ELLIS CITY COUNCIL

REGULAR MEETING

Minutes

September 17, 2018

CALL TO ORDER

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

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA

None

PUBLIC PRESENT

Barbara Perkins, Myles Vine, Glen Keller, and Nickole Byers (arrived at 7:37 p.m.)

CONSENT AGENDA

Council member Bret Andries moved to approve the consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on September 4, 2018, Bills Ordinance #2053, and the August manual journal entries. Council member Susan Eaton seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda 5-0.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

None

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

None

SPECIAL ORDER

Fire: Report

Fire Chief Dustin Vine reported that all of the City’s firetrucks participated in the homecoming parade. Discussion ensued regarding the flushing of the City’s fire hydrants. The Fire Department flushed the hydrants in the past, but Chief Vine stated the Department has failed to complete the task in recent years as other projects were added to the Department. The task has been moved to the Public Works Department, and that Department has flushed 61 hydrants so far this year. Council asked Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman to include in his Council memo when hydrants are flushed. Chief Vine invited Mr. Scheuerman and Water Operator John Leiker to a future Fire Department meeting to teach the firefighters how to property flush the hydrants; however, the Public Works Department will maintain responsibility to flush the hydrants annually.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None

NEW BUSINESS

Fire: Repair/Maintenance

Chief Vine continued by presenting two bids to repair the roof on the Old Fire Station. The roof leaks in three different places. Council expressed concerns that the bids were not comparable. One bid was to patch the roof, while the second bid was to replace the roof. Chief Vine was asked to obtain comparable bids from the contractors and present to Council at a future meeting for further consideration.

General Government: Policy

During the 2019 budget work sessions, Council expressed a desire to develop a business incentive sales tax rebate program. Council discussed key provisions to include in the policy, including a decreasing sales tax rebate over a three-year period. The program will be geared towards new retail businesses; new service-based and manufacturing businesses will still be eligible for the existing new business incentive program. City Attorney Olavee Raub and City Clerk Amy Burton will begin drafting the policy, in hopes to have a January 1, 2019 implementation date.

REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS

Public Works

Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman presented the Comparative Water Report for the period July 10^th – August 10^th. Mr. Scheuerman has invited Steve Samuelson, FEMA representative, to Ellis to discuss the National Flood Insurance Program and the City’s participation in the Community Rating System (CRS).

Street: Repair/Maintenance

Mr. Scheuerman requested approval to purchase hot mix for street repairs to Washington Street from 5^th Street to 6^th Street and on 2^nd Street from Washington to Madison. Council member Bret Andries moved and Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded a motion to approve the purchase of hot mix to perform street repairs to the two areas in an amount not to exceed $4,000, with funds to come from the Capital Improvement – Streets fund. The motion carried 5-0.

Police

Police Chief Taft Yates reported two additional applicants are under consideration to fill the Department’s vacant position. The Department provided assistance in the recovery of a juvenile runaway/kidnapping case. Council offered sympathies to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department on the news of a deputy killed responding to a call.

City Clerk

City Clerk Amy Burton presented the August Health Insurance Summary and the August financial statements. Council will meet on September 27^th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss and review the Capital Improvement Plan.

Attorney

City Attorney Olavee Raub reported she is still waiting to receive the contract from the second landowner’s attorney regarding the Water Exploration Project. She has started research to determine if the City has a utility easement for the west 10^th Street storm drain issue discussed at the last meeting.

Mayor Update and Announcements

The PRIDE Committee has invited Ellis High School students to participate in a project to make continued improvements to Memorial Park.

The League of Kansas Municipalities Annual Conference is October 6^th – 8^th and the League’s Annual Regional Supper will be October 24^th in Oakley.

Mayor David McDaniel announced that he was elected to the League’s Governing Board.

Ellis County Commission candidates will participate in a public forum on October 16^th at 6:00 p.m. at Fort Hays State University’s Memorial Union.

Council member Jolene Niernberger shared information received at a recent workshop in Hays focusing on affordable housing and employment statistics. Ms. Niernberger asked Mayor McDaniel to invite Doug Williams, Interim Director of Grow Hays, and Mike Downing, Ellis Representative, to a future meeting to discuss the name change from the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, and also to discuss current projects.

ADJOURNMENT

Council member Bret Andries moved to adjourn the meeting. Council member Dena Patee seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

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Mayor

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City Clerk