[{"_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",6137261,"mediaKeyId","5602646-a75bddf3d8800039b581aec10abf7f5d","parentId",5602646,"title","Pratt County approves appraiser hire, authorizes billing hire and grants six-month raises; executive sessions yield no action","audioSeconds",2685,"startMs",963000,"endMs",3648000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602646-a75bddf3d8800039b581aec10abf7f5d&start=963&end=3648","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602646-a75bddf3d8800039b581aec10abf7f5d/thumbnail_963000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6137261/Pratt-County/Kansas/Pratt-County-approves-appraiser-hire-authorizes-billing-hire-and-grants-six-month-raises-executive-sessions-yield-no-action","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6137261-202504a4252d4e3c5659ef868fddaa10/orig.mp4?Expires=1770544925&Signature=kxPFcKUyMwQ3My6lUUuuYK6AXQRlCmoCII9lqzQ7gMSerKyJ0tgPYy6wRDtlxe6TEG5~kEOckNJHkeK7Kda7F5oE~CqwVoLR9SUJ0YcE3fO4KlInyJZ8gmjYaCH~JFWxDxBbeptJKGcjuq4onB1JlzXYkOx3773N9KJpf0oV4Atxkj9o6tDwl4iftAsFqpQMbWOPYuvs9-wxowHc49wrmauLIKq9vApL4AEHF~QCe4IDjydT918uQMaJ6sXZSfjsjCuKGl7OC2ptpKW478EOVZgyJ04D7FDdhS4NDXuJKCStUMARALLhfgNU2WCDwBHwnHmgotgwRVGv5xyWy4aLFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pratt County, KS","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","Chairman Jones moved and the commission approved giving Darcy authority to hire a biller at a starting rate between $15 and $17 per hour. “I wanna make a motion to give Darcy the authority to find a biller…between 15 and $17 depending on experience,” the motioner said; the vote passed unanimously (3–0).

Commissioners also voted to hire Jerilyn King for the appraiser position at $16 per hour. The motion to hire King passed unanimously (3–0).

The commission approved six-month raises for two employees: a raise for Carol Stimishes from $17.51 to $18.50 (a $0.99 increase) and a similar six-month raise for Charles Davis; the motions passed unanimously (3–0).

Separately, the commission held multiple executive sessions to discuss non-elected personnel and applications for assistant emergency manager and communications positions. After each executive session the commission returned to open session and recorded, “no action taken.” Commissioners later described returning to executive session again for attorney–client matters related to zoning; that executive session also ended with “no action taken.”

Why it matters: the personnel votes authorize immediate hires and temporary pay adjustments that affect county staffing and payroll. Multiple executive sessions indicate the commission reviewed personnel applications confidentially but made no public decisions from those sessions during this meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pratt County Commission Meeting 5/27/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioners authorized hiring and pay changes, including giving staff authority to hire a billing position at $15–$17 per hour, hiring Jerilyn (Jerlene) King as an appraiser at $16 per hour, and approving six‑month pay increases for two employees; multiple executive sessions on non-elected personnel were held with no formal action taken.","taxTitle","Pratt County, Kansas","taxId",52188,"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},6137267,"Pratt County Commission approves new office windows, replacement printer and $310,251 grader purchase",1265,2270000,3535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602646-a75bddf3d8800039b581aec10abf7f5d&start=2270&end=3535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602646-a75bddf3d8800039b581aec10abf7f5d/thumbnail_2270000.jpg","/articles/6137267/Pratt-County/Kansas/Pratt-County-Commission-approves-new-office-windows-replacement-printer-and-310251-grader-purchase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6137267-71591f3edc26b0d226212a8854f91a38/orig.mp4?Expires=1770544925&Signature=oF1KxSviuH86m5lXJANOG8ncOlrYsYy9xRiapnkUhyaUBVSWCDtWjxdXYF4uOb2Ht1XvzkirosQ52OKv8RHBR925RKeZfVm5PQ9~AN8RQ7ej87rst849YKTfmKmrUB0G9YoVZ-2fu3e9xaUHWJgekkvfH46P8ua~E2ddJbB9yJllxTlYmD5VLFPxOOr4wvA-amlkhYAnQRYMWCRQ7NpI2zIzsKcGheg~134yKtqGZWh89Oumx1nFvWw76kHYtAXiyCKH1JRlZ15lLGOAUQ~m-wWa4if1wUrrPO7vnpNHWm~ti~XN2~3lRz5N-gzeO3atZwZZIj~IhYJdDUIHbUslew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A county staff member asked the Pratt County Commission for funds to replace worn office windows and to replace a county printer, and the commission then approved both purchases along with a road grader purchase.

The staff member said, “I feel like I don't come and ask for money a lot, but I'm going to come and ask for…First 1 would be the windows,” and presented two vendor quotes. Commissioners voted to proceed with Evolve for the windows at $15,224 (motion passed: unanimous vote 3–0). The staff member noted one alternate quote that would have been substantially higher and said vendor quotes were valid for a limited time; a commissioner cautioned that state procurement statutes require specifications and competitive procedures when projects exceed statutory thresholds.

The commission next considered replacement of the department’s main office printer. The staff member presented two quotes: a new color model and a refurbished machine. She said the refurbished unit had about 46,000 pages on it and that a drum’s expected life is roughly 600,000 pages. After discussion, commissioners voted unanimously to accept the Bowens refurbished printer proposal for $2,400 and to include maintenance in the purchase.

Road and equipment purchases were also on the agenda. The commission approved a purchase of a road grader from Foley for $310,251.52 (motion passed: unanimous vote 3–0). Commissioners signed the purchase documents during the meeting and authorized staff to execute the vendor paperwork.

The commission also approved a road crossing permit for South Central Telecom for work on Southeast Elliott Avenue roughly 400 feet south of U.S. Highway 54 (motion passed: unanimous vote 3–0).

Why it matters: the purchases replace aging equipment, support county operations (printing and building maintenance) and update road infrastructure. Commissioners discussed procurement rules and noted installation lead times — the windows vendor estimated about six weeks to install.","Commissioners voted unanimously to approve replacement windows for a county office, buy a used color printer with finishing capabilities for the health department, and purchase a road grader for $310,251.52 from Foley. A vendor-led installation schedule and procurement thresholds were discussed.",{"_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},6137269,"Pratt County staff outline limited federal and state aid options after windstorm; industrial revenue bonds discussed",362,168000,530000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5602646-a75bddf3d8800039b581aec10abf7f5d&start=168&end=530","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5602646-a75bddf3d8800039b581aec10abf7f5d/thumbnail_168000.jpg","/articles/6137269/Pratt-County/Kansas/Pratt-County-staff-outline-limited-federal-and-state-aid-options-after-windstorm-industrial-revenue-bonds-discussed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6137269-7aceb8a4081e7f2cdf5920546b7de95f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770544925&Signature=QVVQhSxh3NsZj8iK8F5tXVZr-nlpXI0L-PAyNf-7wCT02X28rGkvErxNYk~xMVNUH5qlCuVDSNJc0OHVKo4uKF5~xNnHa4GaBB6QBCsRFRR8SO9Q~tnHD-mGlzoVdRPxSiVqdiCKQRfzNkAQpOHVyYwTVgPNKjhB9sUVwo9NbXCz6lBcfEgfj46kulZk5RFRfpLqQ8XOnyah2hlRMKJqn3fv~lspXvCZJri2Yk6aeTF02MJEAKWIg4VuD0LIG7aI4HvKSMtUdrqAdq0xtYqV0yzl6~wOWamDppt-BUJ234eI2Xt0gdKEeHDGkAgAuXvhDVL~WutyrtVbCNTtv~flIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heather, a county staff member, told the Pratt County Commission that she has been contacting state and federal agencies about assistance for residents and businesses damaged in last week’s storm. “I reached out to the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, the Farm Service Agency, the Small Business Administration, and USDA Rural Development,” she said.

Heather said several programs may be available to businesses with uninsured losses, and that the Farm Service Agency’s Farm Storage Facility Loan Program — administered out of the Concordia FSA office — is intended for replacing hay or grain storage. She added that some low-interest loan programs through the Small Business Administration and USDA Rural Development could be options for eligible businesses.

Wayne Bell, identified in the meeting as the state director of the SBA, has expressed willingness to meet locally, Heather said; the county’s damage “was not large enough in size for the governor to request assistance for Pratt County,” she said, which limits eligibility for some disaster programs. Heather also reported she remains in contact with a business that asked the county to explore industrial revenue bonds, noting IRBs are a financing mechanism that can allow rebuilding with potential sales-tax exemptions.

Heather said she has requested more detail from the agencies and will continue to follow up with both affected businesses and the commission. She also notified commissioners that Representative Hoffman has offered help connecting the county with state and local resources.

The Pratt Area Economic Development Corporation (PAEDC) was said to be developing a housing incentive program; Heather said a portion of PAEDC funds may be set aside to help finance future multi-unit rental housing (not owner-occupied). The PAEDC group will also consider whether job retention should qualify as an eligible use of assistance for businesses affected by the storm.

Commissioners asked no formal policy questions during the presentation. Heather described the situation as a “holding pattern” pending additional agency guidance and pending a separate meeting between two parties that could affect action by the City of Sawyer.

Why it matters: county officials say some federal and state programs may help small businesses and farmers recover, but the lack of a larger disaster declaration limits access to certain federal disaster assistance. County staff will pursue loans, grants, and financing tools and report back to the commission.","County staff reviewed federal and state programs available to businesses and homeowners after last week’s storm, said the disaster was not large enough to trigger a governor-requested disaster declaration for Pratt County, and flagged industrial revenue bonds and a local economic-development housing incentive as possible recovery tools.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Pratt County approves appraiser hire, authorizes billing hire and grants six-month raises; executive sessions yield no action

Pratt County Commission approves new office windows, replacement printer and $310,251 grader purchase

Pratt County staff outline limited federal and state aid options after windstorm; industrial revenue bonds discussed