[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.