Report from the Bates County Commission

March 12, 2025 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley, Northern Commissioner John Gray and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present.Dean Fischer with Pleasant Gap Township came in on open-door policy to discuss discrepancies in the allocation of CART fund money for township road maintenance. Dean states that Prairie Township received $15450, while Pleasant Gap received $20450.00, despite Pleasant Gap having nearly two and a half times the road miles. Dean argued that the funds should be distributed based on the number of miles, as per an audit from 15 years ago. Instead of letting a smaller township without the need for the funds build up capitol. Jim Wheatley explained that the current formula, set by Terry Wheatley and Larry Berry, considered township assessments. The discussion emphasized the need for accurate and fair distribution, with Dean suggesting a return to the original mileage-based formula.

  Dean further added, the requirement of an insurance policy was something that at times their township was not able to achieve financially. Individually the cost of insurance is very high. He asked if there was a way to make it a group effort with the county. The Commission states that they could not make a group policy with the county. They did agree that if several townships wanted to go in together on maintenance and insurance that would be a good idea. This would be up to the townships to agree on.

  The Commission extended an offer to use the road groomer equipment to repair the roads. They would need to pay for the fuel and get with Road and Bridge on what was needed.
John states he knows of a company Fortera that is willing to donate some concrete culverts to the county.

  Stacy Mcguire came in on the open-door policy to discuss the matter of her and her son’s personal property error that she had given to them weeks ago. She brought the paperwork to show he had listed his new truck on his assessment sheet, and it never got put on his property listings. However, his mother’s explorer got put on hers and his. She states the errors are now corrected but is asking for the penalties and interest on his truck to be waived as they clearly followed all instructions. This was an assessor’s office error.

  John made the motion to remove the penalties and interest on Colby McGuire’s truck. Trent seconded the motion. All voted yes. Motion carried. No opposition.

  The Commission asked Public Administrator Brenda Doody, County Coroner Jerret Reno and County Clerk Jami Page to come over to work on the Indigent Remains Policy. County Coroner could not make it at short notice. The remaining convened to go over the policy and procedures brought up the last discussion on 8/25/2023. Items brought up were using Oak Hill Potters Field, where to store till burial, time frame for burial, how to bury them and headstone ideas, legalities of holding remains and possible relatives’ interest. Time needs to be set to loop Jerret into the discussion. Work remains in progress.

Work in progress
Policy Regarding Indigent Cremations given 8/25/2023
Rattlesnake Hill Roads 11/06/2023
Policy Regarding Computer, E-Mail, Devices and Social Media given 2/14/2024
Telephone Contracts 3/11/2024