Geary County public works unveils searchable snow‑coverage maps and live truck feed; commission approves 10‑minute executive session on property acquisition

Public works administrator Jeremy Myers told the commission the department has added new online tools and made procurement requests to support winter operations and planned facilities work.

Myers asked the commission to approve renewal of an annual diesel diagnostic software subscription that helps the shop diagnose equipment and keep repairs in‑house. He said the silver package costs $3,545 for the 2025 subscription, an increase of $620 from 2024. "This is an annual subscription for, diagnostic software for our laptop there in the shop," Myers said, asking the commission to authorize the expense to come out of shop funds.

Myers also reported that architect Sean Harding completed two layout options for Phase 2 of the county detention facility — one that uses part of the existing facility and a second freestanding option sited near the Junction City Police Station — and proposed a presentation to the commission on Dec. 15. Commissioners discussed scheduling and agreed to try to accommodate a roughly 30‑minute slot.

On winter preparedness, Myers and GIS staff demonstrated a new public works web page feature: a searchable snow‑coverage map that shows which entity is responsible for specific roads and provides contact phone numbers. The portal also includes an embedded Samsara live feed showing county plow/truck locations and status with about a 15‑minute delay. "There's 8 trucks. Right now, they're just numbered," a presenter said during the demonstration, and Myers said staff are working to highlight roads that have already been plowed and add a weather overlay.

Myers gave a situational update on standby operations: crews were placed on standby during a recent potential storm window (12 p.m.–8 p.m. Saturday and early the next morning through 8 p.m.); trucks were running routes treating slick spots at the time of the meeting. He also said the county maintains 117 miles of asphalt roads and read an unclear figure for gravel mileage in the record.

Near the meeting’s close, Myers requested a 10‑minute executive session "to discuss preliminary acquisition of real property." An unidentified commissioner moved the executive session and another unidentified commissioner seconded; commissioners responded "Aye," and the chair scheduled a ten‑minute executive session.

No ordinance, contract award, or final purchase order was approved on the public record during the meeting; Myers’s subscription request was presented for approval and the detention‑facility architect was invited to present on Dec. 15.