County to learn about disaster assistance

County commissioners learned Tuesday there might be some help available to repair roads damaged from heavy rains.

"There is the possibility of money being left on the table when it comes to gravel being washed away, road erosion, bridge damage," Bourbon County Emergency Manager William Wallis said. "There's a lot to it."

He asked commissioners if they would be interested in hearing a 90-minute presentation from representatives from the public assistance branch of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

"To me, I think it's something financially we need to look at," Wallis said. "We don't need to turn our back to it and think it's too much paperwork involved to get this money."

Commissioners set a meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the county commissioner meeting room for the presentation.

Through the assistance program, the county could receive up to 85 percent of the cost to repair roads, which would include gravel replacement, road repair from a washout, or bridge repair. The funding would come from the state paying up to 75 percent and the Federal Emergency Management Agency paying an additional 10 percent.

"The money we would have to come up with is little to none," Wallis told the Tribune after the commission meeting. "We come up with balance. That could be in-kind, which could be labor. Really, there would be no money out of our pocket."

He said the county will save money.

"We're going to save money," Wallis said.

He said the process kicks off when the state notifies the county that the window of time for the county to say whether it wishes to seek financial assistance for damages. Wallis said he could also submit a request to the state.

The county would need input from the grader operators who know damages frequently occur, and how much gravel they have used.

The county must meet a "threshold" for the dollar amount in damages. The state establishes the County and State Per Capita Cost Indicator, which uses an equation based on county population from the 2010 census. Bourbon County's threshold, effective October 2015 through Sept. 30, 2016, is $54,167.61.

"Honestly, that's not that hard to hit," Wallis told the Tribune.

He told commissioners he's seen half the state receive a declaration and no counties be declared because at the same time, the state must also meet a threshold.

Wallis recommended getting as many county employees involved as possible, as the first step is to have an assessment of damaged areas. Assistant Emergency Manager Shane Walker could also provide documentation for the county, Wallis said, but public works employees are vital to damage assessment, too.

"If these guys, and I'm talking about road grader operators first and then dump truck drivers and their supervisors," Wallis said. "If we get input from them in two-day's time, (because) each operator has their own area and each dump driver is driving to those areas, they'll be able to see it. If we get that honest input from them, bottom line, at the end of the day, this is going to save the county a bunch of money."

He said there will be paperwork involved, but it wouldn't be that much because the preliminary damage assessments would be done.

"Those preliminary damage assessments is not really where the paperwork is at," Wallis said.

He said FEMA staff would come to Bourbon County to conduct the preliminary assessments.

"The initial part of it is going to be done by the state," Wallis said. "If we tell them the areas to go in, that's where they go to get their visuals, take their cameras. That's it. So initially, to get it off the ground running, it's not that big of a deal."

Later, Wallis told the Tribune no matter how large or small the damage, it all adds up.

"But they all add up," Wallis said.

The public assistance can include public buildings, as well as roads.

"That's why it's extremely important to know all of these things prior to any disaster hitting us, so there isn't anything there that will sneak up on us," Wallis said

Other business

* After meeting with Bill Belche regarding his water bills from Rural Water District No. 2, commissioners agreed they should meet with a water district representative.

According to Belche, he is not receiving consistent meter readings for his water service. He said he contacted state officials who recommended he speak with his county attorney first. County Counselor Justin Meeks recommended the commissioners meet with the water district representative before turning the matter over to his office.

* First District Commissioner Lynne Oharah stated he needed to clarify some statements he made during the Jan. 12 meeting, when he said the county had reduced the number of motor grader operators from eight to seven a year ago. Oharah said, and Public Works Director Jim Harris agreed, the reduction was made three years ago.

Oharah had also stated on Jan. 12 an additional motor grader operator could perform ditch work when not working on roads, but motor graders already perform that task, he said Tuesday.

* Commissioners signed a resolution giving the county appraiser a 2 percent pay increase each Jan. 1. The increase is part of a resolution commissioners have had in place since 2013.

Clinton Anderson's salary is being increased from $64,417.73 to $65,706.08. His appointment as appraiser is for a four-year term.