City Council Meeting (May 6, 2024)

The Phillipsburg City Council met in regular session on May 6, 2024, 6:00 P.M, at 945 2nd Street, Phillipsburg, KS.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Bret Miles.

PRESENT: Councilmembers Brian Shrader; Mike James; Don Roberts; Terry McConnell; Lauren Weinert; Jeannette Harris.

ABSENT: None.

ALSO PRESENT: Tim, Ruth & Shawn Ellenberger; Mike & Janice Sheid; Max Dibble; Ruby Wiehman; Randy Hrabe; Krystle Schamp; Don & Mary Smith; Deb and Ken Stormont; Chris Byer; Nikki Swatzell; Kirby Ross, Phillips County Review; S. Scott Sage, City Attorney; Brandi Spray, City Clerk; Tim Driggs, City Administrator.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States was led by Mayor Bret Miles.

Krystle Schamp stated that she had talked to Driggs last week where he informed her that F Street is a city street and should have been maintained in the past. Since then, some maintenance has begun and will continue. Schamp expressed her gratitude to Driggs for coming and visiting with her about the road but also stated she felt harassed due to a comment that was made about annexing the house back into city limits.

Schamp also noted that she had a bird bath that did not get picked up during cleanup week because it was made out of concrete. She stated that the ad for cleanup shows concrete under construction debris and she thought it would get picked up.

Randy Hrabe; Director of North West Kansas Regional Planning Commission and Secretery of Treasurer of North West Kansas Housing presented to the council the drainage options for the Jansonius Addition infrastructure and asked the council if the city would help pay for half of the cost of putting in the drainage.

Ruby Wiehman asked the council where they were at with the widening the road at Fort Bissell or what options there were and what had been discussed as she had not heard anything from anyone. She suggested moving the fence so that people could just park on the grass. Miles asked that she give them until next meeting to take a look at it and discuss before making a decision.

Moved by McConnell, seconded by Shrader to approve the April 15, 2024 minutes as written. Voting Aye: ALL. Opposed: NONE.

Moved by Harris, seconded by McConnell to approve the April 19, 2024 special meeting minutes as written with the correction of the date at the top. Voting Aye: ALL. Opposed: NONE.

Moved by Shrader, seconded by McConnell to approve ordinance #1055-04- 24B to pay the bill for the month of April. Voting Aye: ALL. Opposed: NONE.

Roberts stated that the flashing school zone light on the West side was not working again. Driggs stated that there is a new battery ordered for it.

James stated that the Planning Commission recommended approving Plan C for the plat and the drainage plan. James moved to approve Plan C which leaves no expense for the city and leave the 30-foot easement for future use of South 6thStreet. There was no second, motion was not carried.

There was a lot of discussion held between the council about the plats. Tim Ellenberger voiced his concerns about doing anything with South 6th street for a road that would ultimately go nowhere, it would be a dead-end road. More discussion was held between the council, Byer and Hrabe. Miles suggested that 3 council members, Hrabe, and some Planning Commission members schedule a meeting to discuss the plans further before making a decision.

Ellenberger left the meeting at 7:03pm Ellenberger returned to the meeting at 7:04pm.

Dibble wanted to add that North West Kansas Planning is a non-profit organization and will have no way to gain the money back that is spent on the storm drainage. He stated that the county will get tax revenue and the city will get tax revenue from the houses being built but NW Kansas Planning will not.

Weinert asked if the pile of wood by the airport was accessible to anyone. Driggs stated that, yes, it is accessible to anyone and is first come first serve but to please contact Driggs beforehand.

Driggs presented the inspection report from the Kansas Department of Agriculture on the pound. The city failed the inspection due to incorrect spay and neutering practices and there will be a $200 reinspection fee.

Driggs stated that there was one bid that came in from Becker Terracing, Inc. for the demolition for 40 W Ridge Road and it was for $14,999. Due to security concerns, they did not bid the other two houses at that time. On May 2nd, they did provide an estimate for the other two houses at 838 8th Street and 1655 Prospect Street with stipulations that the city will provide surveillance cameras/equipment for security purposes for protection from vandalism for all equipment remaining on the job site after working hours and that the city will provide constant on-site security personnel while job is in progress to prevent harassment from property owners. The total estimate was $31,000 for each house.

Moved by Shrader, seconded by James to approve the bid from Becker Terracing on 40 W Ridge Road for $14,999. Voting Aye: ALL. Opposed: NONE.

Driggs presented the report identifying the areas of concern for the properties that the city received complaints on. Several pictures were provided.

Moved by Shrader, seconded by Harris to move forward with the dangerous structure process on 429 9th Street, 433 9th Street, 434 9th Street and 161 Walnut Street. Voting Aye: Shrader, James, McConnell, Weinert, Harris. Opposed: Roberts.

Driggs stated that the finance committee had reviewed some bids for the City Office roof. At that time, they decided to hold off on repairing it. However, with the significant rain, the roof has been leaking inside the building in several areas. There were two bids from Roofmasters Roofing and Sheet Metal Co., one bid was replacing the flat roof at $41,250. The second bid is $57,000 which would include re-structuring and re-sloping the roof so that it will drain properly. Moved by Shrader, seconded by McConnell to approve the second bid at $57,000 to re-structure the City Office roof. Voting Aye: ALL. Opposed: NONE.

Harris left the meeting at 7:33pm.
Harris returned to the meeting at 7:35pm.

Driggs stated that the agreement from the FAA Master Plan was received and needs approval for Sage and himself to sign it electronically. Moved by McConnell, seconded by Shrader to approve Sage and Driggs to sign the agreement for the Airport Master Plan. Voting Aye: ALL. Opposed: NONE.

Spray presented the audit agreement from Mapes and Miller, LLP for the City of Phillipsburg’s 2023 audit. Moved by James, seconded by McConnell to approve the 2023 audit agreement from Mapes and Miller LLP. Voting Aye: ALL. Opposed: NONE.

Moved by James, seconded by McConnell that the city council recess into executive session to discuss a personnel matter pursuant to the non-elected personnel matter exception, K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)(1) with the City Council and Mayor in attendance and the open meeting to resume in the city council chamber at 8:00pm.

Ellenbergers, Sheids, Dibble, Wiehman, Hrabe, Schamp, Smiths, Stormonts, Byer, Swatzell, Ross, Sage, Spray, and Driggs left the meeting at 7:17pm.

Ellenbergers, Dibble, Swatzell, Spray and Driggs returned to the meeting at 8:00pm.

Moved by James, seconded by McConnell that the city council recess into executive session to discuss a personnel matter pursuant to the non-elected personnel matter exception, K.S.A. 75-4319 (b)(1) with the City Council and