HOISINGTON — The Hoisington City Council meeting started 15 minutes early on Monday as the council convened as the City Land Bank Board.
As City Manager Jonathan Mitchell prepared for the sale of the McKenna Meadows lots, he found that titles were held by the City Land Bank Board. That board had not met since November 2018. At Monday’s meeting, the board passed the resolution allowing the sale of lots to the Robinson and Reinert families.
The City Council reconvened for its regular meeting to listen to several reports. The first item was a presentation from the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency (KMEA) regarding the City’s recent rate study. KMEA’s Regulatory and Rates Manager Darren Prince presented an overview. (See adjacent story.)
Next, the council heard a brief report from the Municipal Pound Committee. Members Jim Morris, Keith Kennon, Darren Reinert and Cecelia Conrad meet with the Hoisington Veterinary Hospital staff and then the Hoisington Police department. The Committee has prepared a new draft contract between the two parties. They will submit it to the council after review by each party.
Mitchell led a discussion of the gym use and damage concerns. The major damage is the holes that have been made in the 80-year-old ceramic tile wall as well as dust from crumbling grout. The damaged wall is the same wall that is used as a backboard for pitching practice.
“We have a group that is teaching youngsters how to pitch and they’ve been teaching them using softballs that aren’t really very soft,” Mitchell said. “ You can see the impacts of one of those on our blocks.”
Use of the gym has increased over the years for a variety of activities. The school district has been given priority as it paid to have the gym floor refinished. Most recently, the district uses the gym for women’s wrestling practice.
Regarding the present damage, the council is concerned about matching the ceramic tile. They recommend that pitching classes use rubber indoor balls and portable nets for backboards. Mitchell will look for padding for the wall itself.
The last two items of new business included discussion of the holiday schedule for the employees on the new schedule. The council agreed for the City workers to have all day Friday as well as Thanksgiving Day off. For Christmas and New Year’s day, City workers will have four-day weekends and a year-end bonus.
Last, the council accepted the bid for a John Deere FC10R Flex Wing Mower for a total of $24,975 with a trade of $3,000 for the old mower. The mowing tractor is also a John Deere so the Council felt it wise to purchase a mower of the same brand. Council Member Darren Reinert said, “ Common sense to me would say buy a John Deere mower to go behind the John Deere tractor. We may spend a little more money for it, but in the long run we’re going to come out dollars ahead.”
Updates
• The Council will hold a joint meeting with the Barton County Commissioners on Nov. 27 at the Hoisington Activity Center starting at 6 pm. This is a change of normal place and time.
• Zoning questions concerning placement of shipping containers and other accessory structures have come up. City statutes are more lenient than previously thought.
• The City is also dealing with an odor coming from a closed building downtown. The City has not been able to contact the owner. After some discussion of getting the legal authority to enter the building, council member Kennon realized he knew the owner and would make contact with him.
• The Second Street project has finished with some grant funds remaining. The excess funds can be used to enhance the sidewalks of the residential block currently being paved. The sidewalk work will be a spring project.
• The Council was informed of the Football Pep Rally and bonfire to be held Thursday night at the Demo Derby Pit.
-Story by Melissa Nech
