The Ellinwood City Council conducted a brief meeting Tuesday evening at the city offices,   tying up loose ends before the holidays.
A new fine schedule for standard traffic offenses, recommended by the state as well as City Attorney Bob Peter and Municipal Judge Jane Isern, was introduced and approved.  Council members commented on the sheer number of offences that could be cited.  Most fines were increased by $15.  
Cereal malt beverage applications for annual renewal of licenses were also approved.  It was noted that this year, Eagle Lanes is only applying for a cereal malt beverage license, and will no longer offer other liquors.  
City Manager Bud Newberry updated the council on progress with the KDOT project, stating that final plans for the city project were also completed and tentatively approved by KDOT.  The city was waiting for KDHE to complete their review.  The city is also continuing to work on acquiring needed easements, and legal descriptions will be completed soon.  Hopefully, he said, by mid-December, Kirkham Michael will complete the bidding process and a contractor will be chosen by the end of the year.  This will make the start date sometime in February.  A summer completion date is still anticipated for the city work, but this projection does not include the KDOT project.  

Other items included:
Still waiting on Attorney General approval of the neighborhood revitalization plan, with hopes of having it by next week.
Nelson Stone will begin demolition of the remaining Main Street building after he finishes demolition work on the highway, likely by the end of the week, weather permitting.  Pickens Restoration is behind on a Garden City project, but is positive about sending men to work on finishing the wall that will be exposed when Nelson completes his work.  
Larry Kleeman has completed the draft codification of ordinances which are ready to review online.  These will be discussed at the January meeting.  
A special meeting to discuss employee wages was scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 14 at the city offices.  

Following Newberry’s report and comments by council members, the meeting was adjourned.  The next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 at the city office.