ELLIS CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR
MEETING
Minutes
November 4, 2019
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor David McDaniel called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Present were Council members Bret Andries, Holly Aschenbrenner, Steve Ferland,
Martin LaBarge, Jolene Niernberger, and Bob Redger. Also present
were Interim Public Works Director John Leiker, City
Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates, and Fire Chief Dustin Vine. City Attorney Olavee
Raub was absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
None
PUBLIC PRESENT
Kellie Crnkovich, Nancy Wright, James Bell,
Glen Keller, Verda Flinn,
Tricia Pritchett, Myles Vine, Jordan Mattheyer,
Barbara Perkins, John Walz, Chris Krom, Avery Smith,
and Tammy Leiker.
CONSENT AGENDA
Council member Bob Redger moved to approve the
consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on October 21,
2019, Bills Ordinance #2080, and the September Manual Journal Entries. Council member Martin LaBarge
seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda 6-0.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS,
PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
Campground: Special Project
Jordan Mattheyer, speaking on behalf of the Class
of 2006, requested permission to place a memorial bench at the Lakeside
Campground in honor of their classmate, Kyle Urban, who passed away earlier
this year. The powder-coated metal bench
would be anchored on a concrete slab facing the creek. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner
moved to allow the Class of 2006 to place the bench at Lakeside Campground with
the understanding that the City is not responsible for maintaining the
bench. Council member Martin LaBarge seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
SPECIAL ORDER
None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
General Government: Contract
Interim Public Works Director John Leiker discussed
bids for the City’s HVAC preventative maintenance contract. All HVAC contractors licensed with the City
were invited to bid; however, only two bids were received. Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to
accept the three-year contract from Glassman Corporation for preventative
maintenance on the HVAC system at City Hall in the amount of $1,580 per
year. Council member Martin LaBarge seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
NEW BUSINESS
Fire: Acquisition
Fire Chief Dustin Vine presented a quote from Municipal
Emergency Services for additional air pack bottles. The bottles were not budgeted for purchase in
2019; however, Chief Vine has sufficient funds in his Capital Outlay line item
to make the purchase. Council member Bob
Redger moved to approve the
purchase of 4 air pack bottles from Municipal Emergency Services in the amount
of $4,280.00 with funds to come from the General-Fire Capital Outlay line
item. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Personnel: Position Change
In response to Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman’s retirement on October 31st, Mayor
David McDaniel has appointed Water Operator John Leiker
as Interim Public Works Director, effective November 2nd. Council member Martin LaBarge
moved to ratify the appointment of John Leiker as
Interim Public Works Director until the position has been filled. Council member Steve Ferland
seconded the motion. The motion carried
6-0.
General
Government: Policy
City Clerk Amy Burton has been working with EMC
Insurance, the City’s worker’s compensation insurance provider, on developing a
“Return to Work” program in order to reduce worker’s compensation insurance
costs and to get employees back to work faster and in meaningful tasks. The first step in implementing the program is
for Council to adopt a policy statement explaining the City’s commitment to
work with recovering employees to provide tasks within their possible work
restrictions. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to adopt the Return to Work policy
statement as presented. Council member
Bob Redger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Swimming Pool:
Special Project
Ms. Burton continued by discussing the proposed winter
fundraising events for the Swimming Pool Improvement Project. On December 6th the Swimming Pool
Committee will host a soup supper at Ellis High School and again in January at
the VFW. At the January soup supper, the
Committee would like to hold a gun raffle. The Committee requests Council
approval to purchase the prizes for the gun raffle. Twenty percent would be paid now to hold the
items, and then the raffle proceeds would be used to pay the remaining balance. Police Chief Taft Yates has already solicited
several door prizes for the event.
Council member Bob Redger moved to authorize
the Swimming Pool Committee to purchase the prizes for the gun raffle to be
held in January 2020. Council member
Holly Aschenbrenner seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-1, with Council member
Jolene Niernberger opposed.
Parks: Special
Project
The City has received a letter from the Ellis Baptist
Church offering to donate a 5-capacity bike rack to Play World Park. The PRIDE Committee has applied for grants
for this same type of project. It was
the consensus of the Council to refer the Baptist Church to the PRIDE Committee
to possibly collaborate on the project.
No action was taken.
Campground:
Contracts
Verda Flinn, Campground Committee, presented a memorandum from Driggs Design Group summarizing bids from contractors for
the labor to form and pour the nine concrete pads, install storm sewer
improvements, and to provide concrete and pour and finish the 5 ft. sidewalk
along the west side of the Lakeside Campground Expansion. The Public Works Department had planned to
provide the labor; however, the project is running out of time with grant reporting
deadlines. The project has funds
available to contract out the work due to favorable actual expenses from
estimated project costs. The Campground
Committee recommends Council approve the contractor recommendations from Driggs Design Group.
After further discussion, Council member Bob Redger
moved to approve the recommendation from Driggs
Design Group in hiring Brian’s Concrete Services to install the concrete pads
and sidewalk in the total amount of $10,700.00, and to approve M&D
Excavating for the installation of the storm sewer improvements in the amount
of $4,250.00. All work is to be
completed within 30 days of approval.
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded
the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Capital
Improvement: Acquisition
Interim Public Works Director John Leiker
presented the invoice from C&E Doors, LLC for the installation of the
overhead shop door. The cost of the door
itself agrees to the amount Council previously approved, however, twelve
transmitters had to be ordered as the old transmitters were not compatible with
the new door. Council member Martin LaBarge moved to ratify the invoice from C&E Doors, LLC
at a total cost of $3,745.00. Council
member Bret Andries seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
Special
Highway: Repair/Maintenance
Mr. Leiker continued by
requesting approval to purchase a steering gear box for the “little
grader”. The gear box was replaced approximately
two years ago. Council member Martin LaBarge moved to approve the purchase of a steering gear
box from Finditparts.com in the amount of $1,222.95 for the 1964 Allis Chalmers
Grader, with funds to come from the Special Highway fund. Council member Bret Andries
seconded the motion. The motion carried
6-0.
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Public Works
Mr. Leiker reported the Stockton Correctional
Facility inmates have helped trim bushes and trees in the parks and
cemetery. There have been four water
leaks in various areas of town in the last two weeks. Both of the Department’s motor graders have
been out of service. The Department has
demoed a used John Deere 770 but the grader is bigger than the Department
needs. Mr. Leiker
is contacting other vendors to inquire about the availability of other used
machines to better fit the City’s needs.
Police
Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Monthly Activity Report for October
and the November Staff Calendar. October
was a busy month with numerous major incidents.
Officer Kolas graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center
on November 1st. He will
finish his field training in late November.
The Ford Taurus has been out of service with needed repairs.
City Clerk
City Clerk Amy Burton presented the minutes from the recent Swimming Pool
Committee, Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals, and Campground Committee
meetings. The September Financial
Statements were also reviewed. Ms.
Burton has drafted a letter to the Kansas Department of Agriculture requesting
an extension of water diversion works for the Water Exploration Project.
Attorney
Mayor Update and Announcements
Mayor David McDaniel reminded everyone to vote November 5th.
Mayor McDaniel stated he reviewed the applications for the vacant Public
Works Director and Police Chief positions and will
schedule interviews in the coming weeks.
He reminded everyone of the Ellis County Draft Flood Plain Mapping Open
House in Hays on November 6th and the League’s Regional Supper in WaKeeney that evening also.
ADJOURNMENT
Council member Steve Ferland moved and Council
member Martin LaBarge seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried
6-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:43 p.m.
___________________________________
Mayor
_______________________________
City Clerk