The Regular meeting of the Kiowa County Commissioners was called to order on January 10, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. by Chairman Donald Oswald. Commissioner Robertson opened the meeting with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Those in attendance:

• Donald Oswald, Chairman 
• Howard "Butch" Robertson, Commissioner
• Mike Lening, Commissioner 
• Delisa Weeks, County Clerk 
• Tina Adamson, County Administrator

Cindy McLoud, KCEDF Coordinator and Kiowa County Independent Editor, Betsy Barnett were in attendance of the meeting at 9:00 a.m. 

Minutes: Robertson moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve the minutes as presented. Motion carried. 

Vouchers: Robertson moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve the vouchers as presented. Motion carried. 

Agenda: Oswald moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve the agenda as amended with three additions. Old Business: Aries Brothers-Road Usage and County Boards and in New Business: Generator Grant. Motion carried. 

Cindy McLoud, KCEDF Coordinator updated the commissioners on the housing project near Sheridan Lake. Michael Yerman SCEDD Community Developer is assisting on the project that Linly Stum is interested in. Yerman will be searching for possible federal funding for this project. 

McLoud completed her update at 9:24 a.m. and sat back down as a member of the audience. 

GRANTS: Adamson provided an update on the lighting for the arena at the fairgrounds. 

Discussion ensued over the generator grant. It was agreed to have a work session and move forward with the grant application. 

Adamson suggested the BOCC have an engineer brought in to determine how and where a septic and a dump station at the fairgrounds are located. 

Oswald moved, to recess the regular meeting until the swearing in of the newly elected officials has completed. Lening seconded the motion at 9:57 a.m. Motion carried. 

Oswald moved, and Lening seconded the motion to move back into the Re­organizational meeting at 10:23 a.m. Motion carried. 

Re-Organizational Meeting: Betsy Barnett, Editor of the Kiowa County Independent visited with the Commissioner's in regard to the status of county publications and legal printing. She explained that it was vitally important for the Independent to remain the paper for legal notices for the County. Barnett did discuss how the fees had to increase with everything else going up. 

Lening said both papers are vital to Kiowa County. After further discussion, Oswald moved and Lening seconded the motion to have the Kiowa Independent remain as the legal publication for Kiowa County. Motion carried. Barnett thanked the BOCC for their time. Barnett remained as a member of the audience. 

Resolution 2023-01: Oswald moved and Lening seconded the motion to adopt Resolution 2023-01 for Licensing and Inspection for Ambulance Service. Motion carried. 

Housing Project Update: Oswald discussed the concerns with the sewer system on the duplexes. 

Oswald moved and Lening seconded to recess the meeting for lunch at 11:57 a.m. Motion carried. 

GIS Mapping: Adamson reported that SCEDD is putting in a seven-county grant for mapping of residences in the seven County region, which includes Kiowa County. 

Aries Brothers Road Usage: Robertson moved to approve Aries Brothers to drive only empty dump trucks down County Road 49 while the State Hwy 96 Project is going on. Lening seconded the motion. Motion carried. 

Jason Critchfield with Wagner Equipment Company introduced himself as the new Sales Representative for this region. Critchfield did inform the BOCC that it is hard to get the machines here due to delays in production. Critchfield thanked the BOCC and exited the meeting. 

County Road Foremen Rick Spady and Allen Watts entered the meeting to discuss the updated fee sheet for usage of county equipment. The BOCC and Road Foremen all agreed on the 2023 Rate Schedule. These fees can be found on the County Website or obtained from the Administration Office. 

Lening mentioned the policy on pulling the keys out of the county vehicles. The Road Foremen assured the BOCC they have discussed the issue and there should be no further problems. The two Road Foremen exited the meeting at 2:18 p.m. 

Jeff Scranton, Landfill Foreman entered the meeting to discuss the landfill and recycling report for 2022. This report is on the County Website, or a copy can be obtained through the Administration Office 

Zelpha Deines entered the meeting at 2:07 p.m. to discuss the kiln issues the Towner Senior Center is having. Deines asked if the new kiln located at the Eads Senior Center was being used and if not could the Towner Senior Center use it. After further discussion the BOCC agreed the Towner Senior Center could use it. She thanked the BOCC and exited the meeting at 3:10 p.m.

Greg Miller of Haswell entered the meeting at 3:00 p.m. to state his interest in being a board member to the Planning and Zoning Board. The BOCC explained the permitting and subdivision exemption process. Oswald and Adamson enlightened him of the procedures/policies. Miller exited meeting at 3:30 p.m.

Boards: Oswald moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve Greg Miller as a member to the Board of Planning and Zoning. Motion carried. 

There will be a work session for interested parties to be on different boards with vacancies on January 24, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. 

New Business: 

Reports Upcoming Minutes were reviewed and signed. 

Treasurers Annual Report: Chairman Oswald signed the Treasurer's report 

Bent County Jail Agreement: Lening moved, and Robertson seconded the motion to sign the Bent County Jail Agreement. Motion carried. 

Town of Eads Police Agreement: Robertson moved, and Lening seconded the motion to approve the Eads Police Agreement. Motion carried. 

Generator Grant: Tabled for further information from Colorado Energy Systems. 

The next regular Commissioner's meeting will be held January 26, 2023; at 9:00 a.m.

With no further business to discuss, Oswald moved, and Lening seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting at 4:15 p.m. Motion carried. 

* The Re-organizational Meeting minutes in its entirety will be held for view at the Kiowa County Commissioner's Office or the Kiowa County Clerk and Recorder's Office.