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CITY COUNCIL MEETING October 18, 2007 7:30 A. M.
The city council met in special session with the following present: Mayor Jack E. Rowden; Councilmen Mike Eshbaugh, Greg Gill, and Kim Harper. Absent: Councilmen Gary Baughman and Bob Mason. Others present were City Clerk Thomas G. Hicks, City Attorney Wayne R. Tate, and Ruthie Winget. The purposes of the special meeting were to consider the purchase of furniture for the council room, to consider an agreement with the recreation commission, to discuss cellular phone tower regulations, and to discuss pending litigation. Mayor Jack E. Rowden presided. BIDS A proposal from Kansas Correctional Industries was presented for tables and chairs for the council meeting room. The proposal would reconfigure the council room, so all members of the governing body would face the audience. The bid for the three tables, twelve chairs, and a speaker’s podium was $6,971.00. Motion by Councilman Kim Harper, seconded by Councilman Greg Gill, to accept the bid. Motion carried. RECREATION COMMISSION An agreement was presented for consideration, concerning the use of Lots 9 and 10, in Block 18 by the recreation commission. The city purchased the property and was reimbursed by the recreation commission. As a part of the lease purchase agreement for financing the building on the property, an agreement is needed for the use of the property by the recreation commission. Because Councilman Eshbaugh is also the chairman of the recreation commission and would have to sustain from the motion, no action was taken since only two other councilmen were present. BUILDING CODES The requests, for permission to build cellular phone towers by Pioneer Communications at 114 East Sixth Street and by RCC Atlantic at a site north of First Street, were discussed. It was the consensus that instead of amending the city’s current ordinance or rezoning, that both groups seek a variance from the board of zoning appeals from the height regulations. Motion by Councilman Harper, seconded by Councilman Eshbaugh, that the meeting go into executive session in regard to litigation. Motion carried. Mayor Rowden called the meeting into executive session at 7:45 a.m. with the meeting to reconvene in open session at 7:55 a.m. The meeting reconvened in open session at 7:55 a.m. Motion by Greg Gill, seconded by Mike Eshbaugh, that the meeting be adjourned to November 5, 2007 at 5:15 p.m. Motion carried.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING October 9, 2007 5:15 P.M.
he city council met in adjourned session from the meeting of September 10, 2007 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, City Inspector Tony Martin, Electric System Supervisor Gary Rowden, City Attorney Wayne R. Tate, and Ruthie Winget. Mayor Jack E. Rowden presided. The minutes of the meeting of September 10, 2007 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 September, showing 35 new cases brought before the court and $2,203.00 remitted to the city. CHARGE OFFS Motion by Councilman Kim Harper, seconded by Councilman Mike Eshbaugh, that uncollectible utility accounts in the amount of $928.89 be charged off with every effort made to collect the accounts. Motion carried. Councilmen Gary Baughman and Bob Mason arrived at 5:18 p.m. CITY INSPECTOR City Inspector Tony Martin provided a monthly activities report. SEWER Outside Utilities Supervisor Dean Banker presented an engineer’s estimate of $15,634.00 for the extension of the sewer main from the north end of the alley between Madison and Jefferson Streets across First Street to serve Great Plains Gas Compression’s expansion. Such an extension could not continue on to serve additional customers. No action was taken. RIGHT-OF-WAY The representative for the Unicel tower to be constructed north of town has made a request from the city to provide a road right-of-way to ensure access to the tower. The most direct access to the tower site would utilize the 20-foot easement the city has from First Street to water well #12. The city attorney will prepare the necessary documentation. DRAINAGE Dale Sutton has made a request for a formal reply from the city council on his claim for damages to his residence at 1405 S. Monroe. The city’s insurance carrier has ruled the city has no legal liability for the drainage problem affecting Mr. Sutton’s property. The city attorney will respond to Mr. Sutton on behalf of the city council. WATER According to the city’s water conservation plan, water rates are to be evaluated in October. A brief discussion was held on the city’s current rates, established in December, 2004. No action was taken to adjust the rates. TRAFFIC City Attorney Wayne R. Tate reported he has received the signed agreement with United Prairie Ag on the unit train loader. Before authorizing the mayor to sign the document, the council directed the city attorney to clarify with United Prairie Ag that the city expects all the intersections with the railroad tracks to be concreted. Claims against the city were presented and audited. Motion by Greg Gill, seconded by Mike Eshbaugh, that Appropriation Ordinance Nos. 1847 and 1848 be passed. Motion carried. BIDS Bids were opened for two tractor mowers and an attachable collection system. Cornerstone Sales , Inc. $17,203.52 O D’s Shop $18,145.75 Motion by Baughman, seconded by Mason, to accept the bid of Cornerstone Sales, Inc. Motion carried. BIDS The outside utilities supervisor reported he will be seeking bids for a new sanitation truck. Motion by Baughman, seconded by Gill, that the meeting go into executive session in regard to personnel matters. Motion carried. Mayor Rowden called the meeting into executive session at 6:55 p.m. with the meeting to reconvene in open session at 7:10 p.m. The meeting reconvened in open session at 7:12 p.m. Motion by Harper, seconded by Eshbaugh, that the meeting go into executive session in regard to personnel matters. Motion carried. Rowden called the meeting into executive session at 7:12 p.m. with the meeting to reconvene in open session at 7:22 p.m. The meeting reconvened in open session at 7:24 p.m. Motion by Harper, seconded by Gill, that the meeting go into executive session in regard to personnel matters. Motion carried. Rowden called the meeting into executive session at 7:24 p.m. with the meeting to reconvene in open session at 7:34 p.m. The meeting reconvened in open session at 7:35 p.m. PERSONNEL Motion by Gary Baughman to grant 26-cent an hour raises to Richard Barnes, Larry Clark, Chris Crawford, Joe Holcomb, and Jan Leonard, effective October 8, 2007. The motion died for the lack of a second. PERSONNEL Motion by Harper, seconded by Mason, to grant 26-cent an hour raises to Richard Barnes, Larry Clark, Joe Holcomb, and Jan Leonard and to grant a 44-cent an hour raise to Chris Crawford, effective October 8, 2007. In favor of the motion: Baughman, Gill, Harper, and Mason. Opposed: Eshbaugh. Motion carried. Councilman Bob Mason departed the meeting at 7:40 p.m. RETIREES A proposed ordinance, to reduce the city’s exposure to health insurance costs for future retirees and their dependents, was discussed. No action was taken. Motion by Baughman, seconded by Eshbaugh, that the meeting be adjourned to November 5, 2007 at 5:15 p.m. Motion carried.
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