Draft Copy Not Official Until Approved by CouncilELLIS CITY COUNCIL

REGULAR MEETING

Minutes

August 13, 2018

 

PUBLIC HEARING - 2019 BUDGET DOCUMENT

General Government: Financial – 2019 City of Ellis Budget

Mayor David McDaniel requested a motion to open the public hearing.  Council member Dena Patee moved and Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded a motion to open the 2019 budget hearing.  The motion carried 4-0, and the 2019 budget hearing opened at 7:00 p.m.  Mayor McDaniel stated the proposed budget has been published the required amount of time and that tonight is an opportunity for the citizens of Ellis to comment on the proposed budget for 2019.  There being no public comments, Council member Bret Andries moved and Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded a motion to adjourn the budget hearing.  The motion carried 4-0.  Mayor McDaniel closed the budget hearing at 7:03 p.m. 

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, Susan Eaton, Jolene Niernberger, and Dena Patee.  Also present were Public Works Water Operator John Leiker, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates, and City Prosecutor Cassy Zeigler.  Council member Bob Redger, Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman, and City Attorney Olavee Raub were absent. 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA

None

PUBLIC PRESENT

Steve Brull, Verda Flinn, Chad Pritchett, Tammy Leiker, Barbara Perkins, Margie Mickelson, Sam Polifka, Glenn Kohl, and Gary Luea.

CONSENT AGENDA

Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve the consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on July 16, 2018, Bills Ordinance #2050, and the June Manual Journal Entries.  Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion. The Council approved the consent agenda 5-0.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Chad Pritchett, Ellis Community Foundation, requested permission to proceed with the Foundation’s project, in partnership with the Ellis Railroad Museum, to build a permanent structure to house and protect the miniature train.  The Foundation is also requesting the removal of four Cottonwood trees, two of which are dead, to facilitate the project. 

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

None

SPECIAL ORDER

None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

General Government: Financial – 2019 Budget

Mayor David McDaniel noted that the budget hearing for the proposed 2019 budget document was held earlier in the evening with no opposition from the public voiced.  Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve the 2019 City of Ellis budget document as presented.  Council member Dena Patee seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.

General Government: Contract

Further consideration of the bid submitted for the lease of a tract of land south of the sewer plant was tabled until City Attorney Olavee Raub could present a map of the land in question. 

Streets: Repair/Maintenance

Acting Foreman John Leiker explained the repairs needed to the north truck route on 2nd Street from Washington to Madison.  Council discussed the cost estimates to repair all of 2nd Street versus just the north lane where the majority of the semi-trucks travel.  Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman provided cost estimates for concrete and steel material in comparison to asphalt.  The Public Works Department recently completed a patch on the affected area on 2nd Street with stock materials and in-house labor.  It was the consensus of the Council to table consideration of further repairs until the weather dries out and until the current patch starts to deteriorate.    

NEW BUSINESS

General Government: Zoning

City Clerk Amy Burton presented the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve an application for change in zoning of 808 Washington Street from Chad and Tricia Pritchett.  The property is currently zoned Central Business District (C-1), and the applicant requests a zoning change to Single Family Residential (R-1).  It was the Council’s consensus to move forward with the zoning change and to consider approval of the ordinance at the August 20th Council meeting. 

Municipal Court: City Code

Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve Ordinance No. 1431 adopting the 2018 Edition of the Standard Traffic Ordinance.  Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0. 

Municipal Court: City Code

Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve Ordinance No. 1432 adopting the 2018 Edition of the Uniform Public Offense Code.  Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.

Tourism: City Code

Council member Dena Patee moved to approve Ordinance No. 1433 formally establishing the Tourism Fund in the City’s general ledger and allowing the fund to receive disbursements from the State of Kansas.  Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.

General Government: Financial

Council member Dena Patee moved to approve Resolution No. 548 providing for an adjustment to the fixed percentage increase in the utility rates.  Council member Susan Eaton seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.  The Resolution increases sewer rates by 5% and sanitation rates by 3%.  There is no planned increase in water utility rates.

General Government: Financial

Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to approve Resolution No. 549 authorizing City employees to use the City’s credit cards.  Council member Dena Patee seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.  The Resolution has been updated due to changes in City staffing.

Streets: Repair/Maintenance

During the recent Ellis County street project on Washington Street, the City had to force truck traffic to the southbound parking lane while manholes were reset in the driving lane.  From 5th Street to 6th Street, ruts were created by the heavy trucks due to the wet base from recent rains and a waterline break in the area.  The contractor offered to repair that portion of the street while they were still in the area.  Due to the regular meeting being postponed a week, Mayor David McDaniel approved the repair prior to Council consideration.  Council member Jolene Niernberger moved and Council member Bret Andries seconded a motion to ratify the repairs completed by Coughlin, Inc. in the amount of $1,200.00.  The motion carried 5-0.

General Government: Committee

Each year, the City has an opportunity to designate a representative to act as the voting delegate at the League of Kansas Municipalities Annual Conference in October.  Council member Dena Patee moved and Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded a motion to designate Jolene Niernberger as the voting delegate for the City of Ellis.  The motion carried 5-0, with Council member Jolene Niernberger abstaining.  Council member Dena Patee then moved to designate David McDaniel as the alternate voting delegate for the City of Ellis.  Council member Holly Aschenbrenner seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.

REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS

Public Works: Training

Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved to approve trench safety and confined space training for Travis Roland, Joe Kreutzer, and Steve Homburg on August 29th – 30th, and for Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman to attend the Kansas Floodplain Managers Association meeting September 5th – 6th.  Council member Dena Patee seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.

Police

Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Monthly Activity Report for July and the August Staff Calendar.  Interviews will be conducted on August 25th to fill the vacancy in the Department.

City Clerk

City Clerk Amy Burton presented the June Financial Statements, the Health Insurance Savings Report for July, and the minutes from the recent Planning Commission meeting.

Attorney

City Prosecutor Cassy Zeigler requested an executive session at the end of the meeting to update Council on an outstanding code violation case. 

Mayor Update and Announcements

Mayor David McDaniel discussed a recent incident regarding downed limbs in the alley between Walnut and Monroe Streets.  Mayor McDaniel stated he ordered Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman to remove the limbs, in which Mr. Scheuerman declined stating current City policy does not allow the City to compete with licensed private contractors.  He also argued it wouldn’t be fair to provide the free service to some private residents, when other residents have paid to have their limbs removed.  Council member Holly Aschenbrenner stated Mr. Scheuerman’s hands are tied due to current ordinances in place, while Council member Susan Eaton expressed the fact that Mr. Scheuerman disobeyed an order from the Mayor.  Mayor McDaniel stated that Mr. Scheuerman will be written up for not following his direct order even though he was following City policy.  It was the consensus of Council to further discuss the situation in an executive session when Mr. Scheuerman was present.

EXECUTIVE SESSIONS

Mayor David McDaniel asked for a motion to recess into executive session at the request of City Prosecutor Cassy Zeigler.  Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved for City Council to recess into executive session for 10 minutes to discuss an ongoing code violation case pursuant to the attorney-client privilege exception, K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)(2) with City Prosecutor Cassy Zeigler present.  The open meeting will resume at 8:30 p.m.  Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion.  The motion carried 5-0.  No action was taken in executive session and the open meeting resumed.

ADJOURNMENT

Council member Holly Aschenbrenner moved and Council member Bret Andries seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting.  The motion carried 5-0.  The meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m.

 

         

 

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                                                          Mayor

 

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City Clerk