Saline County's financial report for the first quarter of 2020 looks good overall. That's the message County Administrator Phillip Smith-Hanes gave commissioners during their Tuesday morning meeting.
Smith-Hanes, however, was quick to point out that the COVID-19 pandemic had hardly begun to impact the county's finances in the first quarter of 2020, according to information provided by the county. Smith-Hanes said that he expects the second quarter to look quite different. He told commissioners that "all departments are taking prudent actions as it relates to their budget expenditures," the county information noted.
Additionally, Smith-Hanes provided commissioners with a congressional update. He discussed with commissioners the negotiations for a fourth COVID-19 relief package from the federal government. He told commissioners that letters were sent to Senator Jerry Moran, Senator Pat Roberts, and Representative Roger Marshall on behalf of Saline County to inform them of what the county had determined would be helpful. The Kansas Association of Counties, League of Municipalities, and National Association of Counties have all been very active in engaging conversations with local units of government to identify priorities and requests for legislative actions, the county information noted.
Other commission business from today's meeting includes the following items from the county.
• Commissioners updated the purchasing policy 40.32 to include the correct spending authorizations for department heads, the county administrator, and the commission.
• Commissioners continued their discussion on the purchase of a power broom for the Road and Bridge Department. This purchase request had been tabled a few weeks ago. Today, commissioners approved the department's request for the purchase in the amount of $55,675 with a two-year warranty.
• Commissioners also approved the Road and Bridge Department's request to have an engine rebuilt and a new transmission installed in a 2005 International. Department personnel looked at several alternatives and found this to be the best option and most effective use of tax dollars for what the department needed. The truck is in overall great condition and necessary for the department’s use.
• There will be no county commission meeting April 28. That meeting was canceled when commissioners adopted their meeting schedule after the charter resolution went into effect. May 5 is the next date that commissioners are scheduled to meet.