March 9, 2009 City Council Minutes
Meade, Kansas

The meeting was called to order in the Council Meeting Room, by Mayor Bud Doerflinger at 7:00 P.M. Council members present were: Richard Knott, Lance DeLissa, Cliff Hailey, Ed Dye and Chris Hartnett. Also present were: City Administrator Dean Cordes and City Clerk Tiffany Neel. Visitors were: Mike Gillen, Tom Kuhns, Jim Woodruff, Bobbi Allison and Debi Pippitt.

Our guest was Deanna Berghart with Black Hills Utility Co. Deanna was present to ask the council if they had any questions or concerns about the change over from Aquila to Black Hills. She informed the Council that gas prices were still low.

City Attorney Curtis Campbell was present and asked by the Mayor if we could legally charge citizens for tearing up the street pavement. Campbell would like to get more information from the other street ordinances the City has before he gives his advice. Campbell updated that the concrete pile lawsuit is still underway. Claver Construction has done more core testing and the new test came back better than the last test. Both companies are to contact Campbell later this week. Mayor asked if there is a liability for the City if an employee used City equipment on personal time. Campbell advised the Council not to allow personal use. He would like the City to get with our insurance carrier for liability sake. Hartnett would like Cordes to call other cities to ask what their policies are for employee’s using City equipment. Campbell presented a burn ban ordinance for the Council to read over and discuss. Campbell was approached by other attorney’s on the matter of a lawsuit happening nation wide about atrazine in public drinking water. Campbell is looking into the matter and will inform the Council when he has more information on the matter.

The February 23rd, 2009 minutes were approved as corrected.

Building permits #9003 and #9004 were approved on motion made by Harnett, seconded by DeLissa with all in favor. Building permit #9005 was denied at this time.

The Appropriation Ordinance dated March 9th, 2009 in the amount of $306,988.68 was approved on motion made by Hartnett, seconded by DeLissa with all in favor.

Old Business:

Mayor asked the Council if they wanted to start thinking about widening the street on the west side of the Dalton Gang hideout. This matter was tabled for lack of funds at this time.

Mayor asked Cordes when he would like to start the cleanup week. Cordes will get with employees to come up with a date for the next meeting. Mayor also noted that we should spell out the requirements to the public in the paper before clean up week.

Mayor asked the Council what they wanted to do about people setting off fireworks before and after the dates specified in the fireworks ordinance. The Council agreed to have the City Clerk put a reminder in the paper.

Cordes presented the quote for the pool repairs to the Council again for sandblasting, painting, sealing and putting a new over hang on the south wall, all of the west wall and the eating area wall. The quote was for the amount of $4,360.00 from Knott Construction. Dye made a motion to accept the quote, seconded by Hailey with 4 in favor and Knott abstained.

Cordes reminded the Council that John Riggs will be here on March 23rd, 2009 at 6:00 P.M. in the Council room to adopt the publishing of the zoning ordinance book.

Mayor asked Cordes if they have decided on a bucket truck yet. Cordes informed the Mayor that they have the quotes but have not test drove a truck as of yet.

Neel updated to the Council that she had contacted Cherie Schnelle and Cherie will have 9 students that can help go door to door to conduct the survey 1 hour a day. Neel reminded the Council that it will take awhile to conduct the survey without any other volunteers. Mayor suggested we call the youth groups in town to ask if they would be interested in helping.

Mayor asked the Council again to donate $500.00 for program inserts for the Dale Shell Rodeo taking place July 17th and 18th, 2009. No comment was made by the Council.

New Business:

Cordes asked permission from the Council to reappoint Chris Hartnett as 1st director for KMEA board. DeLissa made a motion to accept the appointment of Chris Hartnett, seconded by Hailey with all in favor.

Cordes asked the Council if they have reviewed Ordinance #811. DeLissa would like a separate rate sheet brought to the next council meeting to be approved.

Cordes informed the Council that we need to make a statement to confirm that the City is making efforts to update power lines in the City of Meade.
The City of Meade is in the process of replacing old weak poles and cross arms, replacing six feet cross arms to 8 feet, replacing all smaller size wire to either size 336 or 1/0.

Neel presented a letter of consideration to manage the City pool from Dane Parcel and Bobbi Rogers. The Council asked Neel to get with Parcel and ask if there will be any changes in the contract from last year. The Council would like to specify in the contract that the pool managers will be responsible for the daily maintenance of the chemicals.

Knott asked the Mayor when the website will be finished. Mayor informed there are only 3 pages left to put on the web.

Dye spoke to the auditor last week and was informed that the City finances are looking good. He was also informed that the State will now be taking away the gas tax money that we had budgeted for 2009; this will be about a $40,000 loss. Mayor asked how we could educate the public about better energy efficiency. Dye also informed the Council that he had talked to George Martin and George made the remark that the fire department has made more fire runs in the City this year than they did all of last year.

Mayor’s Report:

Mayor went to the yearly fire department dinner meeting and wanted to point out that the fire department gave Mrs. Martin an outstanding award for helping the fire fighters. He also wanted to point out that it is getting harder to find young fire volunteers.

Mayor updated that the City had a financial committee meeting last week. The committee reviewed the 2009 budget, talked about the future obligation projects for the City and how they need to watch spending.

Nanc Burns gave a note to the Mayor to ask for an extension on her vehicles that need to be operable and tagged to meet City Ordinance #773 on motor vehicle nuisance. DeLissa recommended giving a 30 day extension with all in favor.

With no other business to come before the Council a motion was made by Hartnett to adjourn, seconded by Dye with all in favor.

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Bud Doerflinger, Mayor

Attest:

______________________________
Tiffany Neel, City Clerk