commissioner suggested adding $12,000 more credit; staff noted creating a separate account or card would still affect the county’s overall limit unless it is a distinct account.

Commissioners did not take a formal vote. The county indicated staff would follow up with the county finance/administration staff (Ashley) to identify a practical solution and report back at the next meeting. The public health director said she would continue to pursue short-term alternatives as needed to avoid clinic interruptions.

Ending: The board directed staff to explore options with the county administration to prevent vaccine-order delays and to report back; no formal policy change or budget amendment was recorded in the transcript.","Public health officials told the commission vaccine orders have been placed on hold because previous invoices have not been recorded as paid; staff proposed either adding a dedicated vaccine purchasing account or increasing the county card limit to avoid supply gaps.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":42,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6643991,"Sherman County commissioners approve Miller Construction concrete pour, tractor lease and vehicle reserve; routine minutes and bills passed",372000,748000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2531447-913031e4307175c5a616aeb1a8aafd78&start=372&end=748","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2531447-913031e4307175c5a616aeb1a8aafd78/thumbnail_372000.jpg","/articles/6643991/Sherman-County/Kansas/Sherman-County-commissioners-approve-Miller-Construction-concrete-pour-tractor-lease-and-vehicle-reserve-routine-minutes-and-bills-passed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6643991-56814a090185d91593f446496f0b0a8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194626&Signature=NAEzdNS1QRaCFG16IRCXcyfrW8-ouqHmj5sYQsuhHOG0Uethxf8DNWXMGEcDJJxyOhEkgVXf9-F0NQ3OhKDkvae7mXoq0TwqDAeYXGERNvpRLKk9Gal2iRYWJ5Vv4M7oovsPL5h2qoqWALUNlXnAzqFBw1Pfj46vsKkS6pkDN2RMGqCDh6WtMfjNVAJPwY--x4I0cGyFtmdkytV0Nu06bLcn6m2xZTS5ciu6LQzQLza5xiBWVWaTjAb1H7vyIxkf2XHfWwQ8YTVTtuZPnefYMVDejfsnFQkVOyEJA4BnSctcVUjHuQ7d9F9~tyiuBsjH6Djd2ck5KlufgopGRbGI7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sherman County Board of Commissioners approved several operational and capital items during a regular meeting, including a $91,850 bid from Miller Construction to pour concrete in front of the county shop, a lease agreement for three tractors with Case at $10 per hour, and a transfer plan to seed an equipment reserve for the appraiser’s office for $5,000 per year.

Why it matters: the actions together affect county maintenance and capital planning for road and shop operations, routine procurement, and the appraiser office’s long-term vehicle replacement strategy.

Commissioners voted to accept the minutes from the Feb. 28 meeting and to approve the posted agenda, and they approved the payment of the claims presented at the meeting. The board moved quickly through the routine procedural items; the motions carried after standard voice votes of “aye” and “opposed, same sign.”

On the Miller Construction bid, a commissioner moved to approve the $91,850 proposal “to pour concrete in front of the county shop.” Commissioners discussed coordination with the city because the city will replace a piece of water line and the county will cut and pour concrete to tie into the existing curb; a commissioner noted the contractor will schedule the pour once the bid is signed and the city’s work is coordinated. A commissioner said, “So Millers can get it lined up you know to do, yeah. Yeah. That’s the thing.” The board approved the Miller bid by voice vote.

The board approved an annual lease agreement with Case for three tractors used for mowing and other road work at a rate of $10 per hour. A commissioner said this is the same rental arrangement that has been used several years and noted the county receives new tractors annually; the motion to accept the lease passed by voice vote.

On equipment planning for the appraiser’s office, the board approved a motion allowing the appraiser to transfer $5,000 annually from the appraiser’s equipment fund into a county equipment reserve liability account specifically designated for a future vehicle purchase. The record shows the transfer must be made from the county general fund into the county equipment reserve fund (the appraiser’s office’s internal fund was not to be the direct source). Commissioners moved and seconded the transfer plan and approved it by voice vote.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of Feb. 28 minutes: motion passed (routine voice vote). Motion text: “I’ll make a motion to accept the minutes from our February 28 meeting.”
- Approval of posted agenda: motion passed (routine voice vote).
- Payment of claims presented at the meeting: motion passed (routine voice vote). Motion text recorded in transcript as a motion to “pay the bills” (amounts in the transcript were transcribed inconsistently; specific claim totals for the current packet were not consistently recorded in the meeting transcript and therefore are not specified here).
- Miller Construction bid, $91,850, to pour concrete in front of county shop: motion passed. Motion text in transcript: “I make a motion, we approve the bid for 91,850 from Miller construction to pour concrete in front of the county shop.”
- Lease agreement with Case for three tractors at $10 per hour: motion passed. Motion text in transcript: “I’ll make a motion to accept the lease agreement with Case for $10 an hour … for tractors for mowing.”
- Appraiser equipment reserve: motion passed to allow $5,000 per year into a designated county equipment reserve line for a vehicle; transfer to come from the general fund. Motion text in transcript: “I’ll make a motion that we allow Rachel to put $5,000 per year … into … a separate line for future purchases.”

What the record shows and what it does not: The transcript records that each motion was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote; it does not include roll-call tallies, formal vote counts, or the full text of seconding motions in every instance. Several dollar amounts and claim totals in the meeting discussion were transcribed with unclear formatting; when the transcript text was ambiguous for a figure (for example earlier claim totals and specific claim register amounts), this summary reports only figures that were clearly stated (for example, the Miller bid and the $5,000 annual reserve amount). The county will need to sign the Miller contract before the contractor schedules work and must coordinate with the city for concurrent water-line work.

Ending: The board’s actions authorize the Miller pour and the tractor lease to proceed and set aside a recurring vehicle reserve for the appraiser; commissioners discussed scheduling logistics and intergovernmental coordination but did not specify start dates. Routine administrative approvals completed the meeting’s business.","The Sherman County Board of Commissioners approved a $91,850 bid from Miller Construction to pour concrete in front of the county shop, renewed an annual tractor lease with Case at $10 per hour, established a $5,000-per-year equipment reserve for the appraiser’s vehicle, and approved routine meeting minutes, the posted agenda and bill payments.","actionData","errors"]

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Goodland hospital leadership visits Sherman County commission to discuss recruitment, service expansion and sustainability

Sherman County public health seeks credit-card solution after vaccine orders delayed by payment processing

Sherman County commissioners approve Miller Construction concrete pour, tractor lease and vehicle reserve; routine minutes and bills passed