BELOIT CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

FEBRUARY 19, 2008

 

The Beloit City Council met in regular session on February 19, 2008 in Council Chambers.  Mayor Phillip Roberts called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  City Council members in attendance were Pat Struble, Chad Thompson, Bill Foreman, Craig Cousland, Susan Concannon and Denis Shumate.  Also present were City Administrator Doug Gerber, City Attorney Harry Gantenbein and City Clerk Charlene Abell.  Youth Councilors Rachel Waddell and Jacee Simmons were also in attendance.  Councilors Butch Pontow and Tom Maxwell were absent.

 

Department heads in attendance were Stacy Thompson, Murray McGee, Frank Gent and Lloyd Littrell.

 

Mayor Roberts gave the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

Mayor Roberts did not have a report and there were no Councilor reports.

 

City Attorney Gantenbein did not have a report.

 

City Administrator Gerber reported that there is an amended agenda. An item was added to the formal actions and a closed session was added for Attorney-Client Privileged information.

 

Mayor Roberts asked for comments from the public.  There were none.

 

The Consent Agenda consisted of the meeting minutes of February 5, 2008 and Appropriations 2B.  A motion was made by Councilor Concannon and seconded by Councilor Struble to approve the Consent Agenda in its entirety.  Roll call vote: Yeas: Thompson, Shumate, Foreman, Struble, Cousland and Concannon.  Nays: None.

 

On the agenda was Ordinance #2043 levying a seven tenths percent retailers’ sales tax.  Adoption of Ordinance #2043 gives the Council the authority to levy the seven tenths percent sales tax.  The voters approved the sales tax for the purpose of all money collected and allocated for capital improvements to streets, electric distribution lines, sanitary sewer lines, water distribution lines, airport improvements and to provide an adequate level of public service.  Councilor Shumate made a motion that Ordinance #2043 be adopted.  The motion was seconded by Councilor Struble.  Roll call vote: Yeas: Thompson, Foreman, Cousland, Concannon, Struble and Shumate.  Nays: None. 

 

A motion was made by Councilor Concannon and seconded by Councilor Shumate to approve the recommendation from staff and approve the proposal from A Full House for the purchase of the lot located at the intersection of Mill and South Street in the amount of $5,000 and direct staff to begin the contract negotiation process with Gloria Homier.  Motion carried 5-1.  Councilor Thompson voted no.

 

The Council discussed the 2008 agreement between the City of Beloit and the Chautauqua Isle of Lights.  The suggested term in this agreement to close Chautauqua Park is from October 29, 2008 to January 17, 2009.  This will allow time for the set up and take down of the lights.   A motion was made by Councilor Struble and seconded by Councilor Concannon to approve the agreement.  Motion carried 6-0.

 

A motion was made by Councilor Foreman and seconded by Councilor Cousland to approve the payment of the City’s 2008 membership dues to Kansas Municipal Utilities in the amount of $4,841.  Kansas Municipal Utilities services include legislative/regulatory programs, training and safety activities, and member education.  There are several of the City employees in the KMU lineman apprenticeship program.  Motion carried 6-0.

 

A recommendation has been made that the Council approve the jacket water pump bid from Gibson Industrial Controls, Inc. in the amount of $6,046, plus applicable freight and taxes.  Gibson Industrial Controls bid was $26 higher than the next bid, but a jacket water pump was purchased for engine #7 from Gibson less than two years ago and staff has been pleased with the quality and service.  Gibson also offers interchangeable parts and a quicker delivery time.   A motion was made by Councilor Concannon and seconded by Councilor Shumate to approve the bid for the jacket water pump from Gibson Industrial Controls.  Motion carried 6-0.

 

Annual engine inspections are needed on the engines at the Power Plant.  Quotes were received from Industrial Diesel Services and Finney Machine, Inc. for the work at the Power Plant in the amount of $20,440.  The quote from Finney Machine consists of new shafts, spacers, and gear hubs for the fuel block assembly.  Industrial Diesel Service will be responsible for the work and city personnel will assist them.  This project is part of the maintenance schedule put together by Director of Plants Operations Lloyd Littrell and will help keep the Power Plant in operational condition.  A motion was made by Councilor Cousland and seconded by Councilor Struble to approve a bid waiver and the quote in the amount of $20,440.  Motion carried 6-0.

 

A motion was made by Councilor Thompson and seconded by Councilor Concannon to recess into an executive session for a period of twenty minutes for Acquisition of Real Property.  Motion carried 6-0.  The session is to include the City Administrator, City Attorney and the Governing Body.  The session began at 7:20 p.m. and ended at 7:40 p.m.  No motions were made and no action was taken.

 

A motion was made by Councilor Thompson and seconded by Councilor Shumate to recess into an executive session for a period of five minutes for Attorney-Client Privileged Information.  The session is to include the Governing Body, City Attorney and City Administrator.  Motion carried 6-0.  The session began at 7:41 p.m. and ended at 7:46 p.m.  No motions were made and no action was taken.

 

A motion was made by Councilor Concannon and seconded by Councilor Struble to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried 6-0.  The meeting ended at 7:48 p.m.

 

The work session began at 7:50 p.m. Present were Mayor Roberts, Councilors Struble, Concannon, Shumate, Cousland, Foreman and Thompson.  Also in attendance were City Administrator Gerber, City Attorney Gantenbein, City Clerk Abell, Youth Councilors Simmons and Waddell.  Councilors Pontow and Maxwell were absent.

 

Department heads present were Thompson, Gent and McGee.   

 

Correspondence and Staff reports consisted of the January Police report.

 

City Attorney Gantenbein did not have a report.

 

City Administrator Gerber reported that there were fourteen applications for the Park and Recreation Department job openings.  There will be interviews on February 21st for the Police Department job openings.  Interviews will be held on February 25th for the Systems Operations Department job openings.  The City employees have been taking Meals on Wheels this week. There will be a meeting with the owners that live on Meadowlark Lane.  A petition was received asking for improvements to Meadowlark Lane.  Youth Councilors Jacee Simmons and Rachell Waddell gave an update on what has been happening with the Youth Council.

 

Items for discussion included review of Ordinance #1836, Kansas Gas Service franchise agreement renewal and the Zoning Code Ordinance.

 

Discussion was held Ordinance #1836, which pertains to tall grass, weeds, etc.  Peter Karlin and Laura Karlin were present to talk about natural landscaping.  A power point presentation was shown from the Environmental Protection Agency website on the benefits of landscaping naturally.  Mr. Karlin discussed a few items and then thanked the City Council for letting him attend the meeting and give his presentation.

 

Conrad Koehler, representative from the Kansas Gas Service Company, was at the work session to discuss a new franchise agreement.  The current 20-year agreement ends in March of 2008.  A new agreement was attached for the Governing Body to consider.  Also attached is a companion ordinance that addresses the ability to capture franchise fees on the customers in the corporate city limits who use Kansas Gas Service transportation services but do not buy their natural gas from Kansas Gas Service.  The Governing Body would like to make the agreement for ten years instead of twenty years.  City Attorney Harry Gantenbein and the Kansas Gas Service attorney will work together to go over the franchise agreement wording and then bring the draft back for approval.

 

The Planning Commission and staff have spent a year reviewing the Zoning Code and have finally finished the project.  The Council has already examined the new zoning ordinance already, but staff suggested that the draft be reviewed again before adoption.  Chapters 1 through 5 were reviewed.  Other chapters will be reviewed in future work sessions.

 

The work session adjourned at 9:40 p.m.

 

 

_________________________________

PHILLIP ROBERTS, Mayor

 

 

ATTEST:

 

______________________________

CHARLENE ABELL, CMC, City Clerk