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FS Commission Minutes of Sept. 3

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The regular meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission was held September 3rd, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room, 123 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas.

ROLL CALL:

Commissioners Adamson, Bartelsmeyer, Mitchell and Nichols were present with Mayor Parker presiding.

INVOCATION: Pastor Ian Johnson, Community Christian Church, said a prayer asking God for guidance for the City, our Government and City officials.

AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE: Robert Uhler, Rachel Pruitt, Traci Reed, Lindsay Watts, Deb McCoy, Clayton Miller, Travis Shelton, Deb Needleman, Dave Bruner, Janet Davis, Dana Davis, Geoff Clark, Sky Clark, Nancy Van Etten, Kate Sweetser, Jerald Mitchell, Rhonda Dunn, John Bartelsmeyer, Patrick Wood, Colleen Murrin, Jean Reeves, Ian Johnson, Carson Felt, Carla Felt, Pete Allen, Kevin Allen, Max Fanning, Chip Moore, Kevin Russell, and representing the press, Jason Silvers of the Fort Scott Tribune.

PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS: None

APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND APPROPRIATIONS/CONSENT AGENDA:

  1. Approval of minutes of the regular meeting of August 20th, 2019.

  1. Approval of Appropriation Ordinance 1245-A totaling $178,037.95.

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

APPROVED CONSENT AGENDA.

APPEARANCE/COMMENTS/PUBLIC HEARING:

  1. APPEARANCE: None

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

limit per citizen) – Nancy Van Etten – She passed out information to the Commission regarding Lake Fort Scott. She said she was a lake property owner. They had a lake meeting in August with about 90 people there. That’s a lot of involvement in our community with City and County people both there. Some of the issues are being addressed regarding safety on the lake and the road condition issues. I think tonight you will be voting on the formation of a Lake Advisory Committee. Those are good steps. The biggest concern is the proposed condominiums on 195th Street. Most people are not in agreement with this development. People started asking where the zoning ordinances are. Becky Howard was here recently and visited with the Commission. She has been doing research and attending County Commission meetings and she has also been keeping Robert (Uhler) updated. She handed them an ordinance that specifically deals with Lake Fort Scott. This ordinance sounds like the City is responsible for zoning at the lake. She thinks the ordinance is still in effect.

Mayor Parker thanked her for her comments.

  1. PUBLIC HEARINGS:

Bartelsmeyer moved to open the Budget Public Hearing at 6:07 p.m. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.

OPENED PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:07 P.M.

6:00 p.m. – 2020 Budget Hearing – Adoption of 2020 Budget – Rhonda Dunn, Finance Director, informed the Commission that the budget for 2020 is before them for final approval.

There were no comments from the audience.

Nichols moved to approve the 2020 budget. Parker seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED 2020 BUDGET.

Bartelsmeyer moved to close the Budget Public Hearing at 6:08 p.m. Mitchell seconded. All voted aye.

CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:08 P.M.

Mitchell moved to open the Public Hearing at 6:17 p.m. Bartelsmeyer seconded. All voted aye.

OPENED PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:17 P.M.

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 16-2019 Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure located at 505 S. Ransom Street – Robert Uhler, Community Development Director, informed the Commission that the home owner is actually demolishing this structure by himself. It is taking him quite a while to do this. He asked for permission to give him 30 days to either finish demolishing the house or for the City to demolish it.

Bartelsmeyer moved to approve to give the home owner 30 days to either finish demolishing the structure or the City will take bids to demolish it. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 16-2019 DIRECTING THE REPAIR OR REMOVAL OF AN UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE LOCATED AT 505 S. RANSOM STREET. STRUCTURE MUST BE BROUGHT UP TO 2012 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE BY OCTOBER 11TH, 2019 OR DEMOLITION PROCEEDINGS WILL BEGIN.

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 17-2019 Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure located at 1012 S. Crawford Street – Robert Uhler, Community Development Director, informed the Commission that the City has been working on this structure to have improvements made on it since 2008. There is no one living there. He asked for 30 days for the property owner to either repair or remove the structure.

Tommy More said that he is the owner of the house. He is working with a group out of Kansas City to repair or remove this structure. He has had some family issues with his inlaws passing away so that has slowed the repairs down.

Mitchell moved to give the property owner 30 days to either finish repairing the structure or demolish it. Adamson seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 17-2019 DIRECTING THE REPAIR OR REMOVAL OF AN UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE LOCATED AT 1012 S. CRAWFORD STREET. STRUCTURE MUST BE BROUGHT UP TO 2012 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE BY OCTOBER 11TH, 2019 OR DEMOLITION PROCEEDINGS WILL BEGIN.

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 18-2019 Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure and Accessory Structure located at 517 S. Clark Street – Robert Uhler, Community Development Director, informed the Commission that this structure is in bad need of repair. He has had no contact from the property owner regarding this structure. He asked for 30 days for the property owner to either repair or remove this structure.

Nichols moved to give the property owner 30 days to either repair or remove this structure and accessory structure. Mitchell seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 18-2019 DIRECTING THE REPAIR OR REMOVAL OF AN UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURE LOCATED AT 517 S. CLARK STREET. STRUCTURE MUST BE BROUGHT UP TO 2012 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE BY OCTOBER 11TH, 2019 OR DEMOLITION PROCEEDINGS WILL BEGIN.

6:15 p.m. – Resolution 19-2019 Notice of Hearing with Reference to Alleged Unsafe and Dangerous Structure and Accessory Structure located at 706 S. Clark Street – Robert Uhler, Community Development Director, informed the Commission that this structure is in bad need of repair. He has had no contact from the property owner regarding this structure. He asked for 30 days for the property owner to either repair or remove this structure.

Mitchell moved to give the property owner 30 days to either repair or remove this structure and accessory structure. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED RESOLUTION NO. 19-2019 DIRECTING THE REPAIR OR REMOVAL OF AN UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS STRUCTURE LOCATED AT 706 S. CLARK STREET. STRUCTURE MUST BE BROUGHT UP TO 2012 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE BY OCTOBER 11TH, 2019 OR DEMOLITION PROCEEDINGS WILL BEGIN.

Bartelsmeyer moved to close the Public Hearing at 6:26 p.m. Mitchell seconded. All voted aye.

CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:26 P.M.

Update on 15 S. Crawford – Robert Uhler, Community Development Director, informed the Commission that this house has been before them before and the owners were present and asked for time to repair the structure. The structure has not had much progress done on it. His recommendation is to proceed with the demolition of this structure.

Mitchell moved to close the Public Hearing at 6:57 p.m. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.

City Manager said that we will visit with our attorney also about this before the demolition is awarded.

CONSIDERATION:

  1. Selection of Voting and Alternate Delegates for League of Kansas Municipalities Annual Voting Meeting – 3 voting – 3 alternate – Diane Clay, City Clerk, informed the Commissioners of the staff that would be attending the League Annual Meeting. She said that voting and alternate delegates for the Annual League of Kansas Municipalities meeting need to be selected:

Voting Alternate

Dave Martin Rachel Pruitt

Diane Clay Robert Uhler

Deb Needleman Travis Shelton

Bartelsmeyer moved to approve the voting and alternate delegates. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED VOTING AND ALTERNATE DELEGATES FOR THE ANNUAL LEAGUE OF KANSAS MUNICIPALITIES MEETING TO BE HELD OCTOBER 13-14, 2019.

  1. Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board Committee – Creation of Ordinance No. 3550 – City Manager informed the Commission that this ordinance is for the formation of a Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board Committee. One suggestion made by Robert Uhler is that one of the five members who are residents of Lake Fort Scott be that each type of lake owner be represented – full time resident and a part time resident and one resident on each side of the lake. He and Robert have a conference call set up with another city that has a lake with some of the same issues. This will hopefully get everyone to the same table and discuss issues. Letters of interest will be taken for this committee and be brought back before the Commission.

Nichols moved to approve Ordinance No. 3550. Bartelsmeyer seconded. All voted aye.

APPROVED ORDINANCE NO 3550 ESTABLISHING A LAKE FORT SCOTT ADVISORY BOARD, PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT AND TERMS OF THE MEMBERS THEREOF, AND DEFINING THEIR DUTIES.

COMMISSION/STAFF:

  1. Director Updates: Rachel Pruitt – Rachel informed the Board that she is presenting a draft of a program she has presented to the County. This is a Lease to Purchase Property Tax Relief Program. The mission of the project is to help business owners transition into paying the full amount of property taxes. This will be presented to USD 234, Fort Scott Community College, and again to Bourbon County. This program was developed with instead of zero abatement of property taxes, it would start at year one with 10% of the property owner paying the property taxes and then year two it would be 20% and so forth. The City of Parsons has a similar program in effect. This program would be only for commercial or industrial property and not residential. It would be to assist businesses wanting to expand. More information will be forthcoming. This is just for City businesses.

  1. City Commission:

Bartelsmeyer – Nothing to report.

Mitchell – Thanked Nancy for her research and comments tonight and said she is glad to serve on the Lake Advisory Committee as the City’s representative.

Nichols – Remarked that despite all of various opinions in the community, we should look beyond that and look at the various communities with the mass shootings and the hurricane in the Bahamas, and that puts our community in a good place. It is a very good place to live. We should assist them and keep them in our prayers.

Adamson – Nothing to report.

Parker – Remarked that even though there are issues going on in our town, we do not have any major catastrophes going on. We are truly blessed.

  1. City Manager:

  1. Parks in Historic District – City Manager said that there has been some problems with our City parks in the historic district with loitering and littering. He had an ordinance drafted which will prohibit the Heritage Park at 1st and Main and Riverfront Park to both be alcohol free and smoke free. When an event occurs there and alcohol is requested, it can be waived for that event. Riverfront Park has also requested this be in place. This will come before them for consideration at the next meeting.

  1. Resignation of Finance Director – City Manager said that Rhonda Dunn has given her resignation as Finance Director. She will be going to work for E3 and be their accountant. The City wishes her the best. She will continue to work through the month of September for the City.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mitchell moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:42 p.m. Nichols seconded. All voted aye.

ADJOURNED MEETING AT 6:42 P.M.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is to be held on September 17th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

RECORDED BY:

DIANE K. CLAY

CITY CLERK

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