Cowley County commissioners approve series of budget, personnel and grant-support measures; staff to pursue public hearing on road vacation

Cowley County commissioners convened Oct. 21, 2025, and unanimously approved a suite of administrative and budgetary items intended to finalize the county’s FY2026 operational framework and support local grant applications.

Chairman Wayne Wilt presided. County Administrator Lucas Goff presented routine business and staff recommendations that the board approved by 3-0 votes unless otherwise noted. The commissioners approved the consent agenda (Oct. 7, 2025 minutes and the payment register) after a motion from Vice Chairman Jim Maxwell, seconded by Commissioner Alan Groom.

Major approvals included adoption of the FY2026 pay plan, which implements a 2% cost-of-living increase, a 2% merit adjustment and a consistent longevity pay component; approval of Resolution No. 2025-21 to set elected officials’ compensation (the commission declined to increase its own pay); and establishment of two new funds — Landfill Closure Fund No. 199 to segregate closure-related reserves and Township Services Fund No. 51 to track township-related expenditures separately. Commissioners approved each of those items on unanimous votes.

The board also approved several administrative items required for operations and grant eligibility: a GAAP waiver for FY2026 (Resolution No. 2025-22), a policy against sexual harassment/discrimination/retaliation (noted as required for state grant funding), and a certification that the county is not participating in a boycott of goods or services from Israel. Each motion passed 3-0.

County staff secured board approvals for letters of support for local grant applications to the Kansas Department of Transportation on behalf of Four County Mental Health, the Council on Aging and the Capper Foundation, and for a letter supporting IdeaTek’s Broadband Acceleration Grant application. The board also approved signature authority for the FY2026 Cowley County Extension Office appropriation, and agreed to a KDOT agreement authorizing an unofficial detour route while a bridge near the fairgrounds is repaired. Commissioners approved a proclamation supporting Operation Green Light for Veterans on Nov. 2, 2025.

On emergency preparedness, Emergency Services Director Doug Allison presented the Local Emergency Operations Plan and acknowledged Emergency Management Coordinator Alysse Davidson’s work on the document; the board adopted the LEOP as meeting Kansas Division of Emergency Management standards by a unanimous vote.

Public Works Superintendent Jon Jordan briefed commissioners on bids to replace a front-mounted broom for Shop 2 and on plans to salvage parts from a storm-damaged broom. Jordan recommended purchasing a front-mounted unit from Superior Broom; he said the department expects long service life from a new broom and noted operations cover about 40 miles of road. Vice Chairman Maxwell questioned buying equipment used only "four or five times a year," and commissioners agreed to trial operating with two brooms for one year and to use the damaged unit for parts rather than replacing all three units immediately.

Separately, Lucas Goff relayed a formal request from Creswell Township to vacate 77th Road south of 302nd Road. Vice Chairman Maxwell asked that a public hearing be held before any final action; commissioners agreed to have staff proceed with the road-vacation process and schedule a public hearing.

Other procedural items approved included the FY2026 holiday schedule, a FY2026 landfill holiday schedule, the FY2026 commission meeting schedule, selection of voting delegates to the Kansas Association of Counties (Chairman Wilt as delegate; Vice Chairman Maxwell and Commissioner Groom as alternates), and authorization of an employee health benefits premium holiday (proposed for December, as in 2024). The board also adopted Resolution No. 2025-23 recognizing the significance of a public meeting invocation. The meeting adjourned at 6:38 p.m.

Votes at a glance (each recorded in the meeting minutes as 3-0 unless noted): - Consent agenda (Oct. 7 minutes; payment register): passed (Mover: Jim Maxwell; Second: Alan Groom). - Local Emergency Operations Plan (LEOP): adopted (Mover: Jim Maxwell; Second: Alan Groom). - Purchase/management plan for Public Works broom(s): direction given to trial two-broom operation for one year; staff to salvage parts from damaged unit (formal purchase action for OS 101 design and other contracts approved separately). - Agreement with Kirkham Michael for OS 101 Design: approved (Mover: Jim Maxwell; Second: Alan Groom). - Creation of Landfill Closure Fund No. 199: approved (Mover: Wayne Wilt; Second: Jim Maxwell). - Creation of Township Services Fund No. 51: approved (Mover: Alan Groom; Second: Jim Maxwell). - FY2026 pay plan: approved (Mover: Alan Groom; Second: Jim Maxwell). - Resolution No. 2025-21 (elected officials’ compensation): approved (Mover: Alan Groom; Second: Jim Maxwell). - FY2026 Holiday Schedule: approved (Mover: Jim Maxwell; Second: Wayne Wilt). - FY2026 Landfill Holiday Schedule and Commission Meeting Schedule: approved. - Resolution No. 2025-22 (GAAP waiver): approved. - Sexual harassment/discrimination/retaliation policy (grant requirement): approved (Mover: Jim Maxwell; Second: Alan Groom). - Certification re: boycott of Israel: approved (Mover: Alan Groom; Second: Jim Maxwell). - Letters of support for KDOT general public transportation grants (Four County Mental Health, Council on Aging, Capper Foundation): approved. - Letter of support to IdeaTek for Broadband Acceleration Grant: approved. - Agreement with KDOT for unofficial detour route at fairgrounds bridge: approved. - Resolution No. 2025-23 (recognizing invocation): approved (Mover: Alan Groom; Second: Jim Maxwell). - Employee health benefits premium holiday: authorized. - KAC voting delegates designated: approved.

What’s next: staff will schedule a public hearing on the Creswell Township road vacation request and proceed with implementation steps for the newly created funds and adopted policies.