City commission closes out demolition grant
Closeout of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Demolition Grant, a license
agreement with Cloud County Community College (CCCC) for a private utility in a public right-of-way, and the replacement of police department body cameras were among the action items voted on during the regular meeting of the Concordia city commission Wednesday.
By unanimous vote, the city commission voted to authorize Mayor Ashley Hutchinson to sign the closeout paperwork for CDBG Demolition Grant 21 PF 004.
Through two rounds of demolition, the city achieved the demolition of 13 houses and three sheds/garages of dilapidated residential structures, all within the Concordia city limits.
After an extended debate, the city commission voted 3-2 to authorize city manager Amy Lange to sign a five-year contract with Axon Enterprise for new body cameras for the police department, with battery updates midterm. The total price will be $54,726.74, or $10,945.35 annually for five years.
Mayor Ashley Hutchinson, and commissioners Marsha Wentz and S. Christy Hasch voted for the action item; commissioners Ragena Belden and Chuck Lambertz voted against.
Both Belden and Lambertz recognized the need for the updated equipment, but wanted to see alternative cost estimates from other companies.
Body cameras are essential in today’s world for law enforcement to help in the documentation of incidents. Axon Enterprise is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based company that develops technology and weapons products for the military, law enforcement, and civilians. Its initial product and former namesake is the Taser.
Axon is the only company offering a product where the video will turn on automatically with the Taser activation. Axon Enterprise equipment is currently being used by the Concordia police department.
In other action, the city commission also voted to approve a license Agreement that will allow CCCC to install a private fiber optic line in the public right-of-way of College Drive.
CCCC intends to install the line crossing under College Drive, a public street, as part of its ongoing IT Infrastructure project. The college will bore under College Drive to make a fiber connection from the main campus to Tech West.
CCCC will install two handholes for access to the fiber location and to allow access to the City of Concordia as required. The college will be responsible for the maintenance of this private fiber connection and will comply with city officials regarding this right-of-way agreement.
The college Board of Trustees approved the agreement at their October 25, 2022 meeting. In
order for the agreement to take effect, the city commission needed to approve it as the granting
entity.
Amber Farha, the city's finance director, reported that quarterly sales tax receipts for the third quarter of 2022 were $1,689,774.40, which is $255,444.46 more than the same quarter of 2021.
Before adjourning, the city commission voted to approve Susie Tuggle and Steve Connor for another term on the Planning Commission.
After the commission meeting was officially adjourned, a study session was held with Fire Chief Eric Voss regarding the replacement of fire equipment over the next two years. Vehicle builds include: Medic 3, a 1998 vehicle that needs to be replaced at the cost of about $200,000; Engine 2, which is a 2002 vehicle and needs to be replaced as an ENG at a cost of about $380,000; and extrication equipment from 1983 that would cost about $25,000 to replace.
Voss also reported that the EMS cot and load system is at its end of life and needs to be replaced at a cost of $35,000; and Truck 1, a 2002 model, has engine issues and needs to be replaced at an estimated cost of $50,000.
The total replacement cost of all the equipment is approximately $690,000.