Meeting Information
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
4:00 p.m.
-Proclamation (Clinton Lake Historical Society) (Denise Curtis /Jan Shupert-Arick)
-Proclamation for “National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Day” (Richard Barr)
CONSENT AGENDA
(1) (a) Consider approval of Commission Orders; and
(b) Consider approval of request to hold swimming event at Lone Star Lake 2nd National Collegiate Open Water Swimming Championship (Keith Browning);
(c) Consider approval to solicit bids for Project No. 2015-18, Realignment of Hamm Landfill Access Road (Keith Browning);
(d) Consider approval to solicit bids for 2017 contract maintenance work Project No. 2017-16, Mill & Overlay (Keith Browning);
(e) Consider Applications for Authorized Emergency Vehicle Permits for the following: William M. Shockley (Lecompton Fire/EMS District #1); Robert Rombach (Kanwaka Fire Dept) 2-permits;
(f) Consider approval to convert a part time position to a full time position for the Court Services Pretrial Release Program. (Robert Bieniecki);
(g) Consider awarding construction contract for Project No. 2015-05, Route 458 improvements from E 800 Road to N 1175. (Keith Browning); and
(h) Consider approval of Amendment to Real Estate Contract with the Unified School District 497 to change the date of the change the closing date. (Craig Weinaug)
REGULAR AGENDA
(2) Consider approval of SP-17-00177, a site plan for a Utility use, which includes the installation of a Southern Star meter building on a 1.92 acre parcel located in the northeast corner of the intersection of KS Hwy 32/N 1800 Road and US Hwy 24/40. Submitted by Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc., for KKT Trust, property owners of record. Mary Miller is the Planner.
(3) Health Department Annual Report (Dan Partridge)-No backup
(4) Modify the extension of health insurance benefits to spouses and dependents with the 2017-
2018 (Sarah Plinsky);
(5) Consider approval of Accounts Payable (if necessary)
(b) Appointments
-MPO Bicycle Advisory Committee (2) positions
-Board of Zoning Appeals (1) position 10/16
-Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority Board (1) position 06/17
-Metropolitan Planning Commission – Positions (2) 05/17
-Food Policy Council-Youth Representative (1) position
(c) Public Comment
(d) Miscellaneous
(6) Adjourn
April 12, 2017 (amended)
Gaughan called the regular meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 with all members present.
PROCLAMATION 04-12-17
Gaughan moved approval of a proclamation honoring Martha Parker for 45 years of research and historic preservation of Douglas County and declared April 22, 2017 as Martha Parker Day. Motion was seconded by Derusseau and carried 3-0.
PROCLAMATION 04-12-17
Gaughan moved to declare the week of April 9-15 as “National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week” in Douglas County. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
CONSENT AGENDA 04-12-17
Gaughan moved approval of the following Consent Agenda:
► Commission Order Nos. 17-015 and 17-016 (on file in the office the County Clerk);
► KU and the College Swimming Coaches Association of America to hold the National Collegiate Open Water Swimming Championship at Lone Star Lake on Saturday, September 16, 2017;
► Authorization to solicit bids for Project NO. 2015-18, the realignment of the Hamm Landfill access road (N 2100 Road);
► Authorization to solicit bids for contract maintenance work for the 2017 season, including Project No. 2017-06, asphalt overlays;
► Authorized Emergency Vehicle Permits for the following: William M. Shockley, Lecompton; (2) Robert Rombach, Kanwaka; and Duane Filkins, Kanwaka;
► Authorized the conversion of a 0.4 PT Surveillance Officer to a 1.0 FTE Pretrial Monitoring Office, with a budget impact of $41,949.16 to adequately staff the Pretrial Monitoring Program;
► Awarded a construction contract in the low bid amount of $4,757,901.73 to King’s Construction for Project No. 2015-05, the rehabilitation of Route 458 from E800 Road to approximately 1,025 feet north of N 1156 Road, and authorized the Public Works Director to approve changer orders totaling up to 10% of the contract amount; and
► Amendment to Real Estate Contract with the Unified School District 497 to change the closing date.
Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
PLANNINIG/SITE PLAN 04-12-17
Thellman moved to approve SP-17-00177, a site plan for a utility use, which includes the installation of a Southern Star meter building on a 1.92 acre parcel located in the northeast corner of the intersection of KS Hwy 32/N 1800 Road and US Hwy 24/40, subject to the following conditions:
1. An access easement on the adjacent property to the west shall be recorded with the Register of Deeds Office prior to the release of the site plan to the Zoning and Codes Office.
2. Applicant shall obtain a Floodplain Development Permit from the Zoning and Codes Office prior to construction/installation of facility.
3. Provision of a revised site plan with the following changes:
a. Addition of a note indicating the off-site access easement to the private drive on the property to the west, along with the Recording Book and Page Number.
b. Addition of six evergreen shrubs along the south side of the fenced area.
c. Addition of the following note: “No exterior storage or lighting is being proposed with this site plan. The addition of exterior storage would require submittal of a revised site plan to the Planning Office for approval. The addition of exterior lighting would require submittal of lighting information to the Planning Office for approval prior to the installation.”
d. Addition of a location map, showing the general location of the property.
e. Revision of notes referencing the distance to the ‘road’ to the west, to ‘property line’ to the west or removal of these notes.
Motion was seconded by Derusseau and carried 3-0.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT 04-12-17
Dan Partridge, Director of the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, presented the 2016 Annual Report. No action was taken.
Sarah Plinsky, Assistant County Administrator, asked the Board to consider modifying the extension of health insurance benefits to spouses and dependents for the 2017-2018 plan year discontinuing health insurance benefits to domestic partners of employees.
In 2011, Douglas County modified the health insurance plan to extend health insurance benefit to domestic partners of employees. Since that time, there have been changes at the national and state level related to marriage equality that no longer necessitates the extension of benefits.
Married employees do not pay taxes on healthcare benefits that they receive for their spouses and dependents because federal tax laws do not classify the employer’s financial support of the coverage for these benefits as wages.
Employees with domestic partners receiving health insurance coverage do not necessarily receive that same favorable tax benefit. The employee must pay taxes on the employer’s share of payment for the benefits of domestic partners, unless the domestic partner qualifies as a “dependent” under federal tax law. If they do not qualify, the value of the coverage is included in the gross income of the employee, and the value of the coverage must be reflected on the employee’s W-2 Form. Employers are responsible for identifying a “fair market value” of the benefit. This amount would need to be added to the employee W-2 form and be subject to Social Security, FICA, FUTA and federal withholding taxes.
Staff recommends Douglas County return to the industry best practices of extending health insurance benefits to spouses and dependents with the 2017-2018 Plan Year starting June 1, 2017.
Gaughan asked if the County has the right, should something pass state legislature or legal action change the law toward marriage, we could reaffirm our commitment by reestablishing the benefit. Plinsky replied, yes, for the next plan year.
Gaughan opened the item for public comment. No comment was received.
Gaughan moved to grandfather in those domestic partners already on the health insurance plan, and to modify the extension of health insurance benefits to spouses and dependents with the 2017-2018 Health Insurance Plan Year. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE 04-12-17
Gaughan moved to approve accounts payable in the amounts of $218,087.34 to be paid on 04/13/17; and $80,161.00 paid on 04/06/17. Motion was seconded by Derusseau and carried 3-0.
APPOINTMENT 04-12-17
Thellman moved to appoint Jacki Becker to the MPO Bicycle Advisory Board for a three year term. Motion was seconded by Gaughan and carried 3-0.
PUBLIC COMMENT 04-12-17
Michael Almond, Douglas County resident, stated concerns about improvements to 19th Street causing a road connection at the north end of O’Connell Road through East Lawrence. He doesn’t feel there needs to be a third connection funneling traffic through the residential neighborhood.
Gaughan moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion was seconded by Thellman and carried 3-0.
____________________________ ____________________________
Mike Gaughan, Chair Nancy Thellman, Vice-Chair
ATTEST:
____________________________ _____________________________
Jamie Shew, County Clerk Michelle Derusseau, Member
Time and Date