Atchison County approves bond payments and purchase orders including jail AC, audit, chute repair and $42,000 cap for cybersecurity purchase
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Summary
Atchison County commissioners approved scheduled bond payments, multiple purchase orders and a capped authorization for cybersecurity spending during the July 1 meeting.
The Atchison County Commission approved a series of routine bond payments and purchase orders during its July 1 meeting, and authorized a capped cybersecurity purchase to address a recent incident.
Finance Director Mark Seltner presented the first two items: a road bond payment (payment 6 of 14) of $303,054.63 payable to the Kansas State Treasurer and a bridge bond payment (payment 14 of 20) of $224,828 payable from the road and bridge budget. Both motions passed unanimously, with commissioners voting "Aye" on each.
Seltner then presented a purchase order for replacement of a rooftop unit at the Jail/Levi A. Cook (JLAC) facility: a PO to Done Heating and Cooling in the amount of $189,001.29 for electrical supply, lift charge and labor. The board initially approved payment from the reserve fund and discussion noted the reserve balance would be "Roughly, $421,282." The commission later amended that motion, approving payment from the 2025 jail budget instead.
The commission approved a purchase order to Varney & Associates for 2024 audit services: $15,000 for the audit plus $1,500 for the single-audit work (required under GAAP), for a total of $16,500 from the county general fund. Seltner noted the single-audit requirement arose after expenditures exceeded the single-audit threshold.
Solid-waste staff opened bids for chute (hopper) repairs at the transfer station. P1 Construction LLC of St. Joseph submitted a base bid of $50,157 and an alternate (3/8-inch plate) of $53,757. The board accepted the 3/8-inch plate bid and approved a PO to P1 Construction for $53,757 payable from the solid waste fund; staff said the repair is urgent because further failure could stop transfer-station operations.
IT Director Scott Howard briefed the commission on an endpoint detection and response (EDR/XDR/MDR) purchase to improve cybersecurity after a recent incident. Howard described three vendor options (Cisco Security Suite, a managed Lumen solution, and a SentinelOne/AgileBlue/Crowe combination) ranging roughly between $32,000 and $41,000 annually, and asked how to pay for the unbudgeted cost. The commission authorized a purchase order from the IT budget for Microsoft 365 licensing in the amount of $6,001.47, and separately approved a capped authorization up to $42,000 from the IT budget for an EDR/MDR/XDR cybersecurity solution; commissioners said the county may reconcile the cost through a year-end budget amendment if needed.
Other votes: - A motion to approve the road bond payment to the Kansas State Treasurer, $303,054.63, passed unanimously. - A motion to approve the bridge bond payment to the Kansas State Treasurer, $224,828, passed unanimously. - A motion approving the Varney & Associates audit PO for $16,500 passed unanimously. - A motion approving the P1 Construction LLC chute repair PO for $53,757 passed unanimously. - A motion approving the Microsoft 365 licensing PO for $6,001.47 passed unanimously. - A motion authorizing up to $42,000 from the IT budget for a cybersecurity solution passed unanimously.
Commissioners asked staff to track budget impacts and either use reserve funds or process a budget amendment later in the year depending on year-end balances. The jail AC installation has an estimated 15-week build time and is expected this fall; county staff said jail maintenance staff will coordinate scheduling with the vendor to avoid extreme temperatures during installation.
