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ELLIS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING  Minutes November 18, 2013

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Lyle Johnston called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present were Council members Loran Gottschalk, Jolene Niernberger, Terry Redetzke, and John Walz.  Also present were Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates, Fire Chief Denis Vine and City Attorney Olavee Raub.  Council members John Leiker and Jeff Wolf were absent.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA

Mayor Johnston requested that the appointment to the Planning/Zoning Board be struck from the agenda.

PUBLIC PRESENT

Chad Sproul, Steve Arthur, Dave McDaniel, Glen Keller, Linda Smith, Charlene Weber, Alex Muirhead, Menghao Yin, Morgan Belveal, Maureen Duffy, Olivia Soukup, Gustavo Reyes, and Katlin Senst.

CONSENT AGENDA

Council member John Walz moved to approve the consent agenda containing the Minutes from Regular Meeting on November 4, 2013 and Bills Ordinance #1937. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda unanimously.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Linda Smith addressed Council to gather information regarding the pond installed on West 10th Street.  She feels the pond is impacting her water well.

PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS, PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)

None

SPECIAL ORDER

Fire

Fire Chief Denis Vine presented his monthly fire report.  He and Assistant Fire Chief Dave Honas attended the Kansas State Fire Chief’s Conference in October and the department also recently presented their fire prevention program to K-3 students in the elementary schools.  Chief Vine requested approval to present bids in December for the purchase of large diameter hose.  Council will welcome bids for the purchase of the fire hose.

Water: Special Project

The Fort Hays State University Leadership 310 team presented their semester project to the Governing Body.  The team’s project centered on water conservation and will culminate on December 7, 2013, at the Ellis Follow the Star event where they will facilitate a low-flow showerhead exchange program.  Members of the team also participated in an educational program for K-3 students where they demonstrated how an aquifer works and also had a coloring contest.  The team was very successful in soliciting donations and grants to help pay for the coloring books, showerheads, and aerators.  Next semester part of the team would like to plan a water festival for Ellis residents and also develop an educational program for students in the 4th- 8th grades.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Water: Policy

Council discussed the water leak policy approved at the October 21, 2013 Council meeting.  City Attorney Olavee Raub suggested a revision to the policy providing for residents to petition Council to make adjustments in extraordinary circumstances.  Council member John Walz moved and Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded a motion to approve the water leak policy with the revisions suggested by City Attorney Olavee Raub.  Motion carried 4-0.

General Government: City Code

Council revisited the proposed ordinance mandating address numbers on commercial and residential buildings.  City Attorney Raub noted that the size of the numbers and the placement thereof are addressed in other code sections in Article 3 of Chapter 13 in the City Code book.  Therefore, Council member John Walz moved to approve Ordinance 1362 as presented amending Code Section 13-302 mandating address numbers on buildings.  Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS

Sewer: Accounting/Billing

Chad Sproul, D C Services, was present to request an adjustment on the business’s annual sewer rate due to no longer being in the retail ice business and consuming less water. City Clerk Amy Burton explained how the sewer rate is calculated.  D C Services actually benefited from a lower sewer rate for the first three months of 2013, but since September has paid a larger sewer rate and yet consumed little water.  Council member Terry Redetzke moved to equalize the sewer rate for D C Services and then to recalculate the sewer rate on the readings from the last three months.  Council member John Walz seconded the motion.  Motion carried 4-0.

Personnel: Benefits

Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman asked for reconsideration from Council on the scheduled overtime policy.  Currently, scheduled overtime is calculated at a one hour minimum for various duties, including closing gravesites.  Mr. Scheuerman is asking Council to increase the minimum overtime for closing gravesites to two hours.  Other duties involving scheduled overtime on the weekend may be done at the convenience of the employee; however, closing gravesites requires the employee to work in conjunction with the scheduling of the funeral service.  Whereas other duties may be performed early in the morning, closing a gravesite can occur at any time.  Therefore, Mr. Scheuerman feels increasing the minimum scheduled overtime to two hours is fair.  Council member John Walz moved and Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded a motion to increase the minimum scheduled overtime for closing of gravesites to a two hour minimum.  Motion carried 4-0.

Industrial Development: Accounting/Billing

City Clerk Amy Burton presented for consideration an application for business incentives for Cancun Mexican Grill.  Council member John Walz moved to approve the Application for Local Incentives from Cancun Mexican Grill effective with the next billing period.  Council member Terry Redetzke seconded the motion.  Motion carried unanimously.

Library:  Repair/Maintenance

Steve Arthur, Ellis Public Library, requested financial assistance from the City to help pay for improvements to the lighting in the Library building.  The Library Board is requesting aid in the amount of $1,975.00, one-half the cost of the invoice.  The Council requested Mr. Arthur plan some fundraising events and apply for available grants to help pay for improvements in the future, but the City also recognizes the need to help the Library.  With that, Council member John Walz moved to provide financial assistance to the Ellis Public Library in the amount of $1,975.00 to help pay for improvements to the lighting in the Library building.  Funds will come from the Capital Improvement Fund.  Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-1, with Council member Loran Gottschalk opposed.

Water: Repair/Maintenance

Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented two bids for inspection and cleaning of the City’s water tower.  Mr. Scheuerman would like to table this item until he has been able to review the bids more carefully and check references.

REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS

Public Works

Personnel: Position Change

Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman reviewed the job description for a Public Works Crew Foreman.  He is requesting the reinstatement of this position to ensure a smooth workflow and to provide another supervisory position in managing various projects in the Department.  Council member John Walz moved to approve the job description for a Public Works Crew Foreman as presented.  Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-1, with Council member Loran Gottschalk opposed.

Personnel: Salary

Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve the newly created Public Works Crew Foreman salary at $15.54 per hour.  Council member John Walz seconded the motion.  Motion carried 3-1, with Council member Loran Gottschalk opposed.

Water

Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman reported that he has completed the annual inspection of the water treatment plant.

Council member John Walz asked about the dead trees in Big Creek.  Mr. Scheuerman will contact Ellis County to see if they could assist the City in pulling out the dead trees.

Police

Police Chief Taft Yates reported that he has narrowed down the field of applicants to four after background checks were completed.  The Crown Victoria is now listed for sale on Purple Wave Inc.  The Department has received formal notification from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation that it is in compliance with federal and state mandates as reported in the Quality Assurance Review.

Personnel: Exit

Chief Yates reported that Officer Gabe Smull’s last day will be November 27, 2013.

City Clerk

City Clerk Amy Burton gave an update on the IIMC Municipal Clerks Certification Institute she attended November 11th 15th.

MAYOR/COUNCIL

Mayor Lyle Johnston recently met with the Ellis Community Foundation.  Council discussed using some of the County additional sales tax money to enter into a joint venture with the Foundation to build a community center.   Council directed Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman to get cost estimates to install sewer lines at the proposed location of the fairgrounds.

Mayor Johnston then asked if Council would like a short synopsis of the new business agenda items.  Providing background information on items not seen before might help keep the meeting moving smoothly.  City Clerk Amy Burton will start providing the requested synopsis in the Council packets.

Mayor Johnston then noted that Council member attendance at meetings has been slipping.  It is important that Council members make every effort to attend in order to conduct the City’s business.

Councilmember Jolene Niernberger expressed concerns on why the Chamber and the City aren’t doing more to welcome new businesses to town.  The City should have made the new restaurant aware of the business incentives available right away.  She also has not seen or heard of any feature article highlighting the new restaurant in the newspaper or a ribbon cutting being held.

ADJOURNMENT

Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to adjourn the meeting.  Council member Terry Redetzke seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.  The meeting adjourned at 9:21 p.m.

RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE GOVERNING BODY 5 NOVEMBER 2013

The Governing Body of the City of WaKeeney, Kansas met in a regular session at City Hall 408 Russell Ave at 7:00 PM with the Mayor presiding and the following members present:

Mayor Kenneth Roy and Council Members Mary Jo Clevenger, Irene Dirks, Troy Leiker, and Allen Weigel

BEING ABSENT:  Lynelle Shubert

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as written, printed and distributed.

GUESTS:  Jody Zeman, Chuck Eichman, MiKayla Cody, Abigail Buchholz, Joe Payne, Sonya Stanton, Bernice Shank, Mark Wood, Dave Hendricks, Mary Ruth Hendricks, Charlie Knoll, Terry Eberle, and Janelle Miller

A public hearing was held for the renewal of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program in the City of WaKeeney. City Administrator Hardy Howard answered questions from the public about the program.

Bernice Shank, 107 N. 2^nd Street, requested the city’s assistance in cleaning up two nuisance properties in her neighborhood along N. Railroad.

CITY ADMINISTRATOR:  Hardy Howard presented to the City Council a resolution and notice letter from Tony Potter to assist in cleaning up nuisance properties in the community.  After a lengthy discussion Mary Jo Clevenger motioned to send a courtesy letter to 15 property owners requesting their assistance in cleaning up a variety of issues.  Irene Dirks seconded. Motion carried.

Two quotes where reviewed for concrete work at the City Fire Department. A motion was made by Mary Jo Clevenger and seconded by Irene Dirks to approve the quote from Deines Construction in the amount of $11,000.00.  Troy Leiker abstained.  Motion carried.

The City Administrator presented the renewal quotes for the city’s group health insurance from BlueCross BlueShield.  After a review of the plans and related rates, Allen Weigel motioned to approve the two plans and pay the full employee only premium on either plan as selected by the employee.  Troy Leiker seconded. Motion carried.

At this time an ordinance making appropriation for the payment of claims for the month of October 2013 was read, whereupon, Troy Leiker motioned to approve claims in the amount of $128,791.59 Allen Weigel seconded.  Motion carried.  Warrant #9590 was reviewed prior to approval.

MAYOR:  The final special purpose vehicle ordinance will be reviewed at the next city council meeting.

No further business appearing, the meeting was adjourned.

In Ellis County District Court Monday, Connie Douglas of Hays was sentenced for felony theft.  According to court documents, Douglas was charged with one count of felony theft for purchases she made from April 5th, 2011 through March 3rd 2012.

In the complaint, Douglas was accused of unlawfully and feloniously obtaining the following items for personal use through the Ellis County Historical Society’s PayPal Account (18 items) and the Ellis County United Way’s credit card (2 items).

Douglas pleaded NO CONTEST to the charge, and was sentenced to 12 months of probation with an underlying prison sentence of 7 months.  The underlying prison sentence means that if her probation is revoked, she could serve up to 7 months with the Kansas Department of Corrections.  She will also be subject to 12 months of post-release supervision after she has served her sentence.

As part of her probationary terms, Douglas will also have to pay $2142 in restitution to the Ellis County Historical Society and $304.63 to the United Way of Ellis County.  The total amount she will be required to pay, including court costs, attorney fees and booking/processing fee, is $4906.43.

A teenager was injured in a Thursday I-70 crash in Trego County.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Eighteen year old Ariana L. Jacquez of Moriarty, New Mexico was driving a 2003 Ford Ranger eastbound on I-70 at mile post 121.9, five miles west of WaKeeney and lost control on the roadway.

The truck overturned in the south ditch, and came to rest after hitting the KDOT fence. Jacquez was transported to the Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital. She was wearing a seat belt.

The Ellis County Sheriff’s Department has seen an increase in fuel theft in recent months, especially from parked vehicles.  Sheriff Ed Harbin told Hays Post the most recent case happened in Schoenchen.

The theft happened sometime between November 16th and November 18th in the 200 block of Cheyenne St.  Fuel was siphoned out of the gas tank of a vehicle parked at the residence, but it’s unclear exactly when the incident occurred.  Harbin added that he’s surprised that fuel thefts are happening so frequently now “that gas has been coming down in price.”

Harbin says the easiest way to prevent fuel theft from vehicles is to buy a locking gas cap, which costs around $20 or $30.