ELLIS – The Ellis city council is considering a sales tax refund program for retailers.

During the March 5 meeting, council member Dena Patee talked about two such programs in Elk City, Oklahoma.

The Elk City sales tax program refunds 50 percent of the sales tax paid by the retailer during the first year of operation and 25 percent in the second year of operation.  The downtown revitalization program provides for Elk City to match up to $2,500 for exterior improvements to existing buildings.

Ellis city council members will consider drafting a similar plan during it 2019 budget sessions.

The complete meeting minutes follow.

ELLIS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING

Minutes

March 5, 2018

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor David McDaniel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present were Council members Bret Andries, Holly Aschenbrenner, Jolene Niernberger, Dena Patee, and Bob Redger.  Also present were Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates (arrived 8:30 p.m.), and City Attorney Olavee Raub.  Council member Susan Eaton was absent.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA

Mayor David McDaniel added the reading of a Proclamation from Governor Colyer to Section 2 of the agenda.

PUBLIC PRESENT

Annette Ellis, Mark Ellis, Nancy Wright, Joleen Fisher, Mark Flax, Joe Day, Barbara Perkins, Verda Flinn, Steve Ferland, Glen Keller, Gary Luea, Pauleen Edmonds, Charlene Weber, Travis Roland, and Dustin Vine.

CONSENT AGENDA

Council member Bob Redger moved to approve the consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on February 19, 2018, Bills Ordinance #2040, and the Manual Journal Entries for December 2017.  Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda 5-0.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

None

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

Campground: Award

Mayor David McDaniel recognized members of the Campground Committee and presented Travis Roland, Alan Scheuerman, Charlene Weber, and David McDaniel with a Citizen’s Award for their act of service.  Committee members Mike Grogan and Taft Yates were not present.

General Government: Proclamation

Mayor David McDaniel read a Proclamation from Kansas State Governor Jeff Colyer recognizing March 4-10, 2018 as Flood Safety Awareness Week.

SPECIAL ORDER

General Government: Policy

Mark Flax expressed his dissatisfaction with the City’s handling of the grass field north of the tennis courts.  The property is owned by USD 388.  He questioned why the City doesn’t require the school district to follow the codes regulating grass height that other residents must abide by.  Mr. Flax reviewed each of the definitions stated under Code Section 8-402 and discussed what he believes are inconsistencies in the Code.  Mr. Flax also stated the tall grass is a fire hazard to properties in the area.  Council agreed to review the ordinance at the next meeting.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Tourism: Contract

Joleen Fisher, Hays Daily News, presented the proposed digital advertising package as recommended to Council by the Tourism Committee at the last meeting.  At that meeting, Council had questions regarding the package that Committee members were unable to answer.  Ms. Fisher entertained questions from Council regarding how digital advertising works and the target audience the package hopes to reach.  The ad campaign will run from May 1 – August 31 for $250 per month.  Council member Bob Redger moved and Council member Dena Patee seconded a motion to approve the digital advertising package from the Hays Daily News in the amount of $1,000, with funds to come from the Tourism Fund.  The motion carried 4-1, with Council member Holly Aschenbrenner opposed.

General Government: Violations

Mark and Annette Ellis, representatives for the property at 211 E. 11^th Street, updated Council on the status of remedying the twenty-five code violations cited at the property.  Ms. Ellis stated nine of the violations have been addressed, but they are waiting on material to arrive to continue the work.  The couple asked for an additional 45-day extension to bring the property into compliance.  Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to grant an extension of 14 days to address the remaining violations at 211 E. 11^th Street and for Mr. and Mrs. Ellis to appear at the March 19, 2018 meeting to update Council on the progress.  Council member Bob Redger seconded the motion.  The motion carried 4-1, with Council member Jolene Niernberger opposed.

NEW BUSINESS

General Government: Violation

Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented two structures that he believes should be deemed dangerous and unfit for human use or habitation.  The structure at 719 Washington has holes in the roof on two sides, and the garage at 209 E. 11^th is shifting off plumb.  City Attorney Olavee Raub explained the Council can declare the structures dangerous and unfit and proceed through the hearing process and possible demolition, or Council can instruct Mr. Scheuerman to cite a Chapter 8 environmental code violation and give the property owners 15-45 days to remedy the violations.  The property can still be deemed dangerous and unfit if the property owner doesn’t take action.  It was the consensus of Council to have Mr. Scheuerman proceed by issuing a Chapter 8 code violation on each of the two structures.

General Government: Policy

Council member Dena Patee shared information received from Elk City, Oklahoma regarding two of their economic incentive programs.  Their sales tax program refunds 50% of the sales tax paid by the retailer during the first year of operation, and 25% for the second year of operation.  Their downtown revitalization program provides for Elk City to match up to $2,500 for exterior improvements to existing buildings.  Certain parameters must be met to participate in either program.  Council would like to revisit drafting a similar plan for the City during the 2019 budget sessions.

REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS

Public Works

Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented the Comparative Water Report for the period January 10^th – February 10^th.  The percentage of water accounted for continues to decrease.  Mr. Scheuerman did note a substantial leak on 11^th Street that Public Works has been in the process of repairing.

Flatlander Dirtworks will be in town towards the end of the week to remove the houses at 1309 Fauteux and 208 W. 12^th Street.

Public Works: Training

Council member Jolene Niernberger moved and Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded a motion to allow Mr. Scheuerman to attend the Kansas Association of Code Enforcers meeting in Manhattan on April 4^th – 6^th.  The motion carried 5-0.

Personnel: Entry/Exit

Tyler Watson has resigned his position in the Sanitation Department effective March 2, 2018.  Cameron Reed was hired to replace Mr. Watson.  He began employment February 22, 2018.

Police

Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Monthly Activity Report for February and the March Staff Calendar.

City Clerk

City Clerk Amy Burton presented the December 2017 and Year-End Financial Statements consisting of the Statement of Accounts, Treasurer’s Report, and Security Deposit Worksheet.

Minutes from recent meetings of the Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals and the Water Advisory Committee were included for review.

Attorney

City Attorney Olavee Raub provided a status update on the real estate contracts with the Ellis Golf Club and the land owners for the Water Exploration Project.

The City has an ongoing case regarding the placement of a fence.  Both the City and the resident have hired independent surveyors, but there are differences within each of the surveyor’s reports.

Mayor Update and Announcements

Mayor David McDaniel reported that he and Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman recently attended a FEMA Floodplain Mapping meeting in Hays.  The project will take 3-4 years to complete but will supply cities within Ellis County updated floodplain maps.

Council member Holly Aschenbrenner updated Council on the Community Block Party event tentatively scheduled for June 9^th.

ADJOURNMENT

Council member Bob Redger moved and Council member Bret Andries seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting.  The meeting adjourned at 8:56 p.m.

OFFICE OF SEN. BOWERS

TOPEKA- State Sen. Elaine Bowers (36th District, R-Concordia) has been selected to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) hosted by the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The JCOC program is the oldest and most prestigious public liaison program in the Department of Defense.

As a JCOC participant, Senator Bowers will spend several intense days from June 10-16, 2018 at military installations, engaging with senior military officials and U.S. service members. In addition to participating in tactical training exercises, Sen. Bowers will gain a better understanding of the roles and mission of the U.S. Armed Forces; their skills, capabilities, and equipment employed in defense of the nation.

The JCOC program is directly linked to the Department of Defense’s new initiative, This Is Your Military. The goal of the initiative is to educate and accurately inform the American public on the military’s relevance, innovativeness, and how it is a force for good. The program also seeks to introduce the American public to those who currently serve and to dispel common misperceptions about the military.

“We are extremely excited and proud of Senator Bowers for being selected to participate in the JCOC program,” Senate President Susan Wagle said. “It is so important to understand and appreciate the sacrifices that those in the U.S. Armed Forces make daily to keep our nation safe. This is a great program and we are lucky to have Senator Bowers represent us this summer at JCOC.”

The objective of the JCOC public liaison program is to help bridge the growing military-civilian divide by:

• Educating and informing participants about the strength and readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces through personal observation of Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard operations.
• Providing a better understanding of the rewards of military service.
• Providing the American public opportunities to obtain a better understanding of national defense policies and programs through the eyes of opinion leaders who have spent time with their military.

HFD

The city of Hays Fire Department will be inspecting and flow testing fire hydrants on Tue., March 13, 2018 in the area from Canterbury Dr. to Commerce Parkway between 13th St. and 22nd St.

This is part of a coordinated effort by the city of Hays to inspect all fire hydrants in the city and flush all water mains annually.

OFFICE OF REP. MARSHALL

LYONS – On Saturday, First District Congressman Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, met with ethanol producers and agriculture industry leaders at the Kansas Ethanol LLC facility, Lyons, to discuss the preservation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and current Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) structure. In the discussion, producers made it clear that a cap on RINs would have serious implications on the Big First.

“At the moment we’re at about a 12-year low in farm income,” said first generation Reno County farmer Geoff Burgess. “This coming season we’re just getting started, and it’s already projected to be a 6.7 percent reduction further. It’s gonna hurt demand for corn and drive our prices down even more, and that will be really hard to swallow. There’s a lot at stake here.”

It’s been recently reported that the administration is considering capping the price of RINs. Multiple studies indicate a RINs price cap would reduce ethanol demand by more than 750 million gallons and cost corn farmers as much as 25 cents per bushel.

“Back in 2000, we had roughly 3.4 million acres of corn. Last year we were at 5.3. We have basically gone from a corn importer to a corn exporter just due to the amount of corn that is being produced in our area. With that being said, for us, not having the ethanol plant as an end user in our area would be huge,” Dustin Campbell, from Team Marketing Alliance, said.

Based on current corn prices, a cap on RINs would mean a $4 billion decline in farm income at a time when producers earnings are already struggling to break event. This hit to our Kansas farmers would devastate our communities.

“I’m a fifth-generation farmer – came back to take over the farm when my father died. We’ve grown substantially in size, and a lot of it’s due to the ethanol plant. We’ve got a steady, reliable market that pays at levels we can make profitable on our farm,” said Matt Splitter, who farms in Rice County and sits on the board of the Kansas Association of Corn Growers and Central Prairie Coop.

Ethanol not only benefits Kansas farmers but provides a higher-octane, cleaner-burning fuel alternative for drivers across the country.

“The car makers are saying they want a higher octane fuel, and that’s the value of ethanol because it boosts the octane value of fuel,” said Kansas Ethanol CEO and President Mike Chisam. “We’re willing to work with (the refiners), and I think it’s in the best interest of both industries to work together to figure out a solution to all of this.”

With ten ethanol plants in the state and eight of them in Congressman Marshall’s district, Kansas is in a position to be a top ethanol exporter and leader in renewable fuel production. Tom Willis, CEO of Conestoga Energy, the largest ethanol producer in the state, was unable to attend the meeting but still expressed his concerns from possible RINs cap to the Rep. Marshall.

“This proposal would hit Kansas agriculture hard, lowering corn and sorghum prices when our farmers are already under water,” Willis said.

As members in the administration work to negotiate with oil refiners and ethanol producers, Rep. Marshall made it clear to the producers he met with that he shared their concerns with a RINs cap.

“These discussions between ethanol producers and refiners must lead to a win-win solution that support jobs across our energy industry,” Congressman Marshall said.

Hays Post and Eagle Communications seeking nominations for the next Teacher of the Month!

From October through April, Hays Post will solicit nominations from through the area from parents, students and colleagues. Fill out the form below to nominate your favorite educator!

This recognition is made possible by the support of Midwest Energy, Diamond R Jewelry, Top Notch Cleaners, Hickok’s Steakhouse and Ultimate Massage.

The winning teacher will receive a gift certificate, courtesy of Hickok’s Steakhouse! Submissions will be accepted through 5 p.m. Monday.

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