Commission approves infrastructure bid
CITY COMMISSION
Bids for infrastructure work on the St. Joseph subdivision, a services agreement with CloudCorp, and an approved bid for the demolition of a condemned structure were part of a busy city commission meeting on Wednesday.
The meeting began with the swearing-in of new city commissioner Christy Hasch, who won a seat in the November election. This is Hasch's second stint as city commissioner. She served on the commission from 2013 to 2022.
Current commissioner Ashley Hutchinson was also sworn in after being re-elected in November to another three-year term.
Commissioners then voted to reappoint commissioner Chuck Lambertz as Concordia's mayor, and commissioner Amy Jackson as mayor pro tem.
Jackson was also appointed to the CloudCorp board of directors, and Mayor Lambertz was appointed to the Frank Carlson Library board.
Based on the recommendation of Campbell and Johnson Engineers, PA, commissioners voted to approve a bid of $1,749,991.90 from Vogts-Parga of Newton, Kansas, for infrastructure work to be done on the St. Joseph subdivision.
A bid letting was held on December 14 at 10 a.m. Smoky Hill, LLC of Salina, Kansas, had also submitted a bid for the infrastructure work of $1,838, 276.40. Both bids were above the engineer's estimate of $1,451, 763.50. The additional funding for the infrastructure work will be pulled from the city's reserves fund.
Vogts-Parga listed their start date as February 12, 2024, and an estimated completion date of September 1, 2024.
In other action, commissioners voted to sign a professional services agreement with CloudCorp in the amount of $58,000.
Commissioners also voted to authorize city manager Amy Lange to sign an addendum to the professional services agreement for the year 2024 with Campbell & Johnson Engineers, PA, in the amount of $17,400, to be paid from the general fund in twelve monthly installments.
Commissioners voted to authorize Mayor Lambertz to sign an audit engagement letter with the accounting firm Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips for the year ending December 31, 2023, in the amount of $13,000 for regular audit services and $2,100 for a federal single audit, if needed. The city has been using the services of Jarred, Gilmore & Phillips since 2008.
By unanimous vote, commissioners approved cereal malt beverage licenses for the following businesses: Wood Oil #27, Rod’s Thriftway, Short Stop #4, Short Stop #10, Walmart, Gambino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, Casey’s General Store #1991, Casey’s General Store #4535 at 2087 N. 140th Rd. (Casey's truck stop in the north development), Dollar General #6503, Skol at Broadway (formerly the Country Honky Tonk), and 4 Kids Fuel & More.
Each year, any business selling cereal malt beverages must apply for a license. The licenses are then
sent to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which does background checks.
Commissioners voted to accept the low bid of $13,000 from Dalton Dirt Works for the demolition of the unsafe and dangerous structure at 720 State Street. The funds will be paid from the city's capital improvement plan (CIP).
On December 11 at 3 p.m., the city opened two bids for demolition of the structure: Dalton Snyder of Dalton Dirt Works for $13,000, and Deihl Enterprises Inc. of Salina for $14,500.
At the July 5, 2023, meeting, commissioners approved Resolution 2023-2157 that condemned the blighted and uninhabitable property at 720 State Street. The property owner was given 60 days to start the process of repair or removal, but during this period the property owner informed city representatives that she hadn’t been aware of the proceedings against the property and requested more time. After consultation with city attorney Justin Ferrell, the condemnation process was started over.
On October 18, 2023, a second public hearing was held and the city commission approved Resolution 2023-2164 declaring the structure unsafe and dangerous and that it should be repaired or removed, and that the process was to start within 30 days. The 30-day deadline ended November 20 with no permit for repair or removal submitted.
On the recommendation of the Planning Commission and the city's building inspector Bruno Rehbein, commissioners voted to approve Ordinance 2023-3216 which changes the zoning at 1915 Broadway from R-1 to C-3.
David Sprague had requested a zoning change from R-1 Low Density Residential District to C-3 General Commercial District. Sprague intends to redevelop the property into a small travel trailer park, which is allowed use only in the C-3 General Commercial District and requires a Conditional Use Permit under Article 9, Item #52 of the Concordia zoning regulations.
Commissioners then approved Ordinance 2023-3217 which allows the conditional use of a travel trailer park at 1915 Broadway Street.
By unanimous vote, commissioners approved the appointment of Jeff Thoman to the Planning Commission to fill an unexpired term due to the resignation of a member, and approved the appointment of Thoman to the Board of Zoning Appeals to fill an unexpired term due to the resignation of a member.
In its final action of the evening, commissioners approved an encumbrance for 2023 in the amount of $42,300 for Beacon Athletics for the purchase of protective netting, to be paid for from the capital improvement project fund.
Encumbrances are items that the city has made a commitment to purchase before year-end, but due to availability of labor, items, or possible issues with closing, may result in delivery and payment after
year end. The city encumbers the funds so that the expense can be paid with dollars budgeted for the current year.
The purchase of the protective netting was approved at the December 6 commission meeting and ordered shortly thereafter. The delivery and billing is not anticipated until February 2024.
With no further business on the agenda, the meeting adjourned at 6:49 p.m.