CITY OF HUGOTON

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CITY COUNCIL MEETING

March 8, 2010

5:15 p.m.

The city council met in adjourned session from the meeting of February 8, 2010 with the following present:  Mayor Jack E. Rowden; Councilmen Gary Baughman, Mike Eshbaugh, Greg Gill, Kim Harper, and Bob Mason.

Others present were Outside Utilities Supervisor Dean Banker, City Clerk Thomas G. Hicks, Chief of Police Courtney Leslie, City Inspector Tony Martin, Electric System Supervisor Gary Rowden, City Attorney Wayne R. Tate, Mark Crawford, Ashley Fiss, Neal Gillespie, Jan Leonard, Brad Musgrove, Robin Sullivan, and Ruthie Winget.

Mayor Jack E. Rowden presided.

The minutes of the meeting of February 8, 2010 were approved as mailed.

Each member of the governing body was provided a copy of Municipal Judge Sherri Leonard's report for the month of February, showing 20 new cases brought before the court and $3,898.34 remitted to the city.

CITY INSPECTOR

City Inspector Tony Martin presented his monthly activities report.

Councilman Gary Baughman arrived at 5:20 p.m.

ADDITIONS

The city inspector presented a preliminary plat for the Pioneer Addition, southwest of town.  Two tracts are platted. Block 1, consisting of 15.451 acres, is the location of the new Pioneer Manor and includes surrounding streets.  Block 2, consisting of 94.51 acres, is the remainder of the county-owned property.  Block 2 shows a gas well location, pipeline easements, electric line easement, and water line easement but does not divide the block into lots and does not provide for streets and alleys.  The preliminary plat of Block 2 does not meet the requirements of the city's subdivision rules and regulations.  The city inspector will notify the engineering firm of the deficiencies in the plat.

INSURANCE

Brad Musgrove reviewed the renewal package for the city's insurance policies with Employers Mutual Companies.  Motion by Councilman Kim Harper, seconded by Councilman Greg Gill, to accept the package as proposed.  Motion carried.

TRAFFIC

USD #210 Superintendent Mark Crawford and architect Ashley Fiss asked the city council to make a decision on the traffic flow on Madison Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets in front of the new early childhood development center.  Since Sixth Street is one-way to the west in front of the elementary school before and after school and Fifth Street is one-way to the east behind the elementary school before and after school, Madison Street needs to be one-way to the north for the traffic to flow around the school.  Debate ensued on whether Madison Street should be one-way permanently, one-way from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on school days, one-way before and after school and when morning and afternoon classes change, or one-way matching the hours of one-way traffic on Sixth and Fifth Streets.  Motion by Harper, seconded by Gill, to make traffic on Madison Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets one-way, northbound for the hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on school days.  Also, no parking signs are to be erected on the north side of Fifth Street between Madison and Adams Street for the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on school days.  In favor of the motion: Councilmen Gill, Harper, and Mason.  Opposed: Councilmen Baughman and Eshbaugh.  Motion Carried.

TRAFFIC

Motion by Greg Gill, seconded by Bob Mason, for the city to bear the expense of the flashing, one-way sign to be erected at the Fifth Street and Madison Street Intersection.  Motion carried.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Economic Development Director Neal R. Gillespie returned to get feedback from the governing body on the city's interest in a neighborhood revitalization plan.  The county commissioners are in favor of a uniform plan for the whole county with a declining, five-year rebate period of the property taxes for any improvements increasing the appraised value of a property by $50,000 or more.  After some discussion on whether tax rebates should be allowed for residential construction in the newer subdivisions of the city, the consensus of the governing body was, that if enacted, to apply the neighborhood revitalization plan within the entire city limits of Hugoton.

IMPROVEMENTS

Jan Leonard Presented cost figures for items not included in the downtown streetscape project.

                        Christmas lights for trees                        $ 2,034.00

                        Banners for light poles                            $10,080.00

                        Flagpoles                                                 $      396.00

                        Outside speaker system                        $12,473.00

Motion by Harper, seconded by gill, to allocate up to $25,000, from the funds set aside for the city's contribution to the project, for the purchase of the items.  Motion carried.

ZONING

Motion by Harper, seconded by Gill, that Ordinance No. 767, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE 2, OF THE HUGOTON, KANSAS ZONING ORDINANCE BY DELETING SECTION 18-294, ENTITLED "HEIGHT REGULATIONS" AND ADOPTING A NEW SECTION 18-294 WITH THE SAME TITLE, be passed.  Vote: Councilman Baughman, yes; Councilman Eshbaugh, yes; Councilman Gill, yes; Councilman Harper, yes; and Councilman Mason, yes.  Motion carried.

DISASTER MITIGATION

Motion by Harper, seconded by Eshbaugh, that Resolution No. 2010-2, A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF HUGOTON, KANSAS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON CITIZENS OR DAMAGES TO PROPERTY FROM NATURAL OR MAN-MADE DISASTERS, be passed.  Motion carried.

ORGANIZATIONS

Motion by Harper, seconded by Eshbaugh, to appoint Charlie Wagner as Director #2 on the Board of Directors of the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency.  Motion carried.

TRAFFIC

According to the unit train agreement with United Prairie Ag, the city will review, at the March 2010 city council meeting, the success of the manual activation system for the traffic warning lights.  No criticisms were expressed over the manual activation system.  the lights in town are working well.  The lights to the north and west of town are weak.  The city attorney will notify UPA of the need to increase the intensity of the rural lights.  The city council will again review the lighting system in six months.

ORGANIZATIONS

The League of Kansas Municipalities has made a request for funding to support the league's 100th anniversary celebration at the organization's annual conference.  No motion was offered for the city to help sponsor the event.

WATER

The city clerk presented copies of the city's current water conservation and water emergency plans.  Both documents are to be reviewed annually for updates at the April city council meeting.

Claims against the city were presented and audited.  Motion by Harper, seconded by Gill, that Appropriation Ordinances No. 1905 and 1906 be passed.

Motion by Eshbaugh, seconded by Baughman, that the meeting be adjourned to April 5, 2010 at 5:15 p.m.  Motion carried.

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