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CITY COUNCIL MEETING

August 10, 2011

5:15 P.M.

The city council met in adjourned session from the meeting of July 11, 2011 with the following present:  Mayor Jack E. Rowden; Councilmen Gary Baughman, Mike Eshbaugh, and Kim Harper.  Absent:  Councilmen Greg Gill 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, City Attorney Wayne R. Tate, Berneice DeWitt, Alvin Riley, and Ruthie Winget.

Mayor Jack E. Rowden presided.

The minutes of the meeting of July 11, 2011 were approved as mailed.

Each member of the governing body was presented a copy of Municipal Judge Sherri Leonard’s report for the month of July, showing 27 new cases brought before the court and $3,073.44 remitted to the city.

CITY INSPECTOR

City Inspector Tony Martin presented his monthly activities report.

DRAINAGE

The city inspector reported he has not had any success in determining whose responsibility it is to maintain the drainage ditch behind 1039 West City Limits.  The outside utilities supervisor was instructed to have his crew clean out the ditch.

GOLF COURSE

Alvin Riley, chairman of the golf course board, updated the city council on the progress of the construction of the golf cart shed and on perfecting the additional water rights.

FINANCE

At 5:33 p.m., the city council met as a budget hearing body.  Berneice DeWitt addressed the city council, concerning the “Shop with a Cop” program.  She suggested the police officers  go to the schools during lunch time in order to get to know the kids, have a park day for the kids, and conduct an obstacle course for younger drivers rather than have the give-away Christmas program. 

FINANCE

Motion by Councilman Mike Eshbaugh, seconded by Councilman Gary Baughman, that the 2012 budget be approved as published.  Motion carried.  The budget calls for an increase of 2.62 mills.

FINANCE

Motion by Councilman Kim Harper, seconded by Councilman Mike Eshbaugh, that Ordinance No. 782, AN ORDINANCE ATTESTING TO AN INCREASE IN TAX REVENUES FOR BUDGET YEAR 2012 FOR THE CITY OF HUGOTON, KANSAS, be passed.  In favor of the motion:  Councilman Baughman, yes; Councilman Eshbaugh, and Councilman Harper, yes.  Motion carried.

IMPROVEMENTS

Motion by Eshbaugh, seconded by Harper, to authorize the mayor to execute the letter agreement with Evans-Bierly-Hutchison & Associates for engineering services in the amount of $1,250.00 to prepare the grant application for the Hike/Bike Trail.  Motion carried. 

POWER SUPPLY

The Electric Interconnection and Power Supply Agreement between Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Inc., and the City of Hugoton expires on May 31, 2012.  As a part of the renewal process, representatives of the three entities met on July 19, 2011.  City Clerk Thomas G. Hicks presented a spread sheet, showing financial data for a proposed power supply and capacity agreement for Pioneer to sell the city all of its electricity needs and for Sunflower to purchase the capacity rights to the city’s electrical generators.  The power supply agreement with Pioneer would have an initial ten-year term with continuing terms and an opt-out clause enabling either party to terminate the agreement with 12 months notice.  Pioneer’s proposal calls for the city to be billed for Pioneer’s cost of energy plus three mills for the first three years of the contract, plus four mills for the next three years of the contract, and plus five mills for the following four years and every year thereafter.

POWER SUPPLY

Prior to entering into an agreement with Pioneer for power supply and Sunflower for capacity rights, the city must first address the issue of installing catalytic converters on the engines at the south power plant to meet the new emissions standards.  The city must determine if the capacity credit from Sunflower is sufficient to justify the expense of the converters. 

CONSULTANTS

Motion by Kim Harper that the city accept the bid of $38,955.00 from Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc. for engineering services for the design of catalytic converters to enable the engines at the south power plant to be in compliance with Maximum Achievable Control Technology for pollution from Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines.  After further discussion, Harper withdrew the motion.

POWER SUPPLY

Currently, Sunflower Electric is not able to determine the city’s total load for network integration transmission service when the city’s generation is on line.  Sunflower, as a member of the Southwest Power Pool, is required to meet the terms of the metering requirement of the transmission tariff for the behind the interconnection generation.  In order to meet the revenue accuracy requirement, Sunflower  has presented an estimate of $78,272 as the city’s cost to upgrade the metering on the city’s generators.

POWER SUPPLY

The city clerk will ask representatives of Pioneer and Sunflower to attend the next council meeting.

POWER PLANTS

Power Plants foreman Richard Barnes has received a bid of $12,000.00 from Midwestern Metal for the remaining engine in plant #1.  The bid is subject to Midwestern Metal inspecting the component parts of the engine at Midwestern’s expense.  Motion by Harper, seconded by Baughman, to accept the bid of Midwestern Metal, if Electric System Supervisor Gary Rowden is in agreement.  Motion carried.

DRAINAGE

The mayor has received a letter from the Kansas Department of Agriculture suggesting the city join the National Flood Insurance Program.  In 1975, the flood map for the City of Hugoton was rescinded.  There are currently no mapped special flood hazard areas in the City of Hugoton.  On one hand, residents of the City of Hugoton are not required to buy flood insurance.  On the other hand, residents also are not able to get coverage for damages from heavy rain.  The consensus of those present was to stay out of the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program.

Claims against the city were presented and audited.  Motion by Harper, seconded by Eshbaugh, that Appropriation Ordinances No. 1939 and 1940 be passed.  Motion carried.

TAX ABATEMENT

Motion by Harper, seconded by Eshbaugh, that Ordinance No. 781, AN ORDINANCE EXEMPTING CERTAIN PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF HUGOTON, KANSAS FROM AD VALOREM TAXATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES, be passed.  In favor of the motion:  Councilman Baughman, yes, Councilman Eshbaugh, yes; and Councilman Harper, yes.  Motion carried.  Ordinance No. 781 corrects a typographical error in Ordinance No. 780 passed at the previous council meeting.

Motion by Harper, seconded by Eshbaugh, that the meeting be adjourned to Tuesday, September 6, 2011 at 5:15 p.m.  Motion carried.

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