Commission approves 2024 city budget
Approval of the 2024 budget, bids for the demolition of condemned structures, and Ordinances that amended the city codes for trailer and recreational vehicle (RV) parking, utility vehicles, and police property were some of the items discussed and voted on during the regular meeting of the Concordia city commission.
Commissioners received a quarterly report from CloudCorp executive director Nicole Reed. The following six businesses were awarded Get In The Cloud grants for 2023 : CJ's Car Wash: $50,000, with the total cost of the project estimated at $3,646,500; Elk Creek Gardens: $26,000, with the total cost of the project estimated at $178,932; Warehouse 315: $26,000, with the total cost of the project estimated at $196,820; LCP & I: $26,000, with the total cost of the project estimated at $220,454; LeDuc Properties LLC: $11,000, with the total cost of the project estimated at $124,650.00; and Roots and Wings: $11,000, with the total cost of the project estimated at $300,000.
Reed stated that she's had 14 conversations in the second quarter with local businesses about the E-Community gap loan that is available through CloudCorp in partnership with NetWork Kansas. CloudCorp will have $150,000 available for E-Community loans from July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024.
The E-Community loans are for for-profit businesses and have a maximum amount of $45,000. Matching funds from a public source and/or bank is required. Funding cannot exceed 60% of the total project.
The city held a public hearing for the 2024 budget, and then voted unanimously to approve the budget. Among the items included in the budget are: lowering the mill levy to 48.822 mills, a decrease from 52.211 mills in the current year. One mill is approximately $33,838, which is an increase from $31,575 in the 2023 Budget. The allocation to outside entities remained at 2023 levels except for an increase of $5,000 to the Cloud County Resource Center. There was a cost-of-living adjustment of four percent for all city employees, with an increase in wages of approximately $51,000 to the dispatch/fire/EMS departments to help bring their wages up to an average rate based on a wage study commissioned by city manager Amy Lange.
The 2024 budget also contains an estimated two percent increase in health insurance costs. The budget shows this cost being absorbed by the city at approximately $13,815.
The guaranteed general fund reserve at end of year 2024 shown in the budget is $466,300. This is
an increase from $460,950 in the 2023 budget.
City finance director Amber Farha stated that this is the guaranteed amount, and that she estimates $1 million in reserves at year end 2024.
Farha also provided a quarterly report on sales tax for the city.
The city ended this quarter of 2023 with a total of $1,160,901.33, which is $89,960.10 more than the same time in 2022
Upon the recommendation of Fire Chief Eric Voss, the commissioners approved entering into a contract with Image Trend Billing Bridge for the purpose of EMS billing, in the amount of $8,517.50 for the first year, and $3,767.50 annually after that, to be paid from the computer replacement fund.
In further action, commissioner voted unanimously to approve the low bid of $16,450 from Dalton Dirt Works for the demolition of structures and the removal of blight at 119 Washington, 218 West 1st
Street, and 1003 Valley Street. At the city commission meeting on July 5, 2023, commissioners had approved Resolutions 2023-2155, 2023-2156, and 2023-2158 that condemned those properties.
Commissioners approved Ordinance 2023-3204 that clarifies and makes unlawful where and when trailers and recreational vehicles can be parked in some locations. The ordinance declares that no motorized self-propelled camper, non-motorized travel trailer, boat, canoe, personal watercraft, all-terrain vehicle, other recreational vehicles, or vehicle, trailer, or combination of vehicle and trailer shall be parked at any time in the following locations except when actively loading and/or unloading:
Second Street, from Cedar to Valley; Valley Street, from Second to Sixth Street; Cedar Street, from Second to Sixth Street; Sixth Street, from Second Avenue to Doster; Cedar Street, from Sixth to Eighteenth Street; Archer Street, from Sixth to 11th Street; 18th Street, from Archer to Cedar Street; Eleventh Street, from east city limits to west city limits; State Street, from 18th Street to Campus Drive; Campus Drive, from State to Republican; and College Drive.
A violation of this section shall be deemed an ordinance traffic infraction. Upon an entry of a
plea of guilty or no contest or upon being convicted of such violation, the penalty imposed shall
be a fine of not more the $1,000.
Commissioners also approved Ordinance 2023-3205 that clarifies the operation of work-site utility vehicles, golf carts, and micro utility trucks on city streets. The sticker required to drive such vehicles on city streets must be affixed to the left hand side on the windshield or tailgate, and the flag must be at least 6 feet off the ground, and both the sticker and flag must be unobscured. The Ordinance also clarifies that work-site utility vehicles engaged in the act of snow removal or horticulture duties are excluded from Section c.2, which prohibited driving on any sidewalk, jogging path, trail, or any location normally used for pedestrian traffic.
Upon the recommendation of city attorney Justine Ferrell, commissioners approved Ordinance 2023-3206 that clarifies how property in police custody is held, and then the legal process in which such property is disposed of by the police department. The police department is in need of disposing of property that is abandoned or no longer needed for legal proceedings.
Wanting further clarification on an agenda, commissioners voted to table a measure that would have appointed delegates to the League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM) annual conference to be held October 7-9, 2023, in Wichita.
Each year the city appoints voting delegates to vote on matters of the LKM membership. Specifically, votes of the LKM member cities are required for changes to the LKM Statement of Municipal Policy (SMP) which guides lobbying action for the upcoming legislative session. Votes are also required for any proposed changes to the LKM bylaws.
Based on current population, Concordia is allowed two votes and may name two alternates. These voting delegates can be commissioners or city staff members, but voting delegates must attend the LKM conference; no proxy votes are permitted. City manager Amy Lange typically attends the conference and serves as one of the voting delegates..
During staff reports at the end of the meeting, Police Chief Brent Gering reported that his department is working with the USD 333 board of education to clarify the flow of traffic at the reopened Middle School, including drop-off locations for students. Gering reminded citizens that once the facility is again operational as a school, the 20 mph speed limit will be enforced.
The meeting officially adjourned at 6:46 p.m.