[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",6520622,"mediaKeyId","5213925-e4d7272ca60eb2f952685cd4421fcdef","parentId",5213925,"title","County weighs $214,760 parking lot and moves to recruit fleet mechanic; commissioners debate using existing lot and in-house work","audioSeconds",531,"startMs",4018000,"endMs",4549000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5213925-e4d7272ca60eb2f952685cd4421fcdef&start=4018&end=4549","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5213925-e4d7272ca60eb2f952685cd4421fcdef/thumbnail_4018000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6520622/Dickinson-County/Kansas/County-weighs-214760-parking-lot-and-moves-to-recruit-fleet-mechanic-commissioners-debate-using-existing-lot-and-in-house-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520622-1c2aec5400117fd6eb869005ddd1a92e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141524&Signature=Ud6rvZ-Yo9gdPNUFFohzw-br7OrErnuO4oVekBS75~Nb0rsarIVRCxwUevZ8LqD9lSu2ThbKoAUI6D312It3GAJSKkkQQJX7mCBxp0bUbBkCUH7Ngc~vmODFfDwrjQMRbOVtFIUv3HoI5Da3Ircoor2XX54CgnxyECudFOQ9eK8RRpxMcGVbszcGjxLKSFUkP-Dc~bZwi7htnFKS9b3oyk5Yc7Q9wK7~hhaKMgvoa5ajc3hLe-KljeuVl7uH2y9Siug-zjnik~wJxGKqq2OTk76Sn0wt2gSAagJZADNR4K7lTlZEIbh1rKMt8VBSUqONi5UmRFud2~9aL-4ppVSH1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dickinson County, KS","date","2025-07-07T14:42:06Z","article","Commissioners reviewed a vendor estimate and staffing request during the July 3 meeting that could affect the county budget and operations: an estimated $214,760 for a 27-space parking lot and authorization to advertise to fill a public-works mechanic position.

County staff presented an estimate from Kaw Valley Engineering for a parking expansion on the southeast corner where the former county attorney's building stood; the proposal included reconstructing an ingress/egress onto First Street and adding 27 spaces at an estimated cost of $214,760. Commissioners questioned whether the county should instead require employees to use an existing county-owned lot across the street and noted maintenance, dust control, and parking behavior concerns. Some commissioners suggested in-house site clearing and tree removal could reduce contractor costs; staff acknowledged some preparatory tasks might be done by county crews and said final decisions should await budget review.

The commission did not approve construction work at the meeting but directed administrator staff to check budget availability and to confirm site-preparation possibilities with public-works leadership.

Separately, County Administrator Janelle Dockendorf described workforce restructuring in Public Works following a departmental consolidation. Dockendorf requested authority to advertise for and fill a mechanic position, noting the county is not adding headcount but intends to reclassify a spray-operator position into a mechanic role to maintain fleet capacity and succession planning. \"We are not adding a staff person. We're just filling the staff person,\" Dockendorf said. Commissioners gave verbal approval to begin recruitment and to proceed with internal conversations about succession and roles.

No contract awards or construction authorizations were voted at the meeting; commissioners said they will consider the parking-lot estimate during the next budget cycle and asked staff to provide follow-up cost scenarios, including a lower-cost gravel or phased approach and any in-house prep savings.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commission Meeting - July 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners reviewed a Kaw Valley Engineering estimate to add 27 parking spaces for $214,760 at the old county-attorney site and discussed using existing parking across the street or doing in-house clearing to lower costs. County administration also received approval to advertise to fill a mechanic position by converting a spray-operator role.","taxTitle","Dickinson County, Kansas","taxId",61724,"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},6520626,"County discusses jail mental-health screening, MOU with Central Kansas Mental Health; facilitator and court options considered",1251,2761000,4012000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5213925-e4d7272ca60eb2f952685cd4421fcdef&start=2761&end=4012","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5213925-e4d7272ca60eb2f952685cd4421fcdef/thumbnail_2761000.jpg","/articles/6520626/Dickinson-County/Kansas/County-discusses-jail-mental-health-screening-MOU-with-Central-Kansas-Mental-Health-facilitator-and-court-options-considered","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520626-c7f46c829302af870d67590773b2fe19/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141524&Signature=Y9k7sYPTVRAFo7963wLxS3cJVDFbv~zN8LCuW5-J4OInD97vZDdEIm0zHwJQEx70~Xi2-Qzl1phcLQ3jyfVy6bUYzmWJv1SA~JtbpBYwdgy9n9xV7MROKsbaCMB4Q3HObCLDVH8B0~KgnRd7ZMdbqZWzG10yjZwOoZJz-DVa9wpNsQG~eutcd5rLWIi0mFaOblbt~1Yomd5yV99EquOiIvn04qsHNadZqL43oovfqffr4q3lngSJTKzZtqSxjEDxCon1PWn-a40xF7zOJPjIbx4aQicCwqp2hh~Oy-XjeUWkkQAMUGnYHFAQaaRpCVpVeoaTaU~iM~SOnP-jJ4Gd5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dickinson County commissioners spent significant time on July 3 discussing mental-health services for people booked into the county jail, current screening procedures, and a potential memorandum of understanding with Central Kansas Mental Health to expand services and continuity of care after release.

Jerry (county jail staff) told commissioners the jail uses a booking questionnaire that assigns points and triggers additional screening when a threshold is reached. When the screening indicates concern, Central Kansas Mental Health performs assessments — sometimes by Zoom — and Advanced Correctional Health Care conducts a 14-day intake assessment that includes a suicide-risk screen, Jerry said. \"We have in our booking procedure... it's got yes or no questions that we ask and answer, and it gives them points,\" he said.

Jerry and county staff reported that Central Kansas Mental Health is already doing follow-up therapy for some inmates and presented recent invoice figures: one person received four therapy visits since May 14, and another had roughly 15–18 therapy visits since October of the prior year; staff said the contractor charged about $70 per visit. County officials described a draft MOU with Central Kansas Mental Health that is under negotiation; the jail's leadership told commissioners the agreement as drafted would make the jail a HIPAA business associate, which raises privacy and compliance questions that are still being resolved.

Commissioners and staff discussed a facilitator model in which a mental-health professional based at the jail would work with inmates while they are incarcerated and arrange community follow-up after release to reduce recidivism. County Administrator Janelle Dockendorf said the facilitator concept would aim to set up external mental-health appointments and maintain continuity of care. She also described cooperation with other local programs and agencies, including the CARES Coalition and the Central Kansas Mental Health mobile crisis team, which can assist deputies responding to callers in the field.

Officials described longer-term goals such as a mental-health court modeled on drug court, where eligible defendants would enter supervised treatment and monitoring rather than standard criminal processing; several commissioners said such a program would be a major, multi-party undertaking. Commissioners asked staff to convene a meeting with the judge, the sheriff, Central Kansas Mental Health, probation, and other stakeholders to assess next steps, participants and costs.

No formal policy change was approved at the meeting. Commissioners directed staff to schedule the stakeholder meeting to clarify responsibilities, the scope of services, and any contract or privacy (HIPAA) implications of a formal agreement with Central Kansas Mental Health.

","Sheriff's office and county officials described existing intake screening, an MOU under review with Central Kansas Mental Health that raises HIPAA questions, and plans to pursue a facilitator model and greater community coordination to reduce recidivism among people with mental illness.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6520631,"Broker tells Dickinson County pharmacy costs are driving claims; recommends staying fully insured for now",2239,408000,2647000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5213925-e4d7272ca60eb2f952685cd4421fcdef&start=408&end=2647","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5213925-e4d7272ca60eb2f952685cd4421fcdef/thumbnail_408000.jpg","/articles/6520631/Dickinson-County/Kansas/Broker-tells-Dickinson-County-pharmacy-costs-are-driving-claims-recommends-staying-fully-insured-for-now","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520631-e2312b730b6c4b76725bb4a47f2b7818/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141524&Signature=GOq2t1-hgotROQFmKWH3KQ4WMELRCsJ-MQlOq7yV0rCywH~1So6BsO9WltOQkjmyvM7JJ3MbDIPw3RtcnHWgoAkmKMpn1Mj7QiwU79wb9gGcErs6R2tzXtMlGYj80YZk5fc0PKgGbT7zCwXj0zLgS~uPnSqYACzg5R2w7U4an~kzTh8X1z8k3mW2oXcEgkw93DHeCCuNe-h8bV2h88zFz8AhNr7SDD227ZzN3PDGtRCrxyDHLjuUKYkFdfiFzYAhz7NBR~4P5lWvDX-tLAOEBRVkL8mfUNMMnWVRp-WSaN6io~a2gsZ-g0aE3ATio5ufvLxhE~WnI0222p6JiT06AA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives from UK/Bukati reviewed Dickinson County's employee health claims at the July 3 commission meeting and told commissioners the county's recent high loss ratio is driven largely by pharmacy and a single very large medical claim.

UK representative Emily Albers, who led the presentation with colleague Courtney Bickelmeyer, said the county's current arrangement with Blue Cross of Kansas is preferable to switching to a self-funded model at this time because the county still carries elevated claims and pharmacy trends are volatile. \"Call our team. We are your advocates,\" Albers said, urging employees to use the broker's local service rather than carrier call centers for enrollment and claims help.

Albers and Bickelmeyer summarized plan performance and carrier history. They said the county moved from the state plan to UnitedHealthcare and later returned to Blue Cross. The presenters showed that medical spend while on the state plan was about $1.6 million and fell to roughly $1.2 million under a fully insured UnitedHealthcare placement before a heavy UHC renewal; they said the 2025 renewal from UHC arrived at more than 20 percent. UK/Bukati negotiated the renewal to roughly 20 percent with UHC and later secured a lower renewal with Blue Cross, which the presenters said came in around 8 percent. The broker said pharmacy spending — especially specialty drugs — is the main upward pressure and that one pregnancy complication produced a very large claim; under Blue Cross's rules about individual claim caps, only $250,000 of that claim will hit the county's plan for renewal purposes.

The brokers presented a 12-month loss-ratio history showing months over 100 percent and noted the county ran at a 126 percent loss ratio with UnitedHealthcare before renewal. They said that, absent marketing and negotiation, a 126 percent loss ratio could have produced a renewal in the 35–40 percent range. The company also described prior successes: pooled dental purchasing with Delta Dental that they said produced immediate savings and a local school-district reference where their intervention produced $600,000 in near-term savings.

On plan design and member mix, UK/Bukati noted that more than half of county employees participate on a high-deductible HSA-eligible plan, which shifts first-dollar costs to members and makes claims-and-premium splits look different than in benchmark groups where fewer members choose high-deductible options. The presenters also said the broker's standard compensation is built into carrier rates and that the broker receives roughly 5 percent of medical premium under the current arrangement; they offered an alternative direct-fee option of about $30–$35 per participating member per month if the commission prefers a PEPM (per-employee-per-month) consulting contract.

While discussing options, Albers emphasized that self-funding can deliver pharmacy rebates and exclusion opportunities but carries early-year funding risk and is best considered after three years of consistent data. \"If you go self funded too soon, you can get upside down,\" she said, adding that the broker evaluates self-funding eligibility every year.

Commissioners and staff asked about customer service, compliance, fee disclosure, and whether stop-loss or captive options might be used to limit volatility. The presenters described tools such as quarterly claims reviews, narrow-network and concentric-network strategies in cooperation with neighboring public employers, and vendor programs (for example, a Flex Access program and specialty-drug assistance) that can reduce plan exposure to expensive drug therapies. They also noted limits imposed by HIPAA and fully insured arrangements: under the county's current fully insured Blue Cross plan, the carrier controls direct outreach to members for certain specialty programs, which constrains the broker's ability to target individual high-cost members unless the county moves to a self-funded model and members become identifiable to the plan sponsor.

No formal county action on plan design or contracting was taken at the meeting; commissioners asked the broker to continue monitoring claims and to provide fee-disclosure documents after renewal as required. The broker said fee disclosure compliant with the Consolidated Appropriations Act would be sent within 15 days of renewal.

","Representatives from UK/Bukati reviewed two years of county claims, told commissioners pharmacy specialty drugs and a recent million-dollar maternity claim pushed loss ratios high, and recommended the county remain fully insured while monitoring data and pharmacy trends.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County weighs $214,760 parking lot and moves to recruit fleet mechanic; commissioners debate using existing lot and in-house work

County discusses jail mental-health screening, MOU with Central Kansas Mental Health; facilitator and court options considered

Broker tells Dickinson County pharmacy costs are driving claims; recommends staying fully insured for now