By Lucky Kidd
BARTON COUNTY, Kan. — Barton County Commissioners Tuesday approved purchase of just over $30,000 in computer equipment from Bauer Computers for various departments. Information Technology Director Dereck Hollingshead said the County has a plan to annually replace a certain number of computers. The bid approved was adjusted after it was learned 20th Judicial District Juvenile Services, which was to be part of the bid, is getting computer equipment through a different opportunity.
Commissioners approved a bid from Steel Builders to add interior panels on a new steel building it is constructing to replace a storage building damaged in a July 2023 hail and windstorm, with an additional cost of $6,226 to the $316,000 original cost for the building. Addition of the interior panels will improve the life expectancy of the new structure.
The Commission approved a resolution detailing the county’s policy regarding National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors. This came from a meeting recently held involving County Commissioners from Barton, Pawnee and Russell counties in opposition to a proposed Midwest Plains NIETC corridor that would go through the three counties. Pawnee County Commissioners have already approved this resolution, and Russell County Commissioners are considering it.
Commission chair Barb Esfield also said a Zoom meeting of Commissioners from counties within the corridor is being held next Monday.
An out of state travel request for Juvenile Services Director Marissa Woodmansee to attend a training session in Philadelphia December 16-18 was approved by Barton County Commissioners Tuesday. This is connected with a Second Chance grant awarded in 2020 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to Central Kansas Community Corrections, which includes funding for training on Office of Justice programs and the US Department of Justice.
Woodmansee is attending the training as she is available, and Community Corrections Director Brooke Haulmark is currently involved with training of new employees in her office. That grant is covering the cost of this training.
