[0:00] I'll call to order the board of Franklin County Commissioners meeting for

[0:04] Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026 to order. Starting with roll call.

[0:08] » Commissioner Somire, >> present.

[0:09] » Commissioner Wayer, >> Chair Meadow,

[0:12] » present. >> Vice Chair Harris,

[0:13] » present. >> Commissioner Dickinson,

[0:15] » we will stand for the pledge of allegiance.

[0:18] I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

[0:25] republic for it stands under indivisibley.

[0:34] » Stay standing. [clears throat]

[0:37] » Morning commissioners. >> Wanted to read a little bit from Psalm

[0:41] 16 as part of my prayer this morning. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel.

[0:49] In the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me

[0:55] because he is at my right hand. I shall not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is

[1:01] glad and my whole being rejoices. So Lord, we say thank you for the

[1:09] wisdom, the counsel, and all that you give. and especially not least of all

[1:15] for gladness. And so I pray this across our county. I

[1:19] want to say thank you for each of our staff members and for our Franklin

[1:24] County commissioners and uh all that they pour into our community. Lord, I

[1:29] know this is for our gladness. And so I pray for this sort of joy resulting in

[1:35] this meeting and in all of the decisions that are made for gladness and for your

[1:41] counsel. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[1:44] » Amen. You may be seated. All right. Do we have any

[1:49] correspondence? >> I don't believe so.

[1:51] » All right. Any regular public comment? >> No.

[1:55] » Okay. Moving on to the consent agenda. Consider and approve claim vouchers and

[2:00] tax change orders in the amount of $431,99.94.

[2:08] Consider and approve the Franklin County Commission meeting minutes for August 26

[2:13] 20 A. That one always messes me up. August 26, 2026. Consider approving the

[2:18] tire bit to pumps tire in the amount of $15,632.65

[2:25] and then discuss and review Franklin County EMS 2026 operational report, June

[2:30] 2026 financial report, June 2026 adjustment report, and June 2026

[2:35] collections report. Madam Chairman.

[2:39] » Yes. >> I'd like to ask a couple questions on

[2:41] the handling. >> Okay. So, we can separate

[2:44] » just a couple questions. >> Okay. We'll separate that out. So, you

[2:47] want to make a motion on the first three or do you want to listen to her first?

[2:53] All right. Christie, he has some questions.

[2:56] » Sure. >> Just kind of interested me. Is there any

[3:01] usually July is when the state comes out with different laws and regulations and

[3:08] changes? I just wonder if there's any that affected the ambulance.

[3:13] » We have not seen any this year that have affect us have had a huge effect on us.

[3:18] They've just done some little tweaks on how we do things operationally. Uh

[3:23] changed a few scopes of practice uh within the EMT AMT level.

[3:29] And I noticed uh I mean you probably maybe don't know the answer to this one,

[3:34] but I noticed that numbers really went up on the Wellsville Fire District this

[3:40] last month. Is there any reason for any particular reason?

[3:44] » I haven't noticed a distinct reason other than just call volume's been up a

[3:49] little bit just across the board. >> 31 to 41.

[3:53] » Yeah. >> Yeah. I didn't know if there's something

[3:56] accident that happened or >> No, there was

[3:58] » something like that. >> No, sir.

[4:00] » That's all I'm That's all I want to know.

[4:02] » Okay, >> that sounds good. Well, thanks for

[4:04] coming up. >> Thank you.

[4:06] » All right, now we can move on. >> Motion to approve the consent agenda.

[4:10] » Second. >> It's been moved and seconded.

[4:13] » Commissioner Solomire? >> Yes.

[4:14] » Commissioner Raymire? >> Yes.

[4:15] » Commissioner Harris? >> Yes.

[4:17] » Chair Me? >> Yes.

[4:19] » All right. Moving on to items of business. Considering the approval of

[4:24] reszoning application 26005-000047 Ray to reszone approximately 5 acres

[4:31] from the Agricultural District to the RE residential estate district. Nathan,

[4:37] » good morning. Uh the property is located at 4255 Florida Road. Uh it's

[4:42] approximately 93 acres. Uh the applicant's requesting to split off five

[4:46] acres to go to the RE district uh to give to his grandson um in order to

[4:52] finish construction of a new residence. Uh there's currently existing water well

[4:56] that was done in August of 2025 and there's already an inground septic

[5:01] system that's been in place and approved. Uh notice was sent to five

[5:06] surrounding property owners. We did not receive anything for or against it. Uh

[5:10] planning commission did recommend approval.

[5:12] » Okay. [clears throat] Anybody have any questions? No.

[5:17] » Regarding it? >> Make a motion to approve 2605-047.

[5:25] » Second. >> All right. It's been moved and seconded.

[5:28] » Commissioner Ray, >> yes.

[5:29] » Commissioner Harris, >> yes.

[5:31] » Commissioner Stomire, >> yes.

[5:32] » Chair Met, >> yes. All right. Thank you. All right.

[5:35] Moving on. Consider resolution of the Franklin County Board of County

[5:39] Commissioners granting a temporary moratorum on the planning,

[5:43] establishment, construction, application for for or permitting of any special use

[5:48] permits for data centers or related activities and components associated

[5:53] with data centers in the unincorporated areas of Franklin County, Kansas until

[5:58] December 31st, 2028. Derek, >> yeah, thanks Sabrina. Um this cover

[6:04] sheet obviously speaks for itself. As the four of you will recall, this came

[6:09] up um during your commissioner reports last week. You had asked staff to

[6:14] prepare this as an item. Um this is a moratorum.

[6:20] Um the purpose of it, at least from from staff perspective, is to allow us time

[6:27] to get into our comp plan um where we can have a more robust

[6:34] discussion about not only data centers but also um renewable energy.

[6:40] Um this moratorum would extend until December 31st, 2028. But I know at the

[6:48] staff level, we hope to have the comp plan done by then. And once the comp

[6:54] plan is done and the the five of you are content with the regulations, with the

[7:00] update, then I would anticipate potentially removing this because this

[7:06] will be addressed in the new comp plan. But we do feel like through the end of

[7:12] 28 gives us ample time um to get that comp plan completed. Hence the the date

[7:19] that we put on that. >> Okay.

[7:22] Does anybody have any specific questions or comments

[7:26] regarding >> We do have two public comments.

[7:29] » Oh yeah, we do have public comments. Sorry,

[7:32] » we can start with that. Okay. Michael Lewis.

[7:37] [snorts]

[7:40] » Morning, commissioners. Michael Lewis, Auburn, Kansas. Um, I wanted to speak in

[7:45] support of the moratorum yell drone up. Uh, when you look at data centers,

[7:50] there's three things they need. Water, electric, and a willing jurisdiction to

[7:55] plant their feet. Um, I've heard Commissioner Harris speak last week.

[7:59] He's not too sure if we need this because they might not want to come

[8:02] here. Well, I'd say what a development proposal with Proximity Park would beg

[8:07] to differ. It might we don't have utilities. Look

[8:12] at Al Cove and Oawadami. They're running high voltage energy transmission lines

[8:17] from Lacine. So, they'll bring their power. They'll take our water. Um,

[8:23] I'd say let's just get past the bubble. There's a lot going up. They're not even

[8:28] sure if they're going to make money. So to ensure we're not simply a playground

[8:33] for private equity, I'd actually recommend regardless of the comp plan to

[8:36] go ahead and extend the south a full three years to September 2029.

[8:41] » Thank you. >> All right. Thank you.

[8:44] » Next, >> Teddy Love.

[8:52] » Good morning. >> Good morning. [laughter]

[8:55] » Um, so I'm Teddy Love. My husband and I, Tam and I live on the north side of

[8:59] Ottawa. Um, so [laughter] we have only lived here for about six

[9:04] years, so we don't know all the background about Proximity Park and

[9:08] everything and had not even seen it until about two weeks ago. We drove

[9:12] through there and wow, [laughter] it's amazing, you know, what they what

[9:18] they've done out there to prepare it for um something to come in and something

[9:23] needs to be there. However, when you look at the farmers that are right

[9:29] there, the cows and the people, I mean, Jessica lives a mile from from there.

[9:35] And so, you know, we were just shocked that um that something of this magnitude

[9:42] could possibly go in there and without any environmental studies being done. Um

[9:49] so we're just here in support asking you to please yes consider um doing this

[9:55] moratorum um for the incorporated areas. We know that it's that that that city at

[10:01] proximity park and you guys are talking about unincorporated areas. So if we're

[10:06] understanding that correctly are we that that it's more the county unincorporated

[10:11] areas, right? Okay. And uh so we'll continue the fight at the city, but

[10:16] [laughter] we just wanted to come in support of until all the studies and

[10:21] talking and the [clears throat] bubble and all that can get done. Thank you.

[10:26] » Thank you. >> All right, that's all we have beyond

[10:31] discussion with this thoughts.

[10:37] I agree fully on just having that broader discussion of how we want to see

[10:42] county go in the future. We've been trying to get this process going and we

[10:47] can finally get there. So, >> yeah.

[10:51] » Well, and and I said this last week, I want to say it again. I

[10:56] we still and we'll have these discussions publicly with the five of

[11:00] you, but we need to have a discussion several discussions. First, when it

[11:05] comes to the comp plan, what the five of you would like to see. I mean, it can be

[11:10] anything from updates to the current plan

[11:17] to a complete gutting and rewrite. But when you get into that, I mean, that is

[11:23] not something we feel capable of doing at the staff level. So, you're talking

[11:28] about consultant groups, you're probably talking about a six figure expense. This

[11:33] is a discussion that needs to be had, but I don't know if we feel like that is

[11:38] necessary at the staff level. I think that we need to have a discussion about

[11:44] renewable energy and data centers. And I regardless of what this looks like, I am

[11:50] going to recommend that we do that first because that is a very relevant topic,

[11:56] both of those. and we've got folks that um have interest in that topic and would

[12:02] like to see action. So, I would recommend that when we get there, we

[12:07] lead with that. And then after that, we get into some of the more mundane stuff

[12:14] that we just see over and over in planning and zoning that most folks

[12:17] aren't going to. you get to talking about like just general setbacks from

[12:23] rideaways or I mean Nathan and Ded especially could talk about the things

[12:28] that just need amended but that that is going to be I think what we propose but

[12:35] I think and I've said this to you before just starting to think about are you

[12:39] content just updating what we have or do you want to bring somebody in just to

[12:44] completely gut it or are you thinking something else entirely? So, but we'll

[12:50] we'll cross that bridge soon enough. But we're starting to have those discussions

[12:55] internally and I would expect there to be some degree of discussion this fall

[13:00] planning on a early 2027 start.

[13:07] [clears throat] >> Any other thoughts?

[13:11] » Uh I think the more talking the more we'll do. I I can remember back about

[13:18] three years ago maybe when this all started conversation and I was at a

[13:24] state KC meeting and I mentioned that there was talk of it and most of the

[13:30] people didn't even know what we were even talking about. So the

[13:35] education of and and and what's happening, what's going is that is

[13:41] moving so fast. People getting educated on what it is and what it does. And you

[13:47] know, three years ago, most people, you mentioned data center, they didn't even

[13:51] know what you were talking about, you know, and I think now it's it's got to

[13:56] the point that uh everybody's getting a lot more knowledgeable about what it is

[14:03] and what it does and what it can happen, what it could cause. And so I think it's

[14:08] a good thing that u we could give oursel a little more time

[14:13] to uh figure out and get it written into our policies. I'm sure there's still

[14:18] going to be things come up between now and the time we do it. So that's all I

[14:23] got. In the meantime, it avoids the situation where somebody would apply

[14:30] before it wouldn't be a good thing for the

[14:32] community. It wouldn't be a good thing for the applicant. It just we we're

[14:36] avoiding a uh a mess too in that way and I think it's the pretty straightforward

[14:42] uh um thing we're look that's in front of us

[14:46] and it's timely as well.

[14:53] Need a motion. >> I don't have anything.

[14:56] » Okay. Make a motion to approve a temporary

[14:59] moratorium on the planning, establishment, construction, application

[15:03] for or permitting of any special use permits or data centers or related

[15:09] activities and components associated with data

[15:14] centers in the unincorporated areas of Franklin County, Kansas until December

[15:18] 3128, 2028.

[15:23] » There a second. >> Second.

[15:26] More discussion before we do this to make it legit. Everybody's good. All

[15:31] right. Well, now >> Commissioner Harris,

[15:33] » yes. >> Commissioner Sodtomire,

[15:35] » yes. >> Commissioner Waymire,

[15:36] » yes. >> Chair Meadow,

[15:37] » yes. Motion carries.

[15:41] [applause]

[15:44] » All right, that moves us on to staff reports. Anything else?

[15:48] » Hey, thanks. >> Okay, who else is in there? Sheriff, do

[15:52] you have anything? Nathan, Dustin, want to give us All right, Jeff.

[15:57] All right. Wow. All right. Nothing. Commissioners, anything to add?

[16:02] » Have anything? >> Um, last week I went to the Chamber

[16:06] Coffee for Life Care Center. Got to see Teddy there. Um, they've been in the

[16:10] community for 33 years, I think, doing wonderful things. Um after this I will

[16:15] be heading to Kate's THA campus for a secure energy initiative technical

[16:22] interchange meeting. So where I hope to gather more information to bring back

[16:28] that will help us when we're doing our comprehensive plan.

[16:32] » I had to add so move [laughter]

[16:38] » motion. Yes. Motion to adjurnn. Is there a second?

[16:41] » All in favor say I. All right.

09 02 2026 Franklin County Board of County Commissioners Meeting

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