Saline County Commissioners approved the purchase of two SUV and two 12 passenger vans for the Sheriff’s Office, in the amount of $127,258, with trade-ins.

Commissioners studied ten “Requests for Action” involving aggregate, aggregate hauling, traffic paint, glass beads, road signs, traffic signs, bridge decking, bridge planks, corrugated metal pipe, and crack sealing projects. In changes from previous years, bidders must include their logo on the face of signs, so staff can distinguish between bidders if signs fade. Bridge planks will be “pressure treated”. A bid on asphalt has not been issued, in the hopes that the price of asphalt will be lower at a later date.

Barb Young met with Commissioners to discuss concerns about paving a road that is tied up in the annexation issue with the City.

Commissioners spent 20 minutes in an executive session on non-elected personnel, at the request of Marilyn Leamer, Director of Human Resources.

In her County Administrator’s update, Rita Deister:
• Briefed Commissioners on the Legislature’s future hearings on the “tax lid”.
• Provided Commissioners with copies of a letter on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce outlining attendance and economic impact of Chamber events held at the EXPO Center.
• Said a rural fire departments is hoping to purchase two trucks with money in a capital fund.

In Open Forum, Karen Shade asked the Board to clarify if John Price’s petition drive regarding the City’s Charter Ordinance 39 reflected the County’s point-of-view. Chairman Monte Shadwick said the County Commission had adjourned when Price presented the petition to County Counselor Mike Montoya. According to County Clerk Don Merriman, Montoya “needs to review any petition before it is circulated as that is one of his duties as County Counselor”. The County’s Administrative Resources Center is getting phone calls about the petition; these calls are then being forwarded to citizen John Price.