The Ray County Commission addressed several administrative and public issues during the meeting. A resolution was unanimously approved to advertise for the vacant Road and Bridge Secretary position. The commission tabled a decision on a Senior Center request for an upgraded phone system and cell phone. Additionally, a bid for county janitorial services was tabled until the following Thursday to allow commissioners to verify budget figures.

During public comments, a representative from the water district disputed a right-of-way permit fee incurred during emergency storm repairs, while a resident requested urgent repair of a hazardous roadside ditch. The commission also heard an introduction from a commercial HVAC company seeking future business.

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This summary covers the recent Ray County Commission meeting, detailing key discussions, public comments, and administrative decisions. The session focused heavily on citizen inquiries, county vendor contracts, and a resolution to fill an impending administrative vacancy.

During the public comment period, Laura Chalk of TempCon, a commercial HVAC, plumbing, and refrigeration company, addressed the commission. TempCon recently bid on an HVAC project for the Ray County Jail but was not selected. Chalk utilized her allotted time to introduce the company’s diverse services, which range from large-scale commercial installations and laboratory calibrations to preventative maintenance for commercial refrigeration. Serving a wide area that includes Topeka and Florence, TempCon inquired about establishing a preventative maintenance partnership with Ray County. The commission advised Chalk that her company is already following the correct protocol by monitoring public notices in newspapers and online for upcoming county bid opportunities. Chalk highlighted that their standard labor rate is $135 per hour, which is reduced to $120 per hour for clients enrolled in a preventative maintenance agreement, emphasizing these rates are highly competitive within the broader metropolitan market.

Local resident Kirk Croy presented a Sunshine Law request concerning voting records from the commission's closed sessions. Croy noted the absence of voting records for closed meetings in 2025 and 2026, questioning whether this indicated that no county employees had been hired, fired, disciplined, or promoted. The commission clarified that individual elected officeholders independently manage their respective employees, meaning disciplinary actions do not necessarily involve the commission. When pressed, the commission confirmed no employees were disciplined. Croy then correlated this inquiry with a 2025 county cybersecurity incident, asking if anyone was terminated or disciplined for the network vulnerability. The commission firmly declined to discuss the hack, asserting they navigated the crisis through appropriate legal channels and consulted with insurance attorneys. The presiding commissioner subsequently warned Croy that he would be removed from the meeting if he continued to press the issue, stating that the county had already thoroughly addressed the cyber event.

Kirk Croy also voiced significant frustration regarding a large ditch on Max Road that he has requested be fixed for over six months. He criticized the lack of action, noting he frequently observes county road graders passing his property without addressing the issue.

Transcription: https://kurt-croix.github.io/podstr/transcripts/5_21_Ray_Co_Commissioners_Mtg-1779829447.srt