April 17

CITY OF HIAWATHA

CITY COMMISSION MINUTES

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2006

5:35 P.M.

HIAWATHA CITY HALL

723 OREGON ST.

1.      Pledge of Allegiance/ Call to Order

The Hiawatha City Commission met in regular session Monday, April 17, 2006 at 5:35 p.m. at City Hall with Mayor Trant, Commissioner Collins, Commissioner Shamburg, Commissioner Gamble, and Commissioner Schmitt present.

2.      Earth Day Proclamation

Mayor Trant presented the proclamation and said that Earth Day is April 21, 2006.

Dennis Hartter, Street Department Supervisor, said that they will plant 10 trees at the Hiawatha City Lake this year.

3.      Approval of minutes of the April 5, 2006 Special City Commission Meeting, the April 8, 2006 Special City Commission Meeting, and the April 10, 2006 City Commission Meeting

Commissioner Schmitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to approve the minutes of the April 5, 2006 Special City Commission Meeting, the April 8, 2006 Special Commission Meeting, and the April 10, 2006 City Commission Meeting. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

4.      Presentation of petitions, public comments, memorials

Road Safety Audit

Andrew Morrow of  KDOT  said they were looking at the entire county, and would solicit concerns from local cities and the county about traffic problem areas. If there are any specific concerns, they would like to address them at this time. Interim City Administrator Tom Armour presented a list of five items which he passed on to Morrow.

1. MO-KAN

Tom Bliss, Director of MO-KAN, presented their program. They work primarily through economic development organizations to promote and assist the growth and development of business concerns, including small businesses in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas, through the selection of recipients for loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.  They also assist with grant writing, offer GIS and GPS, and offer offset printing at cost. He distributed their annual report to the commission.

John Perrino, Business Finance Program Director, told about MO-KAN’s loan programs. He said they have made 16 loans in Kansas since 1982, and there are anxious to do what they can for Brown County and the City of Hiawatha.

2. Tom Singleton, Auditor, discussing the GASB-34 waiver and audit contract for 2005

Mayor Trant introduced Tom Singleton. Singleton presented the commission with some information handouts concerning the GAAP waiver. He told the commission that Hiawatha was not  required to follow GAAP procedures (general accounting procedures), and could opt to do a GAAP waiver.

Singleton told the Commission that Brown County had adopted the GAAP waiver.

The GAAP waiver is a statutory option that allows governmental entities to have financial statements prepared using other than Governmental Accepted Accounting Principles  (GAAP). Singleton proposed that their accounting firm conduct the 2005 audit for the City of Hiawatha and to prepare the 2005 financial statements using the prescribed basis of accounting, rather than the GAAP. This option can be changed every year if the City of Hiawatha decides to go back to using the governmental accounting procedures. The city’s audit fee would be reduced by $2000 if they decide to adopt the waiver.

Singleton explained that to adopt the GAAP Waiver, the commission would need to prepare a resolution adopting the waiver and sign it.

Eliminating the complexity of the financial statements would allow the auditors to focus more on items which could denote fraud. The focus would be on a cash basis. The GAAP waiver would eliminate the necessity of reporting capital assets, although Singleton encouraged the city to maintain keeping track of their capital assets.

Commissioner Collins stated that that this could be done in house.

Singleton said that GAAP was necessary for the larger cities because they have to have their bonds rated. Small cities do not have to do this.

Commissioner Schmitt said that we should have the resolution drawn up and put on the agenda for next week. Mayor Trant agreed.

Old Business

5.      Repair bids-Air Conditioner in Police Car 

Interim Administrator Tom Armour recommended that we have the work done by Stan Boos Auto Sales because they have the best warranty (one year) on both parts and labor, even though they have the highest bid.

Commissioner Schmitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Collins, to accept the No. 3 bid from Stan Boos Auto Sales, based on superior warranty on both parts and labor. Motion carried, 3 ayes, 2 nays. Commissioner Gamble and Mayor Trant voted nay.

Citizen George Matson questioned how the bidding process had been done, and said that he had heard that the presentation was vague as to what the specs of the repairs were. He also wondered how the bidders were selected.

Police Chief Evans Woehlecke replied that each business was asked to bid on the same parts and the installation of those parts. He indicated that he had contacted the Hiawatha businesses who had the capabilities of doing the repairs.

New Business

6.      Eagle Scout Project (Landscape between the Fisher Center and Schuneman Addition)        

Michael Hirsch, Life Scout from Troop 313, Hiawatha, presented his Eagle project on landscaping at the Fisher Center. He requested funding to complete the project, not to exceed $500. He said that all the material would be purchased locally, from Wal-Mart and Midwest Cement Company. Part of the landscaping would be the construction of a concrete patio, 12 feet in diameter, with a 4 foot sidewalk. The patio could be used for picture taking or visiting.

Hirsch would like to build five landscaping areas with plants and river rock matching the existing rock used in front of the swimming pool.

Commissioner Schmitt commended Hirsch for taking the initiative, and asked him if he had discussed the project with Terry Smith, Recreation Director. She also asked him if he would be doing the work himself.

Hirsch indicated that he had the approval from Terry Smith and would be assisted in doing the work by the rest of his troop and his father, Terry Hirsch.

Collins made a motion, seconded by Gamble, to allow the project to be completed and to fund it through the parks and recreation budget. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

7.      Purchase of Standby Generator and Repair of Reservoir Pump

Rick Koenig, Water Department Supervisor, presented the information concerning the purchase of a standby generator which would be used to power the Knouse well, and for the repair of the reservoir pump. Koenig said that if we were to lose power for more than 24 to 36 hours we could be in trouble without a generator. Koenig said that a manual start generator would be sufficient to operate the well.

He indicated that he did not have the figures available tonight on wattages and cost, that he first needed approval to solicit bids for these two items.

Commissioner Collins suggested that Koenig put a proposal together and present it at a later date.

Commissioner Collins inquired about the reservoir pump, and asked if it was the same pump that had been discussed in October of 2005, which had a vibration in it at that time.

Koenig replied that he needed to get some estimates for the cost of the repair of the pump. He would like to get it fixed before the hot weather season. He indicated that it would be best to fix it before it goes out because that would put stress on the remaining pump. Koenig said that he would try to get quotes from a couple of companies. They probably won’t give a bid because until the pump is pulled they won’t know what repairs are necessary.

Commissioner Collins said that they should replace the bearings while they have the pump out.

Commissioner Schmitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to approve the solicitation of bids for a standby generator for the Knouse well. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

Commissioner Schmitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Shamburg, to solicit bids for pump repair for the reservoir. Motion carried, 5 ayes.  

8.      Post Office Alley Repair

Interim City Administrator Tom Armour informed the commission that Dennis Hartter, Street Department Supervisor, had been approached by the Kansas Gas Service Company to do a joint project to improve the west end of the alley behind the Hiawatha Post Office. The gas company had told Hartter that they would be willing to provide the labor for the project if the City of Hiawatha would provide the materials at an estimated cost of $3000.

The Kansas Gas Company would hire a contractor to install about 90 feet of paved alley way.

Commissioner Collins agreed that the alley was in very bad condition, and asked where the city would pull the money from to pay for the concrete.

Interim City Administrator Tom Armour said that the money could come out of the street budget

Commissioner Collins made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to approve the joint alley project with Kansas Gas Service Company, for the west end of the Post Office alley and to use city funds of $3000 to purchase the concrete. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

9.      CONSENT AGENDA

a.       Payroll Appropriation Ordinance #1056 in the amount of $35,742.23.

b.      Utility Billing Deposit Refunds in the amount of $324.07.

c.       Applications for License for Construction  Contractor (3).

d.      Monthly Report of Municipal Judge for March 2006.

Commissioner Collins made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Schmitt, to approve the consent agenda. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

10.  Interim City Administrator Tom Armour.

      a.   Land & water Conservation Fund

Interim City Administrator Armour explained that this was an affirmation that the City of Hiawatha would abide by Kansas Wildlife and Parks guidelines. This is an annual requirement of cities that have grants for fish stocking, parks improvements and similar grants under the LWCF channeled through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. No specific action is  required.

      b.   New hires Police Dept.

      Interim City Administrator Armour recommended that the police department be allowed to hire the part-time officer and the animal control officer.

c.       Hemisphere/GPS Lease           

Interim City Administrator Tom Armour told the commission that the time has come to review the bond issue for the Hemisphere/GPS lease.

Marian Tubach, HFED, said that the document was basically the same document that was discussed before.

Mayor-elect Gernon and Interim City Administrator Tom Armour said that a few changes had been made by Assistant City Attorney Kevin Hill.

Commissioner Gamble suggested we have the city attorney present to answer any questions.

Interim City Administrator Armour said to direct any questions or comments to him, and he will try to have the city attorney here the first meeting in May.

Interim City Administrator Armour suggested to the Commission that a part time position in the front office would need to be filled, do to the fact that temporary employee, Jeanne Akins, will be leaving soon. He discussed replacing her or adding a position of a full or part time assistant. He would like to have the information this week or by next week at the latest.

11.  Mayor Leon Trant

Mayor Trant told the Commission that they needed to have a short executive session to be deferred until the other commissioners have had their turn.

12.  Com. William Collins

13.  Com. Curtis Gamble

14.  Com. Marianne Schmitt

15.  Com. Steffen Shamburg

Commissioner Shamburg commented that the curb and guttering at First and Oregon Street was coming along nicely.

Mayor Trant made a motion at 7:10 p.m, seconded by Commissioner Shamburg, to go into executive session. for the purpose of discussing non-elective personnel, and to include Interim City Administrator Tom Armour and Mayor-elect Crosby Gernon, until 7:30 p.m.. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

Commissioner Collins made a motion at 7:30 p.m., seconded by Commissioner Shamburg, to extend the executive session 5 minutes. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

Commissioner Collins made a motion at 7:40 p.m., seconded by Commissioner Schmitt, to return to regular session. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

Commissioner Schmitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Collins, to extend an offer to one of the candidates for the city administrator position. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

Mayor Trant reminded the commission that May 1, 2006 is when all appointed positions come up for re-appointment. All interested persons need to submit letters to the commission.

16.  Adjourn

Commissioner Collins made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Gamble, to adjourn. Motion carried, 5 ayes.

Meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.