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Cloud County commissioners approve Miltonvale fiber installation, personnel reclassification; health department reports 11 active investigations
Summary
At its Sept. 2 meeting in Concordia, the Cloud County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a Twin Valley Communications request to install fiber near 2522 Camp Road in Miltonvale and reclassified a county equipment operator. The county health administrator reported 11 active disease-investigation cases and staff training plans.
The Cloud County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a petition from Twin Valley Communications, Inc. to install fiber optic cable at approximately 2522 Camp Road in Miltonvale during its Sept. 2 regular meeting in Concordia.
Commissioner Dannie Kearn moved to approve the request; Commissioner Ron Copple seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The installation request was presented on the agenda as a formal petition to the Board; no conditions or contingencies were recorded in the minutes.
Also approved by unanimous motion was a personnel classification change: Todd LeDuc was reclassified to Equipment Operator III (J4) effective Aug. 24, 2025. Commissioner Kearn moved the reclassification and Commissioner Copple seconded.
County maintenance updates included a report from Jeff Thoman, maintenance manager, that painting in District Court is complete, a basement security light was repaired and that he will return on a Saturday to finish work that requires electricity and water be shut off. Thoman said the department discussed purchasing a snow blower for approximately $1,450; the Board agreed to the purchase.
Rod Michaud, highway and weed administrator, briefed the Board on CDL training costs through the college and said two county employees will begin the program. Michaud reported crews will assist Republic County next week with a scrub seal and that planned drone training will be postponed until the next semester.
Health Department Administrator Tonya Sulanka told the Board the department was handling 11 active disease-investigation cases, listed in the minutes as pertussis; chronic hepatitis C; six blood lead poisoning cases; chronic hepatitis B; campylobacteriosis; and latent tuberculosis. Sulanka said staff will attend a virtual Lead Summit on Sept. 9 and the Health Officers of Kansas conference on Sept. 11 in Wichita. The department plans hands-on fire-extinguisher training for employees in September and is discussing a software transition with Champ Software and KIPHS; Sulanka said she will obtain costs for drug self-testing for new hires.
Finance items recorded by County Clerk Shella Thoman included sales tax received on Aug. 26, 2025 of $94,367.62 (compared with $91,756.73 the prior year) and approval of payroll expenses totaling $197,875.89. The minutes list the payroll fund breakdown and report payroll deductions and benefits totaling $81,978.54; the Clerk noted detailed expense records are available at the County Clerk’s office and on the Clerk’s public records webpage.
Commissioner Kearn reported attending a County Risk Management meeting; Commissioner Cleveland attended an ITC presentation and a KWORCC Board of Trustees meeting by Zoom. The Board approved the Aug. 25, 2025 minutes and adjourned at 10:46 a.m., scheduling its next meeting for Sept. 8, 2025.
Votes at a glance - Twin Valley Communications fiber installation at approximately 2522 Camp Rd, Miltonvale: motion by Commissioner Dannie Kearn; second Commissioner Ron Copple; outcome: approved (unanimous). - Reclassification of Todd LeDuc to Equipment Operator III (J4), eff. Aug. 24, 2025: motion by Commissioner Dannie Kearn; second Commissioner Ron Copple; outcome: approved (unanimous). - Approval of Aug. 25, 2025 minutes: motion by Commissioner Ron Copple; second Commissioner Dannie Kearn; outcome: approved (unanimous). - Adjournment until Sept. 8, 2025: motion by Commissioner Dannie Kearn; second Commissioner Ron Copple; outcome: approved (unanimous).
Next steps and context: The minutes note Ryan McMillan raised a request to advance a project timeline and that Commissioner Copple intended to consult the Kansas Association of Counties attorney and another individual before taking action. The health department indicated ongoing software-transition discussions and planned training; no formal directives or funding approvals for those items were recorded in the minutes.
(Reporters and readers should note that the minutes list attendance as Commissioners Dannie Kearn and Ron Copple present with County Clerk Shella Thoman; Michael Cleveland is listed in meeting notes and in the attestation block.)
