There will be a Special Meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission held at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 22^nd, 2020 in the City Commission Meeting Room, at City Hall, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. This special meeting will be held to hold a public hearing to consider an application to be submitted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for Small Cities Community Development Block Grant funds under the CDBG-CV category. The specific project application to be discussed is for the Economic Development program within the City limits of Fort Scott. The maximum amount of the grant request will be for $300,000 for both micro and regular business assistance category.

The City Commission meeting will not be open to the public at this time due to the limited number of 15 allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting will be made available by calling 620-724-9910, enter access code 515698#, and when prompted state your full name followed by the # tag.

The City of Fort Scott City Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, May 25^th, 2020 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. The offices will reopen on Tuesday, May 26^th, 2020.

The City’s tree and brush dump site located on North Hill will also be closed on Saturday, May 23^rd, 2020 for the Memorial Day holiday. It will be open again on Tuesday, May 26^th, 2020 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

CITY OF FORT SCOTT

SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING

Minutes of May 14, 2020 Special Meeting #4

A special meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held May 14^th, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. in the City Commission Meeting Room, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.

ROLL CALL:

Commissioners Kevin Allen, Pete Allen, Randy Nichols, Lindsey Watts, and Mayor JoLynne Mitchell presiding.

AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE: None

CONSIDERATION:

1. Approval to apply for K.D.O.T. Cost Share Program – Susan Bancroft, Finance Director, informed the Commission, that she and Chad created a spreadsheet and a handout for the Commission to review for the two proposed projects. The totals including sidewalks/trails, bicycle paths, crosswalks/striping, utility additions if needed, signage, and curb and gutter: Horton Street – 6^th Street to Lakin – Total costs $569,322.20 – If including 6^th Street also with the Horton project $858,955.40; National Avenue – 13^th to 18^th – $89,032.20.

Kevin Allen said that he went on Horton and agrees that 6^th to 10^th on Horton needs replaced. He believes that from there on south is good.

Chad said that utilities will also be updated from 6^th to Lakin on Horton.

Lindsey said that part of the reason for this street is the sidewalk area towards the college and the downtown area.

Kevin said that there are 27 businesses on National that would like that street upgraded. He asked if this could be added to the Horton project.

Susan said that KDOT will not combine two different projects. KDOT was involved in our Highway 69 Corridor Plan and they would like to see us utilize that plan.

Discussion was held regarding the curve at 18^th and National and if they wanted to do that improvement.

Susan said that KDOT would like in the future to design a road behind the business to keep traffic flowing on Highway 69. This project would include land acquisition and was estimated at $2.2 million. She informed them where the proposed improvement would be on 18^th which would be called Judson Street. Part of that area the City owns but part of it would include land acquisition. There is access management and geo-metric grants that we could apply for with this project next year.

Pete Allen said that the City has done no planning. He said he made Staff aware of this program in January and now it is May, and nothing has been done. He compared this to a shot-gun wedding. He said that the chances of the City getting a grant was 20%. He said last year there were 22 grants issued by KDOT. He said that there is a summer grant program available. He said that this should be tabled. It needs to be well thought out and have the Street Advisory Committee meet. There is no common goal in his opinion. He said he does not know where Horton Street comes into play with our projects. He asked Commissioner Watts where she lived.

Lindsey Watts said that she has heard that there have been discussions on Horton Street for many weeks. She reminded him that he and Kevin were both in discussions on this.

Mayor Mitchell asked that we all calm down and be respectful to each other.

Lindsey Watts said that City staff has provided lots of information to them. Cost estimates for the three projects have been gone over numerous times.

Pete Allen made a motion to table this grant knowing full well that as of May 18^th we can apply for summer grants, that a thorough study is conducted, the Street Advisory Board Committee is involved, the community involved, and figure out a plan that is best for all members of the committee and not just a select few.

Randy Nichols asked if there was any reason to get the City’s name in the que for this current grant cycle.

Susan said yes.

Randy said that the implications of where we live have nothing to do with this grant submission and the implications of that is really ugly.

Pete said that he thinks it is coincidental maybe but all three of you live right off of Horton Street.

Mayor Mitchell said that Pete’s motion died for lack of a second.

Kevin asked if it will hurt our chances for another grant if we don’t go for this grant.

Susan said no. She said that she does not feel that project this was thrown together. Statistics were brought back to the Commission. The Horton project was very thought out and it was in our 2020 plan. That was not a fair statement. We are trying to get funding to help cover the costs. National could still be accomplished with our capital outlay dollars.

Kevin said that he hasn’t been as heavily involved in these discussions as Pete has. He said he would appreciate being treated as his own person and as his own individual. He believes we should go for the grant. He may differ on what we go for, but we should move ahead.

Susan said that we have always been told by KDOT they had to be shovel ready and she asked that specific question and they said no. That’s why this project was brought before them. The other two grants – access management and geo-metric will have to be engineered before submission.

Pete said that he was told yesterday that the grant will only cover asphalt. It will cover sidewalks also.

Susan said that it will cover sidewalks also and said that yesterday.

Pete asked if we would spend all of our capital improvement funds on this one project.

Susan said that she would suggest going out for temporary notes and bond this $600,000 for ten years.

Kevin says that he feels like we should go for the grant, but he feels like the National project should be looked at.

Lindsey said that her opinion differs due to the work that City staff has brought to them. This is a far larger project that we will have to put far less City dollars into.

Lindsey Watts made a motion to approve Horton from 6^th Street to Lakin Street and also from 6^th Street from Judson to Horton. She also added if City Staff deems to add the sidewalks down to the Community College or even the Golf Course to be included in this project to be submitted for the KDOT Cost Share Grant. Randy Nichols seconded. Randy Nichols, Lindsey Watts, and JoLynne Mitchell voted aye. Pete Allen voted no. Kevin Allen abstained. Motion carried.

approved Horton from 6^th Street to Lakin Street and also from 6^th Street from Judson to Horton. She also added if City Staff deems to add the sidewalks down to the Community College or even the Golf Course to be included in this project to be submitted for the KDOT Cost Share Grant

City Manager said that Staff has worked hard on this project. The City still won’t know what we have to spend due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be a year of planning, but we may not be able to complete due to funding.

2. Approval to use Olsson Associates for engineering if needed for K.D.O.T. Cost Share Program – Susan Bancroft, Finance Director, informed the Commission that Olsson Associates is familiar with our community. They would only be needed if technical questions were needed to be answered in submitting this application.

JoLynne Mitchell made the motion to approve Olsson Associates for engineering if needed for submission of the KDOT Cost Share Grant. Lindsey Watts seconded. K. Allen, R. Nichols, L. Watts, and J. Mitchell voted aye. P. Allen abstained. Motion carried.

approved Olsson Associates for engineering if needed for submission of the KDOT Cost Share Grant.

ADJOURNMENT:

R. Nichols moved to adjourn the special meeting at 10:38 a.m. L. Watts seconded. All voted aye. Motion carried.

ADJOURNED SPECIAL MEETING AT 10:38 A.M.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is to be held on May 19^th, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.

RECORDED BY:

_____________________________________

DIANE K. CLAY

CITY CLERK

CITY OF FORT SCOTT

SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING

Minutes of May 13, 2020 Special Meeting #3

A special meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held May 13^th, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. in the City Commission Meeting Room, 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.

ROLL CALL:

Commissioners Kevin Allen, Pete Allen, Lindsey Watts and President of the City Commission Randy Nichols presiding. Mayor JoLynne Mitchell was absent.

AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE: None

CONSIDERATION:

1. Approval to apply for K.D.O.T. Cost Share Program – Susan Bancroft, Finance Director, informed the Commission, that she, Chad, and Dave Martin met with Pete Allen and Randy Nichols yesterday regarding the three different projects that could possibly be submitted for this grant. Those projects are Horton – 6^th Street to 23^rd Street; Wall Street – West to Highway 69; and National – 13^th Street to Highway 69. Susan went over the scoring basis for the grant which will be used when K.D.O.T. is looking to award grants. They are as follows: The project should: Support Economic Growth; Aid in the retention or recruitment of business; Add value to a KDOT project; Improve safety; Improve access or mobility; Improve condition or relieve congestion; Bicycle/Pedestrian; Investments that provide benefits and are not eligible for other KDOT programs; Entity of business involved in the project – private investment; Regional significance; Impact to State highway; Impact to local road system; and Other KDOT funding available. She referenced the Highway 69 Corridor Study which was completed in 2010. Susan said that she and Dave talked to Darin Petrowsky of K.D.O.T. in regard to these projects. There is additional KDOT funding that would assist with Wall Street. There is funding in the City’s capital improvement program to pay for the overlay on National.

Chad Brown, Public Works Director, informed the Commission that he put some numbers together on the three projects. The cost of milling and asphalt on National would be approximately $89,000. That is with a 2” overlay from 13^th Street to Highway 69. The cost on Horton Street from 6^th Street up to the City’s golf course would be about $1.5 million which would include 8” of asphalt. Wall Street would be approximately $500,000 for improvements.

Susan reminded them that this grant is just for asphalt resurfacing and storm or sewer improvements is not included. These costs include sidewalks also.

Discussion was held regarding the three proposed projects, the costs, the Highway 69 Corridor Study Plan, if 6^th Street could be included with Horton Street, and the availability of additional funding in the fall through KDOT.

Pete said he talked to some of the Street Advisory Board members and they all wanted the National Avenue project.

Randy Nichols moved to approve the Horton Street project to be submitted for the KDOT Cost Share Grant Program. Lindsey Watts seconded. Kevin Allen and Pete Allen voted no. R. Nichols and L. Watts voted aye. Tied 2-2.

Discussion was held whether the Mayor was available to call in. City Manager called the Mayor, but she had only been able to listen in on the last 20 minutes of the meeting, so she could not vote.

Discussion was held to meet again tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. and see if the Mayor can be present for this meeting. Susan will also contact KDOT for additional answers to some of their questions. Chad will get additional costs on these projects also.

2. Approval to use Olsson Associates for engineering if needed for K.D.O.T. Cost Share Program – Susan Bancroft, Finance Director, informed the Commission that this will be discussed tomorrow.

ADJOURNMENT:

Kevin Allen moved to adjourn the special meeting at 11:24 a.m. R. Nichols seconded. All voted aye. Motion carried.

ADJOURNED SPECIAL MEETING AT 11:24 A.M.

The next Special meeting is to be held on May 14^th, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.

RECORDED BY:

_____________________________________

DIANE K. CLAY, CITY CLERK