CITY OF FORT SCOTT
CITY COMMISSION MEETING
Minutes of September 17th, 2019 Regular Meeting #17
The regular meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held September 17th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas.
ROLL CALL:
Commissioners Adamson, Mitchell and Nichols were present with Commissioner Bartelsmeyer presiding. Mayor Parker was absent.
INVOCATION: Robert Uhler, Community Development Director, said a prayer asking God for guidance for the City, our Government and City officials.
AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE: Robert Uhler, Lindsay Watts, Deb McCoy, Clayton Miller, Travis Shelton, Deb Needleman, Dave Bruner, Kate Sweetser, Patrick Dobyns, Josh Jones, Brian Allen, Kirk Sharp, Shirley Graham, Grace Sweat, Michael Hoyt, Mert Barrows, and representing the press, Jason Silvers of the Fort Scott Tribune.
PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS: Laura Ingalls Wilder Proclamation – Cindy Bartelsmeyer, President of the Commission, read a Proclamation which proclaims August 21, 2020 and every August 21st thereafter to be “Laura Ingalls Wilder Day” in Fort Scott.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND APPROPRIATIONS/CONSENT AGENDA:
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Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of September 3rd, 2019.
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Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1246-A totaling $260,336.14.
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Certificate of Appropriateness – Sign at 120 E. Wall – Stutesman Action Realty
Mitchell moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.
APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA.
APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:
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APPEARANCE: Kirk Sharp and Mert Barrows, Fort Scott Community College – Request to close 1000 block of Main Street – September 21st, 2019 in conjunction with 100th Anniversary of FSCC – Kirk said that he had two requests tonight. The first request is for the Gordon Parks Celebration which will be held on October 3rd through October 5th. This year’s celebration dinner will be held at the River Room which they are very excited about. Peerless Products is helping sponsor this event. They are honoring some of the original cast members: Karole Graham, Stephen Perry and S. Pearl Sharp who were part of The Learning Tree which was filmed in Fort Scott. He requested the north section of Oak Street directly in front of the River Room and the direct east area of the River Room on National be closed off to ensure for ample parking.
Mitchell moved to approve the street closing of the north section of Oak Street in front of the River Room and the direct east area of the River Room on National (parking area) be closed off for parking for this event. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.
approved the street closing of the north section of Oak Street in front of the River Room and the direct east area of the River Room on National (Parking area) be closed off for parking for this event.
His next request is for the 100th year Centennial Celebration which is held this Friday, September 20th, 2019 at the River Room. He asked for handicapped parking on the north section of the alley on Oak Street in front of the River Room. On Saturday, September 21st, they would like to have Main Street blocked from the 900 block to the 1000 block so they can have their tailgate party and activities. This would be from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. that date. Also, they would like to have Scott Street blocked off behind the High School from the 900 block to the 1200 block where the practice field is. There will be two Blackhawk helicopters that will be doing a flyover during the game. This would be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Commissioner Bartelsmeyer asked if the College had handicapped signage. City Manager said that the City will work with them on signage.
Bartelsmeyer moved to approve the closing of the streets on September 20 and September 21st. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.
APPROVED THE CLOSING OF THE NORTH SECTION OF THE ALLEY ON OAK STREET IN FRONT OF THE RIVER ROOM. APPROVED THE BLOCKING OF MAIN STREET FROM THE 900 TO 1000 BLOCK FROM 1:00 P.M. TO 7:00 P.M. FOR THEIR TAILGATING PARTY. APPROVED TO CLOSE SCOTT STREET BEHIND THE HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE 900 BLOCK TO THE 1200 BLOCK WHERE THE PRACTICE FIELD IS FOR THE LANDING OF THE BLACKHAWK HELICOPTERS.
B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute
limit per citizen)
Kate Sweetser – Thanked the Commission for reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder Proclamation. She has some fanatical fans that are coming to Fort Scott and this might attract more.
She also asked about a parking issue in front of her house at 1012 S. National. Parking in front of her house is affected when activities are held at the stadium or the High School. She requested that the City block her driveway with cones when events are held. She would prefer it be blocked with cones rather than people parking and blocking her driveway or parking in her driveway.
City Manager said he would look into this.
Pat Dobyns – City Manager informed him before he began speaking that if he was going to talk about a personnel matter that the Commission has nothing to do with personnel. That is his responsibility. If it is a personnel matter, he asked him not to make any comments and he would gladly meet with him at a later date, tomorrow or whenever, but they have no bearing on personnel matters. With that said, you have three minutes.
Mr. Dobyns said he would contact the City Manager. He said he doesn’t like public speaking and will contact Dave.
Michael Hoyt – Mr. Hoyt remarked that he had read about the reporting of the situation on the attack on Mr. Magee. An issue was brought up that he tried to bring up one time here but ran out of his three minutes. The issue is the person who has dialed 911 and received the wrong operator. He did some research on that and he dialed 911 and received the Fort Scott 911 operator on his phone and was told that they don’t handle Arizona and disconnected the call. He called T-Mobile and in the profile for each phone there is an E911 that says where you are covered. When you’re traveling, how can you be assured you will reach the local 911 operator? He said he travels frequently from here to Pittsburg with his elderly mother and he doesn’t need the 911 operator in Pittsburg. T-Mobile could not give him an answer. He asked if there was a 911 expert at the City that could give him advice on this.
City Manager said that Paul Ballou is the 911 person for the City.
Mr. Hoyt said that if he is traveling he wants to ensure that his phone will connect to the correct 911 operator.
Commissioner Mitchell said that if you’re traveling all over the United States, there is no way the City of Fort Scott could answer that call. Your cell phone will ping off of where you’re traveling close to.
Mr. Hoyt said that he is fine with that but that doesn’t seem to be the way it works.
Dave Bruner said that Dispatch can ping your phone and find your location. When you call 911, your location pops up on their screen.
Mr. Hoyt asked why the young lady or whoever was on the scene at Mr. Magee’s situation not get the Fort Scott 911 operator.
Dave Bruner said he didn’t know but he will find out about that call from the Dispatch Supervisor.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS: None
CONSIDERATION:
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Consideration of 4 way stop at 6th & Margrave – Travis Shelton, Chief of Police, informed the Commission that last Spring there were some concerned citizens came to a Commission meeting about installing a four way stop sign at 6th and Margrave. Due to public concern and support from the U.S.D. 234 Transportation Director, he asked for permission to place four way stop signs at this location. New signs will be placed at the west side of Margrave and the east side of Margrave. There was some concern regarding trains and congestion but his department will monitor that.
Nichols moved to approve a four way stop at 6th and Margrave. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.
APPROVED TO INSTALL FOUR WAY STOP SIGNS AT 6TH AND MARGRAVE.
COMMISSION/STAFF:
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Director Updates: None
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City Commission:
Bartelsmeyer – Nothing to report.
Mitchell – Nothing to report.
Nichols – Nothing to report.
Adamson – Thanked Kate Sweetser for her hard work in researching Fort Scott and keeping history alive.
Parker – Not present.
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City Manager:
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City Manager said that he informed the Commission at the last meeting that an ordinance prohibiting smoking and alcohol be put in place at the historical downtown parks. He said that this situation has corrected itself and the ordinances are not needed at this time.
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Lake Advisory Committee – City Manager said that there are a lot of good applicants and more time is needed to review these.
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Fort Scott Booster Club – City Manager said that the Booster Club wants to close off the parking lot by the Aquatic Center on Friday, September 27th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for a fundraiser which is a hamburger and hotdog tailgate party.
Adamson made a motion to approve the parking lot by the Aquatic Center be closed off from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27th, 2019 for the Booster Club fundraising tailgate party. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.
approved the parking lot by the Aquatic Center be closed off from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27th, 2019 for the Booster Club tailgate fundraising party.
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Quiet Zone Update – City Manager said that he has had a couple of people call and inquire about the Quiet Zone. They questioned why it wasn’t moving forward. In 2014, the City Commission moved forward with the design of the Quiet Zone on Wall Street. There was a hotel coming to town and they really needed the Quiet Zone at this location or they would not have come to town. The Quiet Zone on Wall Street cost around $800,000 and that is without right of way land purchases. The quiet zone at 6th Street would require that more property be purchased for right of way. East National quiet zone would require even more right of way purchases. At 6th Street, the traffic signal would need replaced. K.D.O.T. said that it would cost approximately $1,000,000 to replace. K.D.O.T. has no funds for this project. You cannot go to the other end and start and have to go forward in the sequence of lights. This project is on hold until K.D.O.T. can help contribute to the lighting at 6th Street.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mitchell moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:24 p.m. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.
ADJOURNED MEETING AT 6:24 P.M.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is to be held on October 1st, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
RECORDED BY:
DIANE K. CLAY
CITY CLERK