August 21, 2023 LECOMPTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
7:00 P.M. Mayor Jimmy Wilkins brought the Lecompton City Council Meeting to order at 327 Elmore St. Lecompton, KS. Council Members Tim McNish, Mary Jane Hoffer, Stephanie Confer, Steve Freeman and Owen were present at roll call. Superintendent Rance Roberts and City Clerk Lynley Sanford were also present. The following residents or township members present included: Troy and Vickie Clark and Greg Howard.
Owen Mallonee motioned to approve the meeting minutes from August 7th, 2023. Steve Freeman seconded the motion.
Motion passed 5 yeas, 0 nays.
Steve Freeman motioned to approve the bills. Stephanie Confer seconded the motion.
Motion passed 5 yeas, 0 nays.
Public Comments –
Greg Howard spoke to the council regarding things going on with Lecompton Community Empowerment. Formerly known as Lecompton Community Pride. New park bench will be installed soon, the group is looking at grants to complete a portion of the sidewalk, will be hiring for quarterly bug spraying, repairs and painting on 2nd floor in the dance room. Sidewalk chalk fun – Bring Your Own Chalk – open art contest on 9/29. Also, giving for good campaign to work towards restoring for stage floor flood lights.
New programs at Community Empowerment include Theater workshop, Zumba and water color painting class.
The group would like some assistance with weather stripping doors before winter and having the gutter on the East side of the building looked at. It drips after it rains.
Vickie Clark with Territorial Days approached the council for formal permission to close Elmore Street on September 30th. Day events include pancake feed, bi-cycle race, parade, street dance, inflatables.
Owen Mallonee motioned to give a donation of $1500 to Territorial Days. Mary Jane Hoffer seconded the motion. Motion passed 5 yeas, 0 nays.
Rance –
– Gravel/Rock – cost expectation for rocking alleys and maintenance building.
– Community Empowerment building the coal room north wall is leaking real bad and needs mole-roll. Council discussed different options.
Lynley –
– Reminder the next meeting is Tuesday September 5th @ 6:50pm for RNR/Budget hearing and then regular council meeting starts at 7p.
– Discussed some potential transitions for the Lawrence Douglas County MPO – Mayor Wilkins will call her to discuss concerns.
New Business
– Sewer Cleaning – South Whitfield sewer clean-out. Have Samco jet the line – Jimmy will contact.
Old Business
– Updates:
o AT&T damage claim – currently MDTech services is refusing to pay based on a Kansas State Statute for underground utility damage prevention. The City chartered out of this Statute, will be contacting our AT&T representative and City Attorney and move forward.
o 501 Halderman nuisance and animal violations – The offending party is the roommate of the property owner. He reached out to the City Attorney and the City Office. He will be moved out by the end of this month, and all the animals will be removed/rehomed.
o City website beta page is done – have an appointment to review the page and practice making updates.
Tabled items
– Utility Rates – will review in the near future
– City staffing –
Additional
– Council member noted that Mike Coffman is back on 2nd street and has been for 1 week. Pickup, camper, pontoon are there.
– Questions about employee pay for July 3rd – To hold the meeting on Wednesday July 5th, the 3rd had to be declared a holiday otherwise the meeting on 7/3 would have had to be cancelled and a special meeting would have to be declared for 7/5. The office holidays include a designated floating holiday, so the employees agreed to use the floating holiday for the Monday that was declared a Holiday.
– Park equipment install, with grading looking at options on best placement.
New plan is to turn the swing-set so it sits East/West and then install the new large piece next to it East/West.
8:19 PM – Stephanie Confer motioned to adjourn. Mary Jane Hoffer seconded the motion.
Motion passed 5 yeas, 0 nays
Lynley Sanford, City Clerk