ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The Liberal City Commission will have a busy agenda for its next meeting this evening starting at 5:30. This evening’s meeting will be in the commission chambers at the Liberal Recreation Center at 950 S. Grant Ave.
Up first for the commission will be discussion of a Larry Street and Hickory Street Rural Housing Incentive District, followed by a request to approve Ordinance No. 4623 concerning amending Chapter. 12, Articles 4 and 5 of the City of Liberal Code Book.
“The entirety of Article 4 of Chapter 12 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Liberal is hereby amended to read as follows ... The purpose of the Mid-America Air Museum is to preserve, educate, and inspire through the rich history of aviation and aerospace exploration. By curating a diverse collection of aircraft, artifacts, and interactive exhibits, the Air Museum aims to celebrate the technological advancements and human ingenuity that have shaped the field of aviation. It seeks to engage visitors of all ages in learning about the history of flight, the science behind it, and the cultural impact of aviation on society. Through educational programs, events, and outreach, the Museum fosters an appreciation for the contributions of aviation pioneers, encourages curiosity about future aerospace innovations, and strengthens the community's connection to its local history and global impact,” the agenda information noted. “Article 5 of Chapter 12 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Liberal is hereby adopted to read as follows ... (a) City Personnel and Equipment Fee – An amount of money that the City requires a parade permittee to pay to cover the reasonable costs associated with providing City personnel and equipment in connection with the parade activity; (b) Parade – An organized procession of persons, motor vehicles, bicycles, floats, animals or large objects, or any combination thereof traveling in unison along or upon a street or roadway which requires the closure of streets and/or intersections, impedes traffic or requires the regulation of vehicular traffic by police to prevent a conflict with the normal or regular flow of traffic upon the street or roadway ... No person shall engage in, aid, form or start any parade, or make any public speech or hold any meeting or make any exhibition with intent to attract a crowd in any street without a permit issued by the City Manager.”
Up next for the commission will be discussion of Resolution No. 2425 concerning residential and commercial Solid Waste rates before moving on to discussion of a software purchase request for the Communications Department.
“The Emergency Communications Center has previewed two reputable companies in search of an emergency response protocol software that interfaces with our CAD system,” the agenda information noted. “We did attempt a third company; however, they did not follow through with an agreed upon date and time to present their product during an online demonstration. We previewed APCO IntelliComm’s product, but it did not seem to be as user friendly and fluid as the Total Response company’s product. After several discussions and three demonstrations, we have chosen Total Response for our needs and preference. This software package allows agencies to customize protocols to match policies of the department along with those of Fire, Law and EMS departments in the jurisdiction. Local emergency response agencies will have the opportunity to collaborate with Communications in the creation of our customized protocol templates. Total Response has a Quality Assurance module to assist supervision staff with call taking and dispatching audits and the potential need for additional or refresher training. The last highlight I want to point out is the available on-demand training at all times. There is no need to find and enroll in classes with added enrollment costs, travel, time away from work and mandated certification. Employees are able to work through additional or assigned training at their pace. At this time, there are over 50 courses available. This is a 2024 budgeted capital expense item and was unanimously approved by the Emergency Communications Board on November 12, 2024 in an amount not to exceed $65,000.”
Also seeking approval will be a change order for the Ortuño Addition.
“At the Nov. 5 meeting, City Leadership was presented with a Change Order request for the Ortuño Housing Addition in the amount of $49,490. Items presented in this change order included sewer pipe, sewer manhole, fittings, water meter service taps, and water meter connections,” the agenda information noted. “In reviewing the regular meeting minutes from the June 25 meeting, City Staff found two areas where change orders were discussed. In reference to the dirt removal, OC Quality Custom Homes stated they would remove the on-site dirt at their own personal cost with no change orders. Later in the conversation, former City Manager Rusty Varnado said he had spoken to both Manual and Edgar Ortuño, and they had assured him there would be no change orders and if something wasn't right, they would make it right. The total amount approved for the project that day was $1,656,150.32. This request would make the total project cost $1,705,640.32. City staff requests the commission review both the change order from Nov. 5 and the regular meeting minutes from June 25 and provide a consensus view on how to move forward.”
To conclude the meeting’s new business, the commission will be discussing a land purchase.
“During a City of Liberal work session Nov. 12, the Commission discussed the opportunity to purchase 15 acres of land on North Highway 83,” the agenda information noted. “The overall consensus was this land could one day be developed into commercial properties as the city continues to grow north. A contingent offer of $75,000 was made by Interim City Manager Scarlette Diseker Nov. 13, pending official action by the Liberal City Commission. Funding for this purchase will come from the 1-cent Sales Tax Fund 260 for Streets, Drainage, and Other Capital Improvements.”
