ELLIS CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR
MEETING
Minutes
July 3, 2017
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor David McDaniel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present
were Council members Bret Andries, Holly Aschenbrenner, 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,
and City Attorney Olavee Raub.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
Mayor David McDaniel requested two executive sessions after Special Order.
PUBLIC PRESENT
Dean Gottschalk, Brian Raub, Karen Day, Joe
Day, Ron Hallagin, Sharon Disney, Gary Luea, Sue Werth, Glen Keller, Buck Driggs,
Teri Klitzke, Katlin Senst,
Connie Waldschmidt, Helen Fischer, and Margie Mickelson (arrived at 7:40 p.m.)
CONSENT AGENDA
Council member Dena Patee moved to approve the
consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on June 19, 2017,
Bills Ordinance #2024, and the February manual journal entries. Council member Bob Redger
seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda 6-0.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS,
PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
None
SPECIAL ORDER
General Government: Financial
Teri Klitzke and Katlin Senst,
Adams, Brown, Beran & Ball, Chtd., presented the City’s
2016 audit report. The City received a
“clean” opinion, meaning that the 2016 financial statements
are fairly stated in all material respects.
There were also no cash or budget violations cited. The report will be considered for approval at
the next Council meeting.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mayor David McDaniel requested an executive session to discuss personnel
matters of non-elected personnel. A
15-minute executive session was proposed starting at 7:46 p.m. Mayor David McDaniel asked for a motion to
recess. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to recess into executive session to discuss an individual employee’s
performance pursuant to the non-elected personnel matter exception, K.S.A.
75-4319 (b)(1) with City Attorney Olavee Raub and Police Chief Taft Yates present. Council member Dena Patee
seconded the motion. The motion carried
6-0. The Council returned to open
session at 8:01 p.m. No action was taken
in executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
A 10-minute executive session was proposed starting at 8:02 p.m. Mayor David McDaniel asked for a motion to
recess. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to recess into executive session to discuss an individual employee’s
performance pursuant to the non-elected personnel matter exception, K.S.A.
75-4319 (b)(1) with City Attorney Olavee Raub, Police Chief Taft Yates, Karen Day, and Joe Day
present. Council member Dena Patee seconded the motion.
The motion carried 6-0. The
Council returned to open session at 8:12 p.m.
No action was taken in executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
A 10-minute executive session was proposed starting at 8:12 p.m. Mayor David McDaniel asked for a motion to
recess. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to recess into executive session to discuss an individual employee’s
performance pursuant to the non-elected personnel matter exception, K.S.A.
75-4319 (b)(1) with City Attorney Olavee Raub, Police Chief Taft Yates, Karen Day, and Joe Day
present. Council member Dena Patee seconded the motion.
The motion carried 6-0. The
Council returned to open session at 8:22 p.m.
No action was taken in executive session.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
General Government: Committee
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to
approve the Planning Commission’s 2017 Comprehensive Plan Goals and Objectives
document as presented. Council member
Dena Patee seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0; with Council member
Jolene Niernberger abstaining due to perceived conflict of interest.
Water: Special Project
Buck Driggs, Driggs
Design Group, presented the preliminary maps of the proposed 2018 Waterline
Improvement Project and requested guidance from Council on the scope of the
project costs in order to prepare the Preliminary Engineering Report. The City will apply for a matching Community
Development Block Grant to help fund the project. After providing details of each location
included in the proposed project, Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman offered guidance on which locations should be
considered higher priority due to age and history of breaks. Council would like for the project to fall in
between $600,000 - $700,000. Council directed Mr. Driggs
to prepare the Preliminary Engineering Report including the proposed locations
of portions of 15th Street (Waterline D), Monroe (Waterline C), and
Baughman Street and 11th Street (Waterline A). The remaining available project funds will be
used to select portions of Dorrance Street and 10th
Street (Waterline B). Mr. Driggs will present the Preliminary Engineering Report at
the next Council meeting for consideration.
NEW BUSINESS
Streets: Special Project
Mr. Driggs updated Council on the status of the
Street Improvement Project. The Project
has reached substantial completion, well ahead of the August 30th
deadline. One item that Mr. Driggs asked for Council to consider is a change order to
the residence at 11th Street and Dorrance
Street. The street was lowered in that
area, resulting in a significant slope in front of the residence. Mr. Driggs is
proposing adding three steps and a sidewalk to the curb. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner
moved and Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded a motion to install steps
and a sidewalk at the residence at 11th Street and Dorrance Street due to changes in the height of the street
and the resulting slope, at a cost not to exceed $1,800. The motion carried 6-0.
General Government: Land
Disposition
Dean Gottschalk, representing the Ellis Golf Club, reported that two
separate individuals have expressed interest in purchasing the Club. Mr. Gottschalk asked if the City would
consider selling the land where the cart sheds are located, as well as the
driving range. City Attorney Olavee Raub recommended the City
obtain a land survey first to determine property lines and ownership. Council member Bob Redger
moved and Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded
a motion to hire a surveyor to determine the City’s property boundaries
surrounding the Ellis Golf Club. The
motion carried 6-0. Ms. Raub will contact Dale Owings, Penco
Engineering, to perform the survey.
Public Works: Special Project
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman expressed
concerns over the buildup of silt affecting the drainage at the Ellis Golf
Club. Ron Hallagin,
Ellis Golf Club representative, stated the owners do not want a drainage ditch
running through the course. They would
prefer a sloped area that could still be accessible with a mower in order to
keep the area maintained. Council directed
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman to work with
the Club to determine a solution workable for both parties.
General Government: Contracts
City Clerk Amy Burton reported that only two individuals submitted bids
for janitorial services at City Hall, and that the current service provider did
not submit a bid. Sue Werth submitted a
bid in the amount of $525/month to perform the service, and Linda Pfeifer
submitted a bid of $625/month. The City
currently pays $475/month. Council
member Bret Andries asked if the current provider is
performing the contract to specifications and if she is interested in
continuing services to the City. Mayor
David McDaniel stated he will visit with the current contract provider to find
out more information. No action was
taken.
General Government: Committee
Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved and
Council member Bob Redger seconded a motion to
approve Resolution No. 537 renaming the Senior Citizen’s Advisory Committee to
the Community Advisory Committee. Upon a
call for discussion, Council member Jolene Niernberger stated that originally
the committee focused on enhancing the quality of life for the senior citizens
of the City; however, several of the programs offered are open to the entire
community. City Attorney Olavee Raub stated the original
resolution creating the committee expressed the purpose as finding solutions
for issues that affect the senior citizen population. If the Council wants to evolve the committee
into a “community” advisory committee and change the fundamental purpose of the
committee, then the original resolution will need to be repealed and a new
resolution drafted creating that committee.
Upon a call for a vote, the motion failed 0-6.
General Government: City Code
Ms. Raub presented a proposed ordinance
increasing the seatbelt fines from $10 to $30 as required by State law
effective July 1, 2017. The proposed
ordinance serves as a temporary fix until the 2017 Standard Traffic Ordinances
are issued and adopted by cities. Council
member Dena Patee moved and Council member Jolene
Niernberger seconded a motion to adopt Ordinance No. 1421, amending Section
182.1 of the 2016 Standard Traffic Ordinance.
The motion carried 6-0.
Swimming Pool: Acquisition
Council member Bret Andries moved to approve
the bid from Brenntag for two pallets of hydrochloric
acid at a cost of $1,340 plus shipping and handling, with funds to come from
the General-Swimming Pool Fund. Council
member Bob Redger seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
General Government:
Repair/Maintenance
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman informed Council
that repairs are needed to the south side access door at City Hall. Water blows in and the structure is getting
increasingly worse. Council directed Mr.
Scheuerman to acquire estimates for consideration,
and in the future to obtain the estimates prior to Council meeting to
facilitate the repairs more quickly.
Special Machinery: Acquisition
Mr. Scheuerman requested approval to purchase a
2009 Chevrolet Pickup for the Water Department.
The pickup has 64,000 miles and includes a crane that could be used in
other departments as well. If approved,
the Water Department pickup will be moved to the Parks Department. Mr. Scheuerman
stated the purchase was budgeted for in 2016 and feels the pickup would be a
good addition to the City’s fleet.
Council member Jolene Niernberger moved and Council member Bret Andries seconded a motion to approve the purchase of the
2009 Chevrolet Pickup from Midway Motors in the amount of $18,899, with funds
to come from the Special Machinery Fund.
The motion carried 4-2, with Council member Holly Aschenbrenner
and Dena Patee opposed.
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Public Works
Mr. Scheuerman presented the Comparative Water
Reports for the period May 10th – June 10th. He has asked the Kansas Rural Water
Association to come to Ellis and test lines to attempt to locate any underground
leaks, which may be reducing the City’s percentage of water accounted for. There also appears to be an infiltration and
inflow (INI) problem at the Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Council praised the Public Works staff for their assistance during the
Facility Inspection Tour.
Mr. Scheuerman showed pictures of the rain
water puddling on the brick streets on Washington Street due to the collapsing
infrastructure underneath. The picture
illustrates the importance of repairing the infrastructure that runs under the
brick streets, rather than just filling in with sand and replacing the brick.
In response to questions on why individuals roofing their residences must
obtain a permit, Mr. Scheuerman included the page in
the 2003 International Building Codes which does not exempt roofing a structure
from obtaining a permit.
Police
Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Monthly Activity Report for June
and the July Staff Calendar. The
Department recently assisted with a distracted driving exercise with the
driver’s education class at Ellis High School.
City Clerk
City Clerk Amy Burton presented the minutes from the Planning
Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals and the Tourism Committee.
Ms. Burton also reviewed the February Financial Statements consisting of
the Statement of Accounts, Treasurer’s Report and the Security Deposit
Worksheet.
Currently, budget work sessions are scheduled for July 11th,
July 13th and July 18th.
The City’s certified population for 2016 is 2050, a decrease of 14
residents from 2015. Each city and
township in Ellis County had population decreases.
Swimming Pool: Special Event
Ms. Burton announced that 136 patrons came for the free swim sponsored by
the Community Foundation for the ribbon cutting for the new pool slide. The amount owed using the actual admission
prices totaled $207.00; while the use of the pool for the day applying the rate
for a pool party totaled $206.25. Council
member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to invoice the
Community Foundation $200.00 for their use of the pool on July 1st. Council member Bob Redger
seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0, with
Council member Dena Patee abstaining due to perceived
conflict of interest.
Ms. Burton continued by asking for guidance on the Recreation
Commission’s use of the pool for their annual Back to School bash. It was the consensus of Council to apply the
same theory as the Foundation’s free swim event – the lessor of the actual
admission cost or the standard pool party rate.
Attorney
City Attorney Olavee Raub
reported several code violation cases are currently being prosecuted. The City has received a report of a resident dumping construction debris in Big Creek. Ms. Raub did find a
statutory provision that exempts the required time frame to address code
violations when dealing with an urgent situation.
Mayor Update and Announcements
Mayor David McDaniel reported that he and Travis Kohlrus, Ellis
Industrial Development Corporation, will be attending
the Ellis County Commission meeting on July 10th to request a waiver
of landfill fees for disposing of the demolition debris from the old
hotel.
ADJOURNMENT
Council member Bob Redger moved and Council
member Dena Patee seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 6-0. The meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
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Mayor
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City Clerk