October 18, 2021 Regular Commission Minutes

October 18, 2021 Regular Commission Minutes

October 18, 2021 Regular Commission Minutes

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GOODLAND CITY COMMISSION

Regular Meeting

October 18, 2021                                                                                                                   5:00 P.M.

Mayor John Garcia called the meeting to order with Vice-Mayor Jay Dee Brumbaugh, Commissioner J. J. Howard and Commissioner Gary Farris responding to roll call.  Commissioner Aaron Thompson was reported absent.

Also present were Dustin Bedore – Director of Electric Utilities, Frank Hayes – Chief of Police, Joshua Jordan – IT Director, Kenton Keith – Director of Streets and Facilities, Danny Krayca – Director of Parks, Mary Volk – City Clerk and Cherise Tieben – Interim City Manager.

Mayor Garcia led Pledge of Allegiance

Approval of Agenda – ON A MOTION by Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh to approve Agenda as presented seconded by Commissioner Howard.  MOTION carried on a VOTE of 4-0. 

PUBLIC COMMENT

CONSENT AGENDA

  1. 10/04/21 Commission Meeting Minutes
  2. Appropriation Ordinances: 2021-20, 2021-20A, and 2021-P20

ON A MOTION by Commissioner Farris to approve Consent Agenda seconded by Commissioner Howard.  MOTION carried on a VOTE of 4-0. 

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

  1. Resolution 1578: CID Policy – Mary stated, resolution updates the City of Goodland CID policy.  Policy remains the same as previously approved by the Commission except in Section 15: the link for CID information on City website was updated and Section 19: termination of the policy.  Previous policies had a termination date which tends to get overlooked.  Jake Kling, City Attorney changed termination of policy as continuous until repealed or amended by a resolution from the Commission.  ON A MOTION by Commissioner Howard to approve Resolution 1578: CID Policy seconded by Commissioner Farris.  MOTION carried on a VOTE of 4-0. 

FORMAL ACTIONS

  1. Disclosure Compliance Services Proposal- Cherise stated, this is a common practice with bond issues and the fee of $1,200 per year is minimal.  Mary stated, proposal is the same fee as previous years.  ON A MOTION by Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh to approve Disclosure Compliance Services Proposalwith Gilmore & Bell seconded by Commissioner Farris.  MOTION carried on a VOTE of 4-0. 
  2. Purchase Approval for Street Department Trailer – Cherise stated, the City had a trailer but it was not heavy enough for the equipment.  Kenton got two bids for a trailer and is recommending the trailer from Better Built Trailer in Grainfield, KS.  Kenton stated, Hitchcock only had one in stock and to order we would be nine months out.  Better Built trailer is in stock and is less expensive.  Commissioner Farris asked, what is the weight limit on trailer?  Kenton stated, it is rated for 14,500.  We purchased more of a machine for less cost and were not anticipating weight.  Cherise stated, the funds are available in MERF.   ON A MOTION by Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh to approve the purchase of the trailer from Better Built Trailer in Grainfield, KS for $6,400 seconded by Commissioner Farris.  MOTION carried on a VOTE of 4-0.
  3. Purchase Approval for Salt and Sand Building Materials – Cherise stated, all City’s deal with tarps for sand coverage and it does not stand up to wind.  Kenton has been looking at alternatives.  Concrete for the structure is done, just need to build structure.   Kenton received a bid from Hoover Lumber for materials on a wood structure for $12,666.07 or Miller Construction for a steel building for $23,610.00.  Bids are material only, as employees are going to construct the building.  Funds for purchase of materials are available in MERF.  We recommend the purchase of materials from Hoover Lumber.  Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh stated, I appreciate staff doing the work and getting a permanent structure.  ON A MOTION by Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh to approve the purchase of building materials from Hoover Lumber in the amount of $12,666.07 seconded by Commissioner Howard.  MOTION carried on a VOTE of 4-0.
  4. Bids for Two Tracts of Land – Cherise stated, these two tracts of land were to promote housing with NW Kansas Housing.  They did not complete the project and asked if they could sell the land, but the land reverts back to City.  We received one bid for the two tracts.  I recommend the City negotiate with individual to purchase tract closest to their property and post second tract of land for sale on City web site to promote housing.  Our goal is to increase valuation.  The bid for tract two is $3,500.00 but Commissioner Thompson asked the City to negotiate tract for $7,000.  Commissioner Howard asked, what are plans for lots?  Cherise stated, they plan to build garage on tract two and landscape tract one.  Commissioner Farris stated, the original setup of land was for housing.  Mayor Garcia asked, what does commission think of $7,000 as requested by Commissioner Thompson?  Commissioner Howard asked, did anyone research what a lot goes for, I did not?  Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh stated, a lot up by cemetery in rosewood went for $10,000.  Cherise stated, Commissioner Thompson said $7,000 was value on county web site.  Mayor Garcia asked Yesenia Diaz as bidder, what they think of $7,000?  Yesenia stated, we will need time to think about it.  Mayor Garcia stated, please be aware the City passed an ordinance that if you build a shop you have to build according to ordinance with a drive and stones.  Please keep in touch with Cherise, Kent or Mary if you intend to consider the $7,000.  Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh stated, a garage goes against our intent of housing for lots.  Consensus of Commission is they are not in favor of selling tract of land for a shop.  Cherise stated, I will work with Mary to promote tracts of land on website for housing proposals.  Land will not go back through a bid process since it was previously advertised.  Mayor Garcia stated, I am not in favor of someone from out of town purchasing land.  Cherise stated, I recommend you state in post that land is for housing with a time line for construction to remain consistent.  Consensus of Commission is to post both tracts of land for sale on City web site.
  5. CDBG Grant No 21-CD-131 – Drawdown #1 – Mayor Garcia stated, in our discussion on the drawdown, names cannot be mentioned because of confidentiality of applicant.  Dan Steffen, Economic Development Director Northwest Kansas Planning and Development stated, drawdown #1 is in the amount of $36,700.  The Commission hired NW Kansas Planning and Development as administrator for the grant.  The drawdown is for one business application in the amount of $30,000 and administration costs in the amount of $6,700.  This is the only applicant eligible and complete to date.  Mayor Garcia asked, what qualifies for the business to be eligible for the grant?  Dan stated, the information is in your application.  The business must be a for-profit business and show a need based on a loss of revenue from COVID since March 1, 2020.  Any wages where a business previously received PPE funds are not eligible, but any other losses are eligible.  Business had to retain at least one low to moderate income employee.  If the business maintained one to five employees, the business is eligible for $25,000 per employee or maximum eligibility is $30,000.  If six to fifty employees eligibility is $35,000 per job, maximum of $50,000.  ON A MOTION by Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh to approve Drawdown #1 on CDBG Grant No. 21-CV-131 in the amount of $36,700 seconded by Commissioner Howard.  MOTION carried on a VOTE of 4-0.

DISCUSSION

  1. Reallocation of Nuisance Funds – Cherise stated, Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh asked if we could utilize the $40,000 allocated for nuisances in another way so we do not lose the money.  I put together options to utilize funds before end of year.  First option would be a dead tree removal program, which would be an easy program to wrap up.  Next option is work with SCCD to establish a program that allows a contractor to rehab a residential or commercial building that would qualify for condemnation.  You would want to tie the incentive to a certain increase in assessed value of the renovated building with a return of funds if the work is not completed and the assessed value is not met.  Another option is apply funds to Park Department for pre-emergent to prevent weeds next year.  The final option is identify buildings the City has to demolish or rehab.  The City has a lean to building down by City Shop that needs finished.  Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh stated, I asked about the money because with the office turnover, nothing has been done on nuisances so I felt we should research utilizing the funds another way.  Mayor Garcia stated, I would like to open up for other departments to utilize funds.  Cherise stated, it appears the consensus of the Commission is option one and four, so I will work with Danny on cost of repairs on lean to building then we may have some trees in our own parks.  Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh stated, if someone has trees that are safety issues, those come to mind.  Cherise stated, Commissioner Thompson asked to use for pre-emergent or dead trees on our own property.  He noted that if we do not use the funds they go back to general fund.  I recommend spend only $30,000 in event something else comes up.  Commissioner Howard stated, I feel should work with trees on City property; I know we have one in Phillips Park.  Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh asked, what does pre-emergent cost?  Danny stated, because of budget constraints we limit applications and do not do parks.  Cherise stated, we will look into options one, three and four.   

REPORTS

  1. Interim City Manager – 1.  Thank you, I have appreciated working with the City.  You have good staff but I am going back to retirement.  I will send out a memo this week to Commission and a status report to Kent.  Your staff has been excellent.  Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh stated, thank you for everything you have done.
  2. City Commissioners

Commissioner Thompson – 1.  Absent, No Report 

Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh – 1.  The County sales tax proposal has been on my mind.  I am disappointed in how it has been put together.  I have been on Commission four years; we worked well together first two years.  City had projects in the tax the first go around, but this is a huge hit for the City.  I feel it will handcuff future commissions.  In this proposal the City gets $0 for projects.  A lot of time has been put into the City to keep from raising property taxes and to take a hit like this when the County has raised taxes is not right.  It would have been nice to work together which was my thought coming into this.  We stated our opinion regarding the one cent tax to the County and it went nowhere.  No road in the City will get done on this proposal.  All the efforts out by interstate will help toward tax to make improvements.  In this instance, the sales tax is paying for roads outside City.  This is a huge change and I know how it will have to be made up.  We have tried to keep taxes low.  We have done a lot of things to generate more revenue and we get nothing.  It would have been nice to have included the main streets in the City.  I feel a lot of disappointment on this proposal and the impact it will have.  The two entities have to work together on projects like this or we will be looking in rear view mirror.

Commissioner Howard – 1.  I concur with Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh, we are a community and should work together.  I feel this is a stab in the back and they should have talked to us. 2. Thank you to the employees and Cherise for helping the City.

Commissioner Farris – 1.  I agree with commission on tax issue.  2. Thank Cherise and employees. 

  • Mayor – 1.  Thank you Cherise for your work, you brought a different perspective to commission.  Thank you for your willingness to move us ahead.  You had the opportunity to work with great staff.  2.  On sales tax issue it concerns me because when it comes to budget time, you have a projected budget to work with.  My question is the need has been there for years, why did they not budget the money annually.  There are already complaints from retailers that our rate is too high.  We have been working together on issues like SCCD, fire and nursing home.  I agree with Commission, it is very disappointing they made such a big step without working together.  The least that could have happened was to open the dialogue.  It is not county or city, but everyone working together to move ahead.  Until everyone has the mentality to work together we will not accomplish anything for the community.  They set there budget like we do.  3.  Thanks to all department heads; I look forward to moving ahead with Kent. 

ADJOURNMENT WAS HAD ON A MOTION BY Vice-Mayor Brumbaugh seconded by Commissioner Farris.  Motion carried by unanimous VOTE, meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.  Next meeting is scheduled for November 1, 2021.

_____________________________

ATTEST:                                                                               John Garcia, Mayor

_______________________Mary P. Volk, City Clerk