County Commissioners to Address Health Department Updates, Charter Resolution at Monday Meeting
Pottawatomie County Board of County Commissioners will convene Monday at 8:30 a.m. in the Sunflower Room at 612 E Campbell, Westmoreland
The Pottawatomie County Board of County Commissioners will hold their regular meeting Monday morning, with significant agenda items including quarterly health department updates and consideration of a charter resolution that would eliminate duplicative school inspections.
The meeting, chaired by District 5 Commissioner Terry Force, will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Sunflower Room at 612 E Campbell in Westmoreland. Other commissioners include Vice-Chair Deloyce McKee (District 1), Merl Page (District 2), Bill Drew (District 3), and Gary Yenzer (District 4).
Health Department Quarterly Report
Health Department Director Leslie Campbell will present her quarterly update, highlighting what she describes as "a strong start to State Fiscal Year 2026." Key points in her report include:
Funding Updates:
- The department requested $108,050 for four programs and was awarded $99,158
- An additional $5,000 remains pending release of federal preparedness funding
- The Drug Endangered Children Grant received approval for a no-cost extension
Programs and Outreach: Campbell will report on multiple ongoing initiatives, including support for school nurses during the 2025-2026 school year, immunization programs for students from preschool through college age, and senior education sessions. The department is planning a Senior Fair in Wamego for October 9.
The health department has scheduled an extensive flu vaccination campaign for October, including clinics at seven school sites, six community locations, four businesses, and a county training day clinic, in addition to regular clinic hours.
Charter Resolution on School Inspections
A significant agenda item involves a charter resolution that would exempt the county health officer from conducting annual sanitary inspections of school buildings and grounds, as currently required under Kansas statute K.S.A. 65-202(c).
Campbell's documentation argues that these inspections, established in 1927, have become duplicative due to modern oversight systems. Fire Marshal inspections, food service inspections, building code requirements, and utility oversight now address the same health and safety issues, according to the health department's justification.
The resolution would allow health department staff to focus resources on "higher-priority public health needs, such as disease prevention, immunizations, and emerging health issues," while schools would continue to be subject to existing oversight through other inspection systems.
EMS Department Updates
Emergency Medical Services Director Andrew Couchman will provide updates on recent equipment purchases and department activities. Recent acquisitions include:
- A Zoll E-series Advanced Cardiac Monitor, with total county cost of $21,530.49 after grant funding
- A Stryker Power Pro 2 power cot for $26,091.02, discounted from the original $41,000 budget
- Six Zoll auto-pulse batteries totaling $8,934
The department has applied for a $134,729 grant to replace five first-out power cots, noting that seven of the department's nine power cots are 8-11 years old, exceeding the manufacturer's seven-year expected service life.
Couchman will report that the department is fully staffed and has seen approximately 4% higher call volume compared to 2024. Through August 2025, the EMS department has billed $1,192,272.50 and received payments of $696,225.72.
