TUESDAY SEPT 6TH BELOIT CITY COUNCIL

Beloit City Council

Tuesday September 6, 2016

By Terry Bailey

The Beloit City Council conducted their regular bi-weekly meeting Tuesday night at City Hall. All Councilors were present as well as Mayor Tom Naasz, Interim City Administrator Jay Newton, City Attorney Katie Schroeder, and City Clerk Amanda Lomax. Attending his first Beloit City Council meeting was the newly hired full-time City Administrator, Jason Rabe. While this was Rabe first meeting, this would be Newton’s last.

In the time reserved for Councilor’s comments, Kent Miller reported that one citizen had inquired if the traffic signal located at Mill and Main could be programmed to flash red 24 hours a day rather than just in the evening. That patron believed there was not enough vehicle or foot traffic to warrant drivers having to stop and wait at the signal when no one was approaching nor likely to approach. The Councilors would take this suggestion under advisement and take the proper action.

Lloyd Littrell inquired about the information kiosk at the cemetery lacking supplies of materials that could be used by visitors. He had noticed people appearing to wander around without proper information to enable them to locate what they were looking for. Lynn Miller responded that they had gotten a good start on kiosk but became overwhelmed with summer work and had not gotten back to it.

The Councilors then considered and approved new ordinances. They approved Ordinance 2191 regarding Vehicle Impound Fees. Curranty the fee for an impounded vehicle is $10 per day. The new ordinance raises the fee to $25 per day.

They approved Ordinance 2192, the Uniform Offense Code.

Ordinance 2193, the Standard Traffic Code was adopted.

The contract for the new full time City Administrator was unanimously approved.

The Council approved the purchase of a heavy duty car/truck jack in the amount of $14,664.

Matt Otte and Amanda Lomax were named as Beloit’s voting delegates at the Kansas League of Municipalities annual conference. Jason Rabe was named as the alternate delegate.

Terry Bailey, one of the two Mitchell County representatives on the Pawnee Mental Health Board of Directors presented a Proclamation from Pawnee Mental Health to declare September as “Recovery” month in city of Beloit. Bailey pointed out that life is a series of steps forward and sometimes steps backward. The key to a successful life it to deal with challenges as they occur, take steps to recover, and then continue to move forward. The Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt September as Recovery month in the City of Beloit.

The Council conducted a ten minute executive to discuss non-elected personnel. No action was forthcoming from that closed session.

The regular meeting was adjourned at this point and the Work Session was called to order.

City Attorney, Katie Schroeder, reported that she had been working hard on Special Assessment paperwork and reviewing the recently completed Personnel Manual.

Jason Rabe extended thanks to everyone for making him and his family feel at home in Beloit. He intends to begin working worth department heads individually and the City Councilors personally to gain a better understanding of the City and its values.

The Council attempted to gain clarity on the status of refuse removal in the City. The County intends to remove itself from trash removal on January 1, 2016. There was significant confusion to exactly which legalities applied to which issues with previous, current, and future contracts.

The fate of the Little Red Schoolhouse was examined. The Mitchell County Historical Society has expressed interest in acquiring the historic building and moving it to their location on North Independence. The building is apparently deteriorating and is in need of attention or will soon be in perilous condition. No decisions about how best to save the schoolhouse were made.

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA