McPHERSON COUNTY, Kan. — McPherson County Commissioners Monday approved purchase of four Flock license tag readers for the Sheriff’s Office. The office has been using these readers on a 90-day trial, and through that they have been able to make some cases.
Flock cameras are being used by McPherson and Moundridge as well as by several nearby cameras. In Moundridge, use of Flock technology enabled the quick recovery of a stolen vehicle. A major expected use for the cameras, to be placed along I-135 and US 56, is to address drug distribution issues, especially as they relate to fentanyl.
In his update, Sheriff Jerry Montagne reported the jail population is down to 24, five of whom are female and five being held for municipal courts. Just 11 arrests were reported last week, the cold blast likely a factor in that.
Commissioners approved a Neighborhood Revitalization Plan for the city of Moundridge. City Administrator Jeremy Johnson said the city had tried to adopt a plan five years ago, but the application was never acted upon by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office as paperwork got lost in the turmoil of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The five-year plan covers the downtown section of Moundridge, several parcels involving MKC property, and two other locations in the city. The plan also has to be approved by the USD 423 Board of Education.
Purchase of a new welder generator for a bridge and dirt crew truck was approved. This replaces a 1996 unit with 1,400 hours of use on it. Lampton Welding Supply had the low quote of three obtained at $8,677 after trade. Less trade-in the quote was the same of one other firm. Road Superintendent Kevin Erickson also gave an update on railroad crossing issues in Canton, which Union Pacific is aware of.
Commissioners Monday tabled action on revised floodplain regulations related to changes in Federal Regulations. The change, which relates to Flood Risk Management Standards for FHA mortgage financing on one-to-four-unit residential structures located in special flood hazard areas and now will require the lowest floor be at least two feet above base flood elevations. There are three different ways to determine this, of which one is a preference at this point though not a requirement yet.
Commissioners also tabled a new fee schedule for Planning and Zoning to allow the Planning Commission to have input on the proposed fees.
The Commission approved a cell phone allowance for new Public Works Director David Bohnenblust and appointed incoming Emergency Management and Communications Director Emily Yates as the county’s representative on the South Central Region Homeland Security Council. Deputy director Tim Hawkinson is the alternate representative.
Several personnel items were addressed by McPherson County Commissioners Monday, including creation of a new position of deputy director for Harvey/McPherson County Community Corrections. Director Sunny Milleson said this combines three existing positions into two. Commissioners approved hiring of a correctional officer and accepted the resignation of another, hiring a new maintenance worker and engineering tech for Public Works, and gave permission to fill another maintenance worker vacancy, and end of introductory raises for Milleson and a correctional officer.
A resolution was also approved for McPherson County’s 2025 participation in the Kansas Rural Opportunity Zone program, which is at no cost to the county, and it approved a proposal for digital document software for the county through GovOs.
