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CITY COUNCIL MEETING

November 9, 2009

5:15 P.M.

The city council met in adjourned session from the meeting of October 5, 2009 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, Electric System Supervisor Gary Rowden, City Attorney Wayne R. Tate, Deanna Burkhart, Neal Gillespie, Dorothy Hagman, Olian Thompson, and Ruthie Winget.

“President of the Council” Kim Harper presided.

The minutes of the meeting of October 5, 2009 were approved as read.

Each member of the governing body was provided a copy of Municipal Judge Sherri Leonard’s report for the month of October, showing 23 new cases brought before the court and $4,114.00 remitted to the city.

CITY INSPECTOR

City inspector Tony Martin’s monthly activities report was provided for review.

Mayor Jack E. Rowden arrived at 5:25 p.m. and assumed the duties of presiding officer.

ORGANIZATIONS

Deanna Burkhart, with Black Hills Corporation, made her annual public relations appearance on behalf of the local natural gas provider.

CITIZENS COMPLAINTS

Dorothy Hagman presented a bill for $110.00 from a local electrician to troubleshoot an electrical problem at 109 E. Seventh.  Electric System Supervisor Gary Rowden stated the city had changed the electric meter.  Evidently the old meter can was worn out.  When the meter was replaced, proper contact was not made.  After a problem was reported, the city replaced the meter can, as well.  Normally, the city provides the meter can and the property owner has an electrician install it.  Since the problem was with an item for which the customer is responsible, the city declined the reimbursement request from Mrs. Hagman.

PROJECTS

City Attorney Wayne R. Tate explained the contracts with the Kansas Department of Transportation and EBH and Associates for the downtown streetscape project.

PROJECTS

Motion by Councilman Bob Mason, seconded by Councilman Kim Harper, to authorize the mayor and city clerk to execute the Project Agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for the administration of the downtown streetscape improvements.  Motion carried.

PROJECTS

Motion by Mason, seconded by Gill, to authorize the mayor and city clerk to execute the contract for engineering services with EBH and Associates for the downtown streetscape project.  Motion carried.

PROJECTS

Motion by Kim Harper, seconded by Bob Mason, that Ordinance No. 765, AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING MAIN TRAFFICWAYS WITHIN THE CITY OF HUGOTON, KANSAS , PURSUANT TO K.S.A. 12-685, be passed.  Vote:  Councilman Baughman, yes; Councilman Eshbaugh, yes; Councilman Gill, yes; Councilman Harper, yes; and Councilman Mason, yes.  Motion carried.

FINANCE

Motion by Mason, seconded by Gill, that Ordinance No. 766, AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF HUGOTON, KANSAS TO CONSTRUCT CERTAIN MAIN TRAFFICWAY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CITY AND AUTHORIZING ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF THE CITY TO PAY THE COSTS THEREOF, be passed.  Vote:  Councilman Baughman, yes; Councilman Eshbaugh, yes; Councilman Gill, yes; Councilman Harper, yes; and Councilman Mason, yes.  Motion carried.

GOLF COURSE, FINANCE

Motion by Harper, seconded by Gill, to authorize the mayor and city clerk to execute the conditional sale agreement with Yamaha to finance the lease of ten golf cars for 24 payments of $1,190.00.  Motion carried.

FINANCE

Motion by Harper, seconded by Gill, to accept a contract with Hay – Rice and Associates for an amount not to exceed $9,650.00 for the audit of the 2009 city records.  Motion carried.

POWER SUPPLY

Sunflower Power Corporation has requested a price adjustment to Section 3, of Service Schedule B to the Electric Interconnection and Power Supply Agreement.  The change would decrease the off-peak from $33.00 to $32.00 per MWh, the weekend–peak from $49.50 to $39.50 per MWh, and the non-summer on-peak from $65.00 to $55.00 per MWh for excess Holcomb energy.  Motion by Gill, seconded by Mason, to authorize the mayor to execute the agreement for the Schedule 8 price adjustments.  Motion carried.

ELECTRIC

City Clerk Thomas G. Hicks presented an overview of the impact of proposed Federal legislation to limit the amount of carbon emissions a utility may emit.  The ultimate goal is to make fossil fuels more expensive.  To control the emissions, a system of “Cap and Trade” is being touted.  Each source of emissions will be given an allowance.  That allowance will be reduced each year.  The city’s options would be to buy more allowances, to buy carbon-offset allowances, to reduce retail sales, to reduce emissions, or to install non-fossil fuel generation.  Based on projections from the American Public Power Association, purchasing the additional allowances needed by the City of Hugoton would cost $181,058.00 in 2012 rising to $1,036,271.00 in 2030.  Also, the forced reduction in coal-fired generation will cause conversion to natural gas.  Natural gas prices will then sky rocket, and the city’s generation will be more expensive.  Electric rates will become unbearable to the city’s ratepayers to fund the purchases of the allowances and the increased cost of natural gas.  The City of Hugoton will be taking whatever actions are necessary to protest the “Cap and Trade” climate change legislation.

CITY CODES

The city clerk also presented information on wind energy.  The city really needs to have regulations in place to allow the installation of small wind energy systems in a safe, effective, and efficient manner.   City staff will attempt to locate sample ordinances to be adapted for the City of Hugoton .

GOLF COURSE

The 2009 expenditures for the golf course were discussed.  Based on actual receipts and expenditures for the first ten months and on revenue and expense projections for November and December, it appears the golf course will over-spend its resource allocation by approximately $36,000.00.   The golf course board’s spending is supposed to be limited to the revenue generated by the golf course and 16.67% of the city’s sales tax revenue.

TRANSIENT GUEST TAX

Board of convention and tourism activities chairman Neal R. Gillespie reported his group is recommending expenditures of $1,000.00 each from the convention and tourism fund for Pheasant Heavens Charities and for advertising to attract out-of-the-area hunters later in pheasant season.  Motion by Kim Harper, seconded by Greg Gill, to approve the expenditures.  Motion carried.

Claims against the city were presented and audited.  Motion by Gill, seconded by Mason, that Appropriation Ordinances No. 1897 and 1898 be passed. Motion carried.

Motion by Harper, seconded by Gill, that the meeting go into executive session in regard to the purchase of real estate.  Motion carried.  Mayor Jack E. Rowden called the meeting into executive session at 7:12 p.m. with the meeting to reconvene in open session at 7:27 p.m.

The meeting reconvened in open session at 7:22 p.m.

Motion by Eshbaugh, seconded by Baughman, that the meeting be adjourned to December 7, 2009 at 5:15 p.m.  Motion carried.

 

 

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