ELLIS CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR
MEETING
Minutes
May 6, 2019
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor David McDaniel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Present
were Council members Bret Andries, Martin LaBarge, Jolene Niernberger, and Bob Redger. Also present were Public Works Director Alan
Scheuerman, City Clerk Amy Burton, Police Chief Taft Yates, and City Attorney Olavee Raub. Council member Holly Aschenbrenner
was present by telephone from 8:00 p.m. – 8:20 p.m. Council member Steve Ferland
was absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
None
PUBLIC PRESENT
Glen Keller, Barbara Perkins, Justine Benoit, Joy Fischer, Jessica Shank,
Millie Karlin, Nicole Carroll, Susan Schlichting, Ashley Rohleder,
Dennis Bollig, Nancy Wright, Sheresa
Brull, Ellie Brull, Grace Brull, Kristy Rhoden, JT Rhoden, Doreen Timken, Beth Schiel, Zach Schiel, Andy Smith,
Vicki Doyle, John Dollil, Karista
Pugh, Madison Gottschalk, Michelle Gottschalk, Abigail Mattheyer,
Melvin Kinderknecht, Emily Mattheyer,
Freda Fisher, Pat Bieker, Pam Dietrich, Sam Polifka, Vernie Pritchett, Craig
Seibel, Margie Mickelson (arrived at 7:55 p.m.)
CONSENT AGENDA
Council member Bob Redger moved to approve the
consent agenda containing the Minutes from the Regular Meeting on April 15, 2019,
Bills Ordinance #2068, and the Manual Journal Entries for January, February,
and March. Council member Bret Andries seconded the motion. The Council approved the
consent agenda 4-0.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS,
PROCLAMATIONS, REQUESTS & PETITIONS (HEARINGS)
City Clerk: Award/Proclamation
Mayor David McDaniel read a Proclamation declaring May 5 – 11, 2019 as
the 50th Anniversary of Municipal Clerks Week.
SPECIAL ORDER
General Government: Financial –
Budget Request
Jessica Shank, representing the Senior Companion program at Fort Hays
State University, thanked the Council for their past support and presented the
Senior Companion 2020 budget request.
Ms. Shank requested consideration from Council for $3,973, the annual
support cost of one senior companion volunteer.
The request represents a decrease of $113 from the previous year. Joy Fischer presented the 2020 budget request
for the Foster Grandparent program. Ms.
Fischer requested consideration from Council for $3,718 to support one foster
grandparent to serve in Ellis. The
request represents an increase of $2,718 from the previous year. The Council took no action and will consider
the request during budget preparation.
Committee: Special Project
The Ellis PRIDE Committee partnered with the Ellis High School KAYS
organization to participate in a pilot program to obtain a youth’s perspective in
conjunction with the State-wide PRIDE Committee’s First Impressions
program. Nicole Carroll, KAYS Sponsor, and students Karista Pugh, Madison Gottschalk, Michelle Gottschalk, and
Abigail Mattheyer gave a PowerPoint presentation
highlighting their project of possible ways of beautifying Ellis and also noting
existing positive aspects of the city.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Swimming Pool: Contract
Prior to the meeting, Andy Smith, engineer with Lamp Rynearson,
met with available Governing Body members and interested community members at
the Ellis Municipal Pool to tour the current facility and visually highlight
concerns noted in the Preliminary Engineering Report. Mr. Smith entertained additional questions
from the Governing Body from that tour. After
discussion, Council member Bob Redger moved and
Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded a motion to approve the engineering
agreement with Lamp Rynearson in the amount of $170,000.00,
contingent upon Community Development Block Grant funding. Upon a call for further discussion, Justine
Benoit, grant administrator with Northwest Kansas Planning & Development,
stated that if the City is awarded CDBG funding, the State allows 90 days to
accept the grant, one year to sign a contract with a general contractor, and
two years to start the project. The
grant application must be submitted by May 15th. Upon a call for the vote, the motion carried
5-0, with Council member Holly Aschenbrenner voting
by telephone.
Sewer: Repair/Maintenance
City Attorney Olavee Raub
reported on the Cedar Lane lift station project. There is an existing 10’ easement that the
work could be completed in without the need to obtain additional easements from
the adjacent property owners. Public
Works Director Alan Scheuerman requested approval to proceed with the project
by allowing him to upgrade the existing Loveless pump. Council member Martin LaBarge
moved to approve upgrades to the existing Loveless pump in the amount of
$2,500, with funds to come from the Sewer Depreciation Reserve fund. Council member Bob Redger
seconded the motion. The motion carried
4-0.
NEW BUSINESS
Police: Acquisition
Police Chief Taft Yates presented two bids for the
purchase of a new computer server for the Police Department. Craig Seibel, Eagle Technology Solutions, was
on hand to answer questions from Council.
After discussion, Council member Bret Andries moved to
purchase a Dell PowerEdge T140 file server from Eagle Technology Solutions in
the amount of $6,765.34 along with the monthly backup and disaster recovery
option at $125 per month. Council member
Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion.
The motion carried 4-0. The
monthly backup option will be charged to the Police Department’s budget, as
well as $2,500 of the file server purchase, with the remaining $4,265.34 to be
taken out of Special Machinery.
General Government: Committees
Mayor David McDaniel reviewed the current City committee appointment
roster and announced his new appointments for 2019. Several vacant positions remain and Mayor
McDaniel hopes to have them filled by the next meeting. It was the consensus of Council to table
approval of the roster of appointments until the next Council meeting.
General Government:
Licenses/Permits
Council member Jolene Niernberger moved to approve the Fireworks Permit
Applications from the Ellis Baptist Youth Group and the Ellis Softball/Baseball
Association, contingent on each applicant submitting proof of liability insurance. Council member Martin LaBarge
seconded the motion. The motion carried
4-0, with Council member Bret Andries
abstaining due to perceived conflict of interest.
Personnel: Benefits
City Clerk Amy Burton presented the policy renewal rates for the employee’s
dental plan and term life and accidental death and disability policy. Both policies are through Blue Cross Blue
Shield. The dental plan reflects a 1%
increase in premiums, while the life and AD&D policy premiums are
unchanged. Council member Bob Redger moved to approve the Blue Cross Blue Shield dental
and term life and accidental death and disability policies as presented. Council member Martin LaBarge
seconded the motion. The motion carried
4-0.
Public Works: Disposal
Public Works Director Alan Scheuerman requested approval to sell several
of the Department’s vehicles and the cargo bed from the newly purchased 2011
GMC Sierra. Council member Martin LaBarge moved to authorize the sale of the 1988 Chevy 1-ton,
the 2004 Ford F-250 ¾-ton, the 1990 Ford ¾-ton, and the cargo bed from the 2011 GMC Sierra on the Purple Wave auction site. Council member Bob Redger
seconded the motion. The motion carried
4-0.
Sanitation: Repairs/Maintenance
Council member Bob Redger moved to ratify the
invoice from Staab Repair in the amount of $1,496.94
for repairs to the 1999 Ford F350.
Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0.
Campground: Special Project
Public Works Director
Alan Scheuerman presented two bids for storm sewer supplies for the Campground
Expansion Project. Council member Bret Andries moved to approve the low bid from Municipal Supply
in the amount of $4,240.73, for storm sewer materials. Council member Jolene Niernberger seconded
the motion. The motion carried 4-0.
REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICIALS
Public Works
Mr. Scheuerman announced the City was the successful bidder for one of
the pickups being sold by sealed bid from Golden Belt Telephone Company. The City purchased a 2011 GMC Sierra ¾-ton
pickup with the high bid of $16,914.00.
Council member Bob Redger inquired if the
Department could possibly repair the curb at 10th Street and Monroe
by Golden Belt Coop.
Police
Police Chief Taft Yates presented the Department’s Monthly Activity
Report for April and the May Staff Calendar
City Clerk
City Clerk Amy Burton presented the monthly financial statements for
January, February, and March 2019 and the draft minutes from the recent
Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Appeals and Campground Committee meetings.
Individuals interested in running for Mayor, City Council, and City
Treasurer must file with the County Clerk by noon on June 3rd.
The City received payment from the City of Brownell for two of the City’s
old storms sirens. It was the consensus
of Council to deposit the proceeds of the sale back into the Capital
Improvement Fund.
Mr. Scheuerman and Ms. Burton met with David Barber, USDA Loan
Specialist, regarding left over funds from the USDA Waterline Project in 2016. The funds may either be applied to the
existing loan, or expended on additional improvements to the USDA project. It was the consensus of the Council to
explore additional improvements to the waterline infrastructure.
Attorney
City Attorney Olavee Raub
reported that Senate Bill 105 allowing cities to select an earlier date to
swear in newly elected officials is not in effect until July 1st;
therefore, a draft resolution will be presented in June for consideration.
Ms. Raub will be absent at the June 3rd
Council meeting. City Prosecutor Cassy
Zeigler will attend the Council meeting in her absence.
Mayor Update and Announcements
Council member Jolene Niernberger provided a summary of legislative
updates from the League of Kansas Municipalities Leadership Summit. Ms. Niernberger stressed the importance of
residents completing the 2020 Census Survey, as federal grant dollars received
by the City could be negatively impacted by an inaccurate census.
ADJOURNMENT
Council member Bob Redger moved and Council
member Martin LaBarge seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
___________________________________
Mayor
_______________________________
City Clerk