Fort Scott, Government

Fort Scott Commission Minutes of Oct. 15

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CITY OF FORT SCOTT

CITY COMMISSION MEETING

Minutes of October 15th, 2019 Regular Meeting #19

The regular meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held October 15th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas.

ROLL CALL:

Commissioners Adamson and Mitchell were present with Mayor Parker presiding. Commissioner Bartelsmeyer and Nichols were 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: Devin Tally, Susan Bancroft, Adam Borth, Michael Hoyt, Deb McCoy, Rachel Pruitt, David Elliott, Dale Bollinger, Jason Pickert, Paul Ballou, Robert Uhler, Cathy Bishop, Pat Bishop, Jerry Witt, Colleen Quick, Douglas Guns, Rhonda Dunn, Geoff Southwell, Dave Bruner, Deb Needleman, Kelly Perry, Thaddeus Perry, Kevin Allen, Lindsey Watts, Clayton Miller, and representing the press, Jason Silvers of the Fort Scott Tribune.

PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS:

Recognition of Labconco Corporation, Peerless Products Inc., Timken Company, Niece Products of Kansas, Inc., Fort Scott Community College, and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce for participating in Manufacturing Day 2019. – Rachel Pruitt, Economic Development Director, informed the Commission that the attendance at Manufacturing Day more than doubled this year. There were around 200 in attendance. Timken donated $1,000 for this event which was used to reimburse schools for mileage. Schools as far as Spring Hill, Kansas attended this event. She thanked the four manufacturing companies who participated in this event. She also thanked the Chamber of Commerce and Fort Scott Community College for their assistance with this event.

Recognition of Office of Minority & Women Business Development – Kansas Department of Commerce 2019 Award Winners:

Lindsey Watts – Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Perry’s Pork Rinds, LLC – Supplier/Distributor of the Year – Rachel also recognized the recent Kansas Department of Commerce award winners. Lindsey Watts and Kelly and Thaddeus Perry of Perry’s Pork Rinds.

Robert Uhler introduced the new Golf Course Superintendent, Douglas Guns, to the Commission. He comes to the City from Girard, Kansas and has a lot of experience in golf courses and ballparks. He will be replacing Jon Kindlesparger, who is retiring at the end of the year.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND APPROPRIATIONS/CONSENT AGENDA:

  1. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of October 1st, 2019.

  1. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1248-A totaling $517,421.93.

  1. Street Closing Request – Community Christian Church – October 31st, 2019 – Annual Trunk or Treat Event

Mitchell moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA.

APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:

  1. APPEARANCE: Jerry Witt, Approval of Resolution to apply for Grant – Mr. Witt said that to update the Commission on Riverfront Park, they will notice on the north side of the park that trenching has occurred. This is to install LED lights all around the trail. He is just waiting on the electrician and the City to work together to finish this project. On the south side, in 2014 and 2015, they received a K.D.O.T. grant to build the Park Loop Road. There was money for roads, but not for trails. In visiting with K.D.O.T., there is another grant available in 2020 to construct trails. They have hired a consultant to write the grant and they hired AG Engineering to engineer the trails. He asked the Commission for a resolution to declare the eligibility of the Fort Scott Riverfront Authority to submit an application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for use of transportation alternatives program funds set for by MAP-21 for the Riverfront Trail project in the City of Fort Scott and authorizing the Mayor to sign this resolution. This is an 80/20 grant with 80% from K.D.O.T. and 20% from the Riverfront Authority. Mr. Witt said if the grant is awarded, the project will be done and if not, it will not be done. Also, the parking lot will be paved and striped and an ADA accessible ramp will be constructed up to the pavilion for wheelchairs. That will be done before too long.

City Manager reminded the public that the 20% is coming from Riverfront Authority and not taxpayer money.

Parker moved to approve the Resolution to apply for the Riverfront grant from K.D.O.T. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED Resolution No. 22-2019 declaring the eligibility of the Fort Scott Riverfront Authority to submit an application to the Kansas Department of Transportation for use of transportation alternatives program funds set forth by MAP-21 for the Riverfront Trail project in the City of Fort Scott and authorizing the Mayor to sign this resolution.

B. CITIZEN COMMENTS (Concerning Items Not on Agenda – 3 minute

limit per citizen) Dale Bollinger – Mr. Bollinger said that he spent 28 years as a firefighter with the Fort Scott Fire Department. He has fielded several calls pertaining to the trucks the City is wanting to buy. He decided to address the Commission and let them know where he stands on this issue. First of all, it has been encouraging to hear the Commission talk about NFPA standards and keeping the firefighters safe. Secondly, the trucks need to be replaced. He is not against that, but what he is against is the 100’ aerial ladder. In his 28 year career, he has never been in a situation where he needed more than what we have had in the last 65 years. You can still buy that truck with a 75’ aerial just like the current one we have and still meet the 1901 standards. He said he knows that there are people that want that truck with the 100’ aerial ladder. There are other issues that aren’t being addressed but are immediately life threatening to the safety of our firefighters and to their health and wellness. Please keep in mind that these trucks don’t put the fire out – the firefighters do. The decisions they make in the first two minutes when they arrive on the scene dictate whether they will be there two hours or twenty-four hours. He said that we need to invest back into our firefighters. The NFPA standards and the City codes that you’ve adopted and the Fire codes all trickle down to the NFPA. When we go out as a department and enforce codes on businesses in our community, it all trickles back to the NFPA standards. (He referenced NFPA 13 or 13-R referring to sprinkler systems and gave an example of a building with a sprinkler system.)

The Mayor told him his time was up and thanked him for sharing his thoughts with them.

City Manager said he would love to talk to him more about this.

Mr. Bollinger passed out some information to the Commissioners.

  1. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None

CONSIDERATION:

  1. Approval of memorial bench in Unsung Heroes Park – Robert Uhler, Community Development Director, informed the Commission that Niece Products has asked to place a memorial bench dedicated to the memory of Pat Flanigan in the Unsung Heroes Park. Mr. Flanigan recently passed away and he was an avid supporter of Fort Scott and lead many projects in the City. This bench would be a fitting memorial to him and his love for Fort Scott.

Adamson moved to approve the placement of the memorial bench at Unsung Heroes Park in the memory of Pat Flanigan. Parker seconded. All voted aye.

approveD the placement of the memorial bench at Unsung Heroes Park in the memory of Pat Flanigan.

  1. Approval of financing for purchase of pumper truck – Rhonda Dunn, Director of Finance, informed the Commission that bids were taken for financing the purchase of the new pumper truck that was recently approved by the City Commission. The only bid received was from City State Bank in the interest rate of 3.19%. The annual payment will be $54,599.26 for ten years beginning October 2020. There was $55,000.00 budgeted for this payment. The amount financed is $462,405.15.

Mitchell moved to approve the financing for the new pumper fire truck with City State Bank at the interest rate of 3.19% with the annual payment being $54,599.26 for the next ten years beginning October 2020. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.

approveD the financing for the new pumper fire truck with City State Bank at the interest rate of 3.19% with the annual payment being $54,599.26 for the next ten years beginning October 2020.

Rhonda informed them that tonight is her last Commission meeting and that it has been an honor to work with all of them and she will treasure all the memories.

COMMISSION/STAFF:

  1. Director Updates: Deb Needleman – Deb informed the Commission that several of the staff attended the League of Kansas Municipalities annual meeting this last Sunday and Monday in Overland Park. As part of that meeting, Kansas Municipal Insurance Trust (K.M.I.T.) holds their annual meeting also. Once again, the City of Fort Scott received the Gold Star award for our good standing with Work Comp and being accident free which helps with our insurance rates. We were also honored as being recognized as being part of K.M.I.T. for 25 years as this is their 25th anniversary. We were presented with a plaque. There were 48 original charter cities as part of this trust. There are now 38 original cities. It is well managed and Deb said that she sits on this board.

Employee Health Fair – Deb informed the Commission that today was the Employee Health Fair for City employees. Employees have the opportunity to get lab work done and get a flu shot and this year the shingles vaccine was also offered. There were 34 employees that participated in the lab work, 34 employees who received a flu shot, and 6 who received the shingles vaccine. There were vendors who came that included: Midwest Hearing, Courtland Day Spa, I Am Rehab, Public Health Department, CHC, Aflac, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and the Fire Department. It was held at Fire Station #2 in the bay area.

  1. City Commission:

Bartelsmeyer – Not present.

Mitchell – Nothing to report.

Nichols – Not present.

Adamson – Remarked that one of her favorite parts of being a Commissioner is when they recognize individuals and once again she thanked all who were recognized this evening. She has really enjoyed the last two meetings.

Parker – Mayor Parker echoed her comments.

  1. City Manager:

  1. Dale Bollinger – Dave said that he feels bad that he hasn’t been able to tell us his concerns. He didn’t know he had been in to see him. He wants him to know that we will get together and discuss this.

  1. Water issue – Dave said that he received a thank you note from Barb Schmidt who was at the last meeting regarding some water concerns.

  1. Manufacturing Day – Dave said he had another thank you note from Uniontown High School thanking the City for the lunch for Manufacturing Day.

  1. Turkeys – Dave said that this year turkeys will be given to all employees for Thanksgiving Day.

  1. League of Kansas Municipalities annual meeting – Dave said that it was very obvious that the League is focusing on workforce development, housing, and infrastructure this year. The City has been addressing these three issues also for some time.

  1. Rhonda Dunn – Dave thanked Rhonda Dunn for her work at the City and said she was a joy to work with and wished her well at her new position.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mitchell moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:31 p.m. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.

ADJOURNED MEETING AT 6:31 P.M.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is to be held on November 5th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

RECORDED BY:

DIANE K. CLAY

CITY CLERK

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