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Atchison County Commission approves leases, appropriations and administrative actions; votes recorded 2-0
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Summary
At its Sept. 23 meeting the board approved an amended Memorial Hall lease, issued purchase orders for NACO dues and appropriations to the Extension Council and health department (one appropriation paid short pending tax collections), approved a request-for-proposal for the county counselor position and took other routine actions; most votes passed
The Atchison County Commission approved a series of administrative items and appropriations at its Sept. 23 meeting, adopting motions on agenda and consent items, a short-term courthouse schedule, a Memorial Hall lease and multiple purchase orders tied to county operations and partner organizations.
The board voted 2-0 to approve an addition to the agenda and the consent agenda (minutes from Sept. 16, 19 and 21 and accounts payable). Commissioners also voted 2-0 to keep the courthouse open on Columbus Day rather than holding a training day.
County counsel presented an amended lease for Memorial Hall that will take effect Jan. 1, 2026, covering an initial six-month term and then automatically renewing in one-year terms aligned with the school district and recreation commission budget calendar. The commission voted 2-0 to authorize the chair to sign the lease between Atchison County, the trustees of Memorial Hall and the Atchison Recreation Commission.
The board approved a request-for-proposal for a contracted county counselor position and instructed staff to post the RFP; commissioners said the timeline was adjusted to accommodate the county counselor's candidacy for another position and to permit that person to submit a proposal if desired. The motion to approve the RFP passed 2-0.
Purchase orders approved included membership dues to the National Association of Counties (NACo) for $450 and second-half appropriations to the Atchison County Extension Council and the Northeast Kansas Multicounty Health Department. The extension council's full 2025 appropriation is $138,005.34 (budgeted); the commission approved a second-half payment of $67,002.91 at this meeting and recorded that $1,009.75 82 remains payable when additional property-tax distributions are collected. The health department second-half appropriation of $40,000 was also approved.
The commission also appointed Deanna Lam, executive director of the Northeast Kansas Multicounty Health Department, as the board's representative to Northeast Kansas Environmental Services, filling a vacancy created by Megan Dohman's resignation; the appointment passed 2-0.
Commissioners discussed the recently completed county budget and provided figures during public remarks: Commissioner Quinn said the county sold "Senior Village" for $1,498,295 and, after final expenses, netted $1,300,076.80. Quinn also summarized the budget adjustments that reduced the mill levy from 68.951 to 59.201, describing approximately $2,238,835 in reductions.
The board scheduled follow-up workshops on EMS sales-tax language, road and bridge planning and other budget implementation matters, and asked staff to bring back draft lease language for the health department and a recommendation on an IT staffing approach. No executive session was held.
Votes at a glance
- Agenda amendment (add courthouse open on Columbus Day): approved, 2-0. - Consent agenda (minutes, accounts payable): approved, 2-0. - Keep courthouse open on Columbus Day: approved, 2-0. - Memorial Hall lease (chair authorized to sign): approved, 2-0. - County counselor RFP: approved to post, 2-0. - NACo 2026 membership dues PO ($450): approved, 2-0. - Atchison County Extension Council second-half appropriation PO ($67,002.91 paid now; $1,009.75 82 deferred): approved, 2-0. - Northeast Kansas Multicounty Health Department second-half appropriation PO ($40,000): approved, 2-0. - Appointment of Deanna Lam to Northeast Kansas Environmental Services board: approved, 2-0. - Adjourn: approved, 2-0.
