ELLIS CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR
MEETING
Minutes
July 1, 2019
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor David McDaniel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present
were Council members Bret Andries, Holly Aschenbrenner, Martin LaBarge, and
Jolene Niernberger. Also present were Public
Works Director Alan Scheuerman, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates,
and City Attorney Olavee Raub. Council members Steve Ferland
and Bob Redger were absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
City Clerk Amy Burton requested that consideration of the credit card
resolution be tabled until the next meeting.
PUBLIC PRESENT
Nancy Wright, Joleen Fisher, Verda Flinn, John Begler, Daniel Pyle,
Tricia Pritchett, Chad Pritchett, James Bell, Glen Keller, D. J. Fischer,
Pauleen Edmonds, Doug Williams, Brent Jaynes, Joe Kreutzer, Kellie Crnkovich, Melvin Kinderkneht,
and Jessica Russell.
CONSENT AGENDA
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to remove
the invoice from Cheaper than Dirt from Bills Ordinance #2072 so that it can be
considered separately. Council member
Martin LaBarge seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0. Council member Martin LaBarge
had several questions for Police Chief Taft Yates regarding the pricing and use
of the ammunition on the invoice. After
discussion, Council member Martin LaBarge moved to
approve the invoice from Cheaper than Dirt in the amount of $886.99. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner
seconded the motion. The motion carried
4-0. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner then moved to approve the consent agenda
containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on June 17, 2019 and Bills
Ordinance #2072. Council member Martin LaBarge seconded the motion. The Council approved the
consent agenda 4-0.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Melvin Kinderknecht asked for Council to
consider additional options in order to provide better weed control at the
cemetery, especially with newly filled graves.
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS,
PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
General Government: Financial –
Budget Request
Dan Pyle presented the Ellis Recreation Commission’s 2020 Budget
Request. The Commission is requesting
$5,000 for maintenance to the ballfields.
The Council took no action and will consider the request during budget
preparation.
General Government: Financial –
Budget Request
Glen Keller, Chairman of the Ellis Railroad Museum, presented the 2020
budget request of $16,000 for consideration, the same amount as last year. The Council took no action and will consider
the request during budget preparation.
General Government: Financial –
Budget Request
Doug Williams, Executive Director, presented the 2020 budget request for
Grow Hays. The organization is
requesting $4,000 to help fulfill their mission of business creation, business
growth, and retention and business recruitment.
The Council took no action and will consider the request during budget
preparation.
General Government: Financial –
Budget Request
D.J. Fischer, President of the Ellis Junior Free Fair Board, presented
their 2020 budget request of $3,000 for consideration. Mr. Fischer stated Ellis County completely
removed any funding for the Fair from their 2020 budget. The Fair Board had requested $3,100 from
Ellis County, so any amount of funding the City could provide would be
appreciated. The Council took no action
and will consider the request during budget preparation.
SPECIAL ORDER
Fire: Disposition
Mayor David McDaniel opened the single sealed bid for the 1984 Chevrolet
C-70 fire truck. Honas Tank Service has
submitted a bid and check for $5,200. Council
member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to accept the bid
from Honas Tank Service in the amount of $5,200 for the 1984 Chevrolet C-70
fire truck. Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0.
General Government: Financial
Brent Jaynes, Leisure Real Estate Advisors, discussed the current
financial situation at the Ellis Days Inn.
The hotel has been for sale for years, but one of the obstacles the current
owners face is that the City’s tax abatement expires in 2020. Mr. Jaynes asked for the Council to consider a new tax abatement to make the property more attractive to
potential buyers. The terms of the
abatement could be negotiated as to the length of time and the amount of the abatement. Mr. Jaynes stressed that some tax relief
would be necessary in order to sell the property and maintain as a hotel.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
General
Government: Financial
Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve the 2018 Audit Report as presented by Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball, Chtd
at the last Council meeting. Council member Martin LaBarge seconded the
motion. The motion carried 4-0.
NEW BUSINESS
Swimming Pool: Grant
Amy Burton provided an update from the recent Swimming
Pool Committee meeting. The City has
been awarded a Dane G. Hansen Foundation grant in the amount of $300,000. This brings the total grant awards for the
Swimming Pool Project to $1.3 million.
The Committee recommends Council accept the Hansen grant and allow the
Committee to begin a fundraising campaign to raise the rest of the funds needed
to construct the new pool. Acceptance
would essentially signify Council is willing to move forward with the project,
as the grant has to be accepted by July 9th. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to accept the Dane G. Hansen Foundation Grant in
the amount of $300,000. Council member
Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion.
The motion carried 3-1, with Council member Martin LaBarge
opposed.
Ms. Burton then requested Council provide the Committee
a budget for raffle prizes, hot dog feed, and advertising. Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to
authorize the Swimming Pool Committee to proceed with fund raising events at a
cost not to exceed $1,000. Council
member Bret Andries seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0.
Tourism:
Acquisition
Tourism Committee members Joleen Fisher and Pauleen
Edmonds presented three bids to republish the “Experience Ellis” booklet. The Committee recommends the low bid from the
Hays Daily News as they published the previous booklet and own the rights to
the pictures and layout. They can also
provide the fastest turnaround time.
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to
accept the low bid from the Hays Daily News in the amount of $2,650 for 6000
copies of the “Experience Ellis” booklet.
Council member Bret Andries seconded the
motion. The motion carried 4-0. Council requested to see a proof of the
booklet prior to printing.
General
Government: Financial
Consideration of approval of the updated credit card resolution will be
tabled until the next meeting.
Swimming Pool: Repairs/Maintenance
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented two bids for repairs to
the limestone blocks at the Pool House. Once
the limestone is repaired, then the blocks can be waterproofed. Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to
accept the low bid from Stan Honas in the amount of $5,850 for repairs to the
Pool House, with funds to come from the Capital Improvement Fund. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner
seconded the motion. The motion carried
3-1, with Council member Bret Andries opposed.
General Government: City Code
City Attorney Olavee Raub presented the necessary documents to implement Senate
Bill 105 which allows cities to determine the swearing in date of the newly
elected city officials. The proposed Charter Ordinance amends Charter Ordinance
No. 24 and adds the provision that newly elected city officials will take
office at a date set by resolution.
Council will also need to adopt an ordinance removing the required
additional January Council meeting that was used to swear in the newly elected
city officials. Then finally, Council
will need to approve a resolution setting the new date for the swearing
in. The ordinance and the resolution
should not be adopted until the referendum period expires on the Charter
Ordinance. It was the consensus of
Council to table consideration of the Charter Ordinance until the next meeting
since two Council members are absent.
General
Government: Contracts
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner
moved to approve the engagement letters for Agreed Upon
Procedures from Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball, for the
Ellis Community Foundation, Ellis Alliance, Railroad Museum, and the Chrysler
Museum. Each contract is in the amount
of $1,250. Council member Jolene
Niernberger seconded the motion. The
motion carried 4-0.
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Public Works
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman reported that all three trucks and
the pickup bed sold on the Purple Wave auction site. The swimming pool has lost approximately 645,000
gallons of water in the last 18 days due to leaks. Council inquired if cameras could be
installed at the Railroad Museum after the recent vandalism incident. The City-wide cleanup has been scheduled for
the week of October 14th. It
was the consensus of Council to not run the grass route that week.
Police
Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Monthly Activity Report for June
and the July Staff Calendar. Officer
Kolas is scheduled to start the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on July
29th. All officers have
successfully completed their 40 hours of mandatory training.
City Clerk
City Clerk Amy Burton presented the draft minutes from the recent Safety
Committee and Swimming Pool Committee meetings and the Planning
Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals meeting.
Ms. Burton enclosed the Community Development Block Grant rating
summary. The City of Ellis ranked #2 in
total points for the recent swimming pool grant award. The City has until September 13th
to execute the grant contracts. The County
reported that the estimated assessed valuation for the City decreased $147,824.
Attorney
Mayor Update and Announcements
Mayor David McDaniel shared with council members a luncheon invitation
from Grow Hays on July 10th.
The League of Kansas Municipalities Annual Conference is October 12th
– 14th. Mayor McDaniel
encouraged council members to attend.
Council member Bret Andries expressed concerns
over the growing concrete pile on 6th Street by Jefferson. Mr. Scheuerman responded that he has
contacted the owner by phone at least a couple of times over the violation. Council suggested a written violation be
issued.
Mayor McDaniel then polled Council on their thoughts regarding the
information shared by Mr. Jaynes earlier in the meeting. Council was not in favor of offering another 10-year tax abatement to any potential buyer of the
Days Inn, but would consider a graduated abatement or fewer years of
abatement. It was the consensus of
Council to allow City Attorney Olavee Raub to work with Mr. Jaynes on a proposal for Council.
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
Mayor David McDaniel asked for a motion to recess into executive session
at the request of Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved for City Council to recess into executive session for 10 minutes to
discuss staff in the Public Works Department pursuant to the non-elected
personnel matter exception, K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)(1) with City Attorney Olavee Raub and Mr. Scheuerman present. The open meeting will resume at 9:30 p.m. Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0. No action was taken in executive session and the open meeting resumed.
ADJOURNMENT
Council member Martin LaBarge moved and Council
member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:31 p.m.
___________________________________
Mayor
_______________________________
City Clerk