Bourbon County commissioners approve pest-control and trash contracts, fund sheriff vehicle and accept road bids; set budget timeline

The Bourbon County Board of Commissioners approved a series of procurement awards and budget actions during a 4-hour meeting Tuesday that included contracts for pest control and trash service, acceptance of a federal highway-funding exchange, a road-construction bid award and a $66,914 allocation to temporarily fund a sheriff—s vehicle.

Commissioners voted to award the county—s pest-control contract to Ashcraft Pest Control, approve Harlan (Lynn—s/Harlan) sanitation for county trash service, accept a road-construction low bid for the Sixtieth and Grand project, and to authorize a one-time use of public-safety sales-tax funds to buy a replacement sheriff—s vehicle while insurance proceeds are sought.

Why it matters: The actions affect ongoing county operations and near-term budgets. Contracts will set recurring costs for maintenance of county facilities; the vehicle funding shifts a one-time capital expense into a restricted public-safety sales-tax fund rather than the general fund; and accepted road bids and federal-exchange funds move capital road and maintenance projects toward construction.

Key votes and outcomes

- Pest-control contract: Commissioners awarded the county—s pest-control services to Ashcraft Pest Control after reviewing three bids. Ashcraft—s proposal quoted a combined monthly amount (noted in bid summary as $500 total across covered locations) and included a three-year term; the board approved the award and authorized signatures on the related contract documents.

- Trash service contract: Commissioners voted to award the county—s trash-service contract to Harlan (listed in the packet as Lynn—s/Harlan sanitation) for a multi-year term; the low-cost bids and details were reviewed during the open-bid presentations. The award includes a cap on annual increases in later years per the vendor submission.

- Sixtieth and Grand road project: The board accepted the low construction bid (B&B Bridge, low bid ~ $702,084) for the Sixtieth & Grand bridge/road project and authorized contract signatures; with engineering and right-of-way costs, the total project estimate listed in the packet was roughly $976,673.

- Federal fund exchange (surface-transportation): Commissioners accepted a federal-to-state exchange offer (90 cents on the dollar) resulting in $77,210.23 available to the county for local road work; the board authorized acceptance of the exchange and the required paperwork.

- Sheriff vehicle funding: The board approved a motion to temporarily fund replacement of a sheriff—s patrol vehicle at $66,914, to be paid from the county—s 0.4% public-safety sales-tax fund, with the understanding insurance recoveries will be returned to the same fund when they arrive.

Budget process and schedule

Commissioners set a short-term timeline for the county budget process: department budgets are due to the clerk—s office by June 1. The board scheduled a budget work session for Wednesday, April 30 at 4 p.m. to get the process started; the session will include county finance staff and an outside advisor, Greg Motley, as a nonpaid adviser to help with the draft work. The clerk will collect draft budgets and consolidate them into the county—s budget document for review.

Other business and board direction

- Road closure application: The board agreed to publish notice for a road-closure petition filed by Bradley Plaster; the clerk will circulate the statutory notice and certified mailings as required. Commissioners also asked counsel to check whether petitioners may be required to reimburse the county for publication and certified-mail costs before a final resolution is adopted.

- Speed limit signage: On request from public works, commissioners directed staff to install 30-mph signage on the north approach to Fort Scott where a previously unsigned stretch of road now lacks a posted limit and citizens had raised safety concerns.

- Personnel and administrative items: The board adopted an approach to use an addendum to the employee handbook (procedures and deviation forms) and directed that any assignment or duty outside an employee—s standard job duties be documented through the new deviation procedure; a formal resolution is to be drafted and returned to the board for adoption. Commissioners also authorized creation of a temporary —ffloater— position to assist offices through October and posted the job opening.

Votes at a glance (selected actions)

- Award pest-control contract to Ashcraft Pest Control: approved (recorded affirmative votes by commissioners present). - Award trash-service contract to Harlan/Lynn—s sanitation: approved. - Accept low bid and award Sixtieth & Grand road project: approved. - Accept federal surface-transportation fund exchange ($77,210.23): approved. - Allocate $66,914 from public-safety sales-tax fund to purchase sheriff—s vehicle pending insurance reimbursement: approved. - Publish road-closure petition notice for Bradley Plaster and direct statutory postings and certified mailings: approved. - Require department budgets to be delivered to the clerk by June 1; schedule budget work session April 30 at 4 p.m.: approved.

What the commissioners said

Public Works Director Eric Bailey told the board recent storm damage created culvert failures and localized road closures; the board said the county will document FEMA-eligible debris and damage and pursue reimbursement where applicable. Several commissioners stressed the need for more frequent budget checkpoints and clearer spreadsheets to track department requests ahead of the July budget deadline.

What—s next

- The clerk will publish the road-closure notice and accept certified-mail evidence; public responses will be heard before the board takes final action. - County staff will present the draft department budgets to the clerk by June 1; the commission will hold follow-up work sessions to consider levy options and potential cuts or expenditures. - Contract paperwork released at the meeting will be finalized with signatures and returned to the county file; the pest-control and trash contracts will begin as specified in their respective proposals.

Raw-source evidence for this article (excerpted from the meeting transcript): the public bid openings and subsequent award discussions for pest control and trash service; budget schedule and work-session discussion; sheriff vehicle funding discussion; acceptance of the Sixtieth & Grand low bid and authorization to sign; acceptance of federal-exchange funds.