Commission approves annexation resolution

A resolution that is required for the annexation of land for the development of a proposed truck stop was approved by the Concordia city commission during its regular meeting Wednesday night.
The resolution, a requirement of the annexation laws of the state of Kansas, asks Cloud County to “find and determine that the requested annexation will not hinder or prevent the proper growth and development of the area or that of any other incorporated city located within Cloud County, all as provided by K.S.A. 12-52Oc.”
The city commission, during a previous meeting, approved a development agreement with 4 Kids Properties, LLC for a proposed truck stop and restaurant to be located north of Concordia at 2087 North 145th Road.
The site was previously a truck stop and convenience store and has existing fuel dispensing.
Jay Trost, representing 4 Kids Properties LLC applied to have the non-contiguous land in the county annexed into the city of Concordia.
Trost intends to revive the truck stop, improve access and parking, make kitchen upgrades and provide deli style dining.
Rezoning the property to a Restricted Commercial District (C-2) or General Commercial District (C-3) is included in the development agreement.
If the county makes the requested determination on annexation, an ordinance will be presented to the commission.
In other action taken during the meeting, the commission approved authorizing Mayor Mark Matthew to terminate an existing water tower maintenance contract with Suez Utility Service Co., Inc. and approved a new contract to begin on September 1.
The annual fee for water tower maintenance will be $54,575 for five years and then $22,560 for a sixth year.
A contract was entered into by the city and Suez Utility Service Co. in 2016 to provide professional tank maintenance services on the east water tower. As part of the agreement, Suez provides visual inspections of the tower exterior and biennial inspections of the tower interior. Repairs and repainting are included.
When Runway 18/36 is constructed at Blosser Municipal Airport it will be further east than the existing runway. The new runway alignment causes the east water tower to be considered a flight hazard and new tower markings and lighting are required to mitigate the hazard.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires that the east water tower be painted “FAA orange” and “white” in a checkerboard pattern with work to be completed prior to the opening of Runway 18/36.
Suez will provide the paint scheme, but it required a contract and fee schedule revision.
The commission also approved the purchase of Incode software from Tyler Technologies for a contract fee of $83,959 and authorized city manager Amy Lange to sign the contract.
The city’s current financial software has been through Arizala Corporation since 1983.
It was reported to the commission that the current software has not transitioned into the 21st century and there are numerous reports that cannot be run.
The city received software quotes from three software companies heavily used in Kansas.
The Tyler Technologies Incode court software had recently been purchased by the city, and by purchasing the financial software it would allow for the applications to interface.
The Concordia Housing Authority, the Frank Carlson Library, the Concordia Senior Center, CloudCorp and the Cloud County Resource Center presented 2021 budget requests to the commission during the meeting.
Sheila Jackson, property manager for the Concordia Housing Authority provided a budget request in the amount of $6,200 for Cloud Village Apartments.
The Housing Authority has benefitted from funds from the city since 2018 to help with updates and repairs at Cloud Village.
Frank Carlson Library director Denise deRochefort-Reynolds submitted a 2021 budget request of $182,976. That is the same as what was appropriated for the 2020 fiscal year.
The library also submitted a 2021 benefit fund request of $64,669 for two full-time employees and spouse. That is an increase from $61,302 requested in 2020.
The Concordia Senior Center requested $10,000 in funding from the city to support the food service program and the staff.
There were 17,897 meals served by the Senior Center in 2019, with 8,783 of those being Meals on Wheels.
CloudCorp executive director Kim Reynolds requested a total of $58,000 for 2021. That includes $55,000 to help the general operations and related project development and $3,000 for small business development.
With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting revenues, Reynolds informed the commission that CloudCorp understands that the city may have to make some cuts.
Reynolds said the CloudCorp executive committee is offering to make an adjustment to the city’s 2020 appropriation of $5,000. That would reduce the total for general operations to $50,000.
The Cloud County Resource Center is requesting $20,000 for 2021, the same as appropriated in 2020.
Resource Center director Tonya Merrill informed the commission that the Food Bank served 1,897 people in Cloud County last year. Of those served, 860 were over the age of 55 and children under the age of 12.
Merrill said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers at the Food Bank have increased. There was an increase of 35 percent during a 60-day period from April 6-June 6.