Neosho County commissioners approve $2.0 million ambulance-sales-tax disbursement and several routine expenditures

The Neosho County Commission on March 4 approved a series of motions including a $2,000,000 payment from the county's ambulance sales-tax fund to Neosho Memorial Hospital and routine accounts-payable totaling $2,416,422.24.

Why it matters: The payments cover budgeted commitments the county said support ambulance services and routine county operations; several other votes authorized equipment purchases and staff appointments that could affect county operations and capital reserves.

The commission voted on multiple motions during the meeting. Key outcomes included: a $2,000,000 payment from the ambulance sales-tax fund to Neosho Memorial Hospital; approval of accounts payable for $2,416,422.24; acceptance of a single-audit engagement for the 2023 ARPA fund; authorization to pursue and, if awarded, pay for a bucket truck up to $60,000 (with a 5—% variance) from equipment reserves; and approval of a $7,827.96 contract to install a fire-alarm detection and notification system on the courthouse elevator.

Several personnel- and record-related motions also passed: the commission approved removing personal-property assessments for a deceased taxpayer for tax years 2022—to—2024 under Kansas statute referenced in the meeting, and appointed Melissa Miller (as contract counsel for misdemeanor appointments) as presented. The commission also approved sending the single-audit engagement letter for the 2023 ARPA fund to James Gordon & Associates.

Votes and motions at the meeting were recorded as follows (counts reflect the roll-call or chair summary statements recorded in the minutes):

- Ambulance sales-tax disbursement: motion to issue the budgeted ambulance sales-tax payment in the amount of $2,000,000 to Neosho Memorial Hospital; motion seconded and recorded as "Aye," motion passed (vote recorded as 3-0).

- Accounts payable: motion to approve accounts payable for 02/20/1625 in the amount of $2,416,422.24; motion seconded, motion passed (vote recorded as 3-0).

- Single-audit engagement: motion to approve a single audit with James Gordon & Associates for the 2023 ARPA fund; motion seconded, motion passed (vote recorded as 3-0).

- Fire alarm elevator work: motion to approve invoice BR06776449P from Fire Alarm and Safety for $7,827.96 for elevator detection/notification; motion seconded, motion passed (vote recorded as unanimous).

- Bucket truck purchase: motion to authorize up to $60,000 (with a 5—to—10% variance) to pursue and, if awarded at auction, purchase a 2021 bucket truck through the auction process and, if awarded, provide a special accounts-payable payment; motion seconded, motion passed.

- Personal-property abatement: motion to remove personal property assessments for tax years 2022—through—2024 for a deceased person now residing in Allen County under Kansas statute (referenced in the meeting as "79 17 o 1 a"); motion seconded, motion passed.

- Appointment of counsel: motion to appoint Melissa Miller to provide misdemeanor contract counsel services under county contract; motion seconded, motion passed (vote recorded as unanimous).

Meeting minutes show the commission directed staff to implement the authorized payments and procurements promptly (for example, adding the ambulance payment to vouchers so a check could be issued as soon as possible). Several items required additional administrative follow-up: verifying the accounting source for the ambulance-sales-tax invoice, confirming the special AP process for an auction payment if the county wins the bucket-truck bidding, and routing signatures for contracts and original audit documents.

Ending: The commission recessed twice during the meeting for executive sessions on personnel and security matters; no final action was recorded from those executive sessions when the meeting returned to open session.