May 24, 2010 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, Edward Dye and Chris Hartnett with Cliff Hailey absent. Also present were City Administrator Dean Cordes,City Clerk Tiffany Neel and City Attorney Curtis Campbell. Visitors were: Bobbi Allison, Ralph Classen, Rusty Blehm, Joe Robertson, Mike Gillen, David Dye, Jerrica Evans, Dorothy Blehm, Sharon Blehm, Sue Blehm, Mike Friesen, Jim Woodruff, Rodger DeGarmo, Melissa Elliott, Max Papay, Loren Borger, Scott Whitesides, Tom Kuhns, Vince Koons, Steve Salyer, Stacy Cordes, Trevin & Angela Bachman, and Leroy Friesen.

First on the agenda 4 people were given an extension on their utilities.

Police Chief Loren Borger presented the police report for the Council to review. Mayor told Borger that he appreciated what the police force has done while short handed.

Rodger DeGarmo was present to ask the Council if they have made a decision on helping fund the Meade County Housing Assessment Project. Dye said the City needs to cut back on their spending. Hartnett said if you want to attract new businesses to town you have to start somewhere. Knott asked if an assessment has ever been done in Meade County before, DeGarmo said he cannot find anything in his records. Hartnett made a motion to pledge $1,000 to the Meade County Housing Assessment Project, seconded by DeLissa with 3 in favor, Dye apposed.

Sue, Sharon and Dorothy Blehm were present to ask the Council if the City could move a trailer house on North Meade Center that is not fit to live in. Sue Blehm asked that the trailer be moved off of her property, the house does not belong to the Blehm’s but it is on their property. The house has never been on the tax roll at the courthouse and it is a nuisance. The house has been condemned by the Meade County Health Department. The consensus of the Council was to have the trailer house torn down.

Discussion was had on the annexation process. The Mayor asked that the Council members all voice their opinions before the public gave their comments. DeLissa said he thinks we should give everyone a choice and we should raise the rates to those that do not want to be annexed. Knott said if anyone wanted city utilities they should have been annexed in the past but that did not happen. DeLissa said there are many towns that do not provide to anyone outside the city limits unless they get annexed first. Dye said he would like to see the 2 islands that are still county property inside the city limits be annexed into the city. Hartnett agreed with Dye. Hartnett also stated that if you have all three (3) city utilities then you should be annexed in as well. Allison said she would like to keep her trees and land in the county because it is a migratory path for the monarchs. She is afraid the city will make her cut down the trees. Salyer said they would like to keep their livestock. Papay said he would like to go to CMS electric but the city will not let him. Rusty Blehm said the city has a certified territory with the Corporation Commission and the city would have to give up their right to that territory before CMS could provide to any of the properties. Hartnett said you would have to take into consideration that CMS would have to build line to each customer. Mike Friesen asked why the council wanted to get the citizens all riled up. Classen said I keep hearing the argument that we drive on city streets and don’t pay for it but all of you drive on township roads and do not pay for them. Angela Bachman said it is getting pretty nit picky, there are a lot of people that live in the county and drive on the city streets. David Dye said why doesn’t the council try paying the same rates that he has to pay. Rusty Blehm said he was here for the Fair Board. The fair buildings cannot be annexed in but you are going to raise their rates anyway. Cordes said this is a process we have to go through, it is necessary. Papay said the selling point in Meade is that we are a small town. I don’t know why you want to get bigger. Mayor said you have to start somewhere. I look at it as progress. Hartnett said it should be a case per case basis. Curtis Campbell said most cities he has been in have required that the person be annexed into the city limits before they will provide utilities. Mayor said his opinion is to annex the islands that are surrounded by city limits and give the others a choice. DeLissa made a motion to accept anyone that wanted to be annexed willingly, raise the sewer rates to those outside the city limits at the next meeting and the annexation process is closed, seconded by Chris with all in favor.

The May 10th, 2010 minutes were approved as presented.

Building permit #10020 was approved on motion made by Hartnett, seconded by DeLissa with all in favor.

Cordes presented Ordinance # 820 for the Council to consider:

ORDINANCE 820

AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE ERECTION, CONSTRUCTION, ENLARGEMENT, ALTERATION, REPAIR, MOVING, REMOVAL, CONVERSION, DEMOLITION, OCCUPANCY, EQUIPMENT, USE, HEIGHT, AREA, AND MAINTENANCE OF BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES IN THE CITY OF MEADE, KANSAS; PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS AND COLLECTION OF FEES THEREFORE; DECLARING AND ESTABLISHING FIRE DISTRICTS; INCORPORATING BY REFERENCE THE “UNIFORM BUILDING CODE”, VOLUME 1, PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BUILDING OFFICIALS, EDITION OF 1997 OR NEWER, WITH CERTAIN OMISSIONS, CHANGES AND ADDITIONS, SUCH INCORPORATION BEING AUTHORIZED BY KANSAS STATUTES ANNOTATED SECTIONS 12-3009 TO AND INCLUDING SECTIONS 12-3012; PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF, AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO 618 OF THE CITY OF MEADE AND ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH.

Hartnett made a motion to approve Ordinance 820, seconded by Knott with 3 in favor, DeLissa opposed.

Cordes passed out a contract for the bidding process on the house on the corner of Cedar and Belle Meade. The consensus of the council was to put a penalty of $50.00 per day that they are delayed in getting the house removed and the property cleaned up.

New Business:

Cordes asked the Council if he could give the summer help a raise since they are returning employees and have done an excellent job in the past. Hartnett made a motion to give the 2 part time employees a 50¢ raise each, seconded by DeLissa with all in favor.

Cordes opened a sealed bid that he has received for the old digger truck. The bid was from Darrin Cox in the amount of $1,800 for the 1968 digger truck. DeLissa made a motion to accept the bid, seconded by Dye with all in favor.

Neel asked the Council if she could have Berryman and Company clean the hallway carpet and front office entrance carpet. Berryman gave a quote of $330.05. DeLissa made a motion to accept, seconded by Hartnett with all in favor.

Neel presented the Library budget for the Councils review. The Library is asking for $2,046 more for the 2011 budget. Knott made a motion to accept the budget, seconded by DeLissa with all in favor.

Mayor’s Report:

Mayor wanted to thank everyone who contacted their Senators and Representatives to asked them to support or not support certain bills being passed.

Mayor asked the Council to approve his recommendations for the 2010 appointments.

DeLissa made a motion to appoint:

Tiffany Neel, City Clerk

Keith Whitney, Municipal Judge

Vera Robertson, City Treasurer

Loren Borger, Police Chief

George Martin, Fire Chief

Hartnett seconded with all in favor.

DeLissa made a motion to appoint:

Dean Cordes, Public Officer

Dr. Seeley Feldmeyer, Health Officer

Plains State Bank, Depositors

Dye seconded with all in favor.

DeLissa made a motion to appoint:

Curtis Campbell, City Attorney

Prairie Sun, Official Newspaper

Hartnett seconded, Dye and Knott opposed. Mayor broke the tie with his vote being to approve Campbell and the Prairie Sun. Motion carried.

DeLissa made a motion to approve:

Planning Commission
Pat Sims, JoAnn Tacha, Marc Berghaus, Craig Stratton, George Lucas, Roger Musgrove, Sandy Borger

Board of Zoning Appeals
Roger Musgrove, Dale Rosenberry, Bob Mabery, Mitch Little, Carl McCammond

Housing Authority
Terry Cordes, Dawn Olvera, Becky Berryman, Darrin Golliher, Vicki Fisher

Library Board
Angie Howard, Colette Thomas, Susan Green, Mary Ryckman, Lenita Fast, Steven Salyer, Craig Stratton

Dye seconded with all in favor.

DeLissa made a motion to approve:

Recreation Commission
Josh Neel, Darrin Golliher, Jason Johnson, Kristen Stapleton, Sara Rudzik

Tree Board
Tim Marceau, Norman Dye, Stacy Cordes, Wes Schnelle

Hartnett seconded with all in favor.

Knott asked Cordes if the city wide clean up is finished. Cordes replied yes.

Dye said people have asked when the city is going to start cutting back on spending. They have asked why is the city money being paid for school projects. Citizens are watching our spending.

DeLissa asked to go into executive session for 15 minutes for land acquisition, seconded by Knott with all in favor. After executive session no action was taken.

DeLissa made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Hartnett with all in favor.

____________________________
Bud Doerflinger, Mayor

Attest: