ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Citizens of Liberal could expect to see some changes in their water bills after the next Liberal City Commission 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.
“On Feb. 6, the city commission hosted a special meeting to review historical information and formulate a financial plan to properly address the Fund 301 Construction and Fund 520 Wastewater cash balances,” the agenda information noted. “For review, the Wastewater Plant Construction Fund balance is currently sitting at negative $1,634,734.29 with only $158,000 in remaining KDHE loan funds to advance on. Although the cash basis statute treats construction funds differently than regular funds, the expectation is that loan advances and transfers in to cover capital projects are handled in a timely manner. Because we do not have enough loan funds to transfer in, we face a potential problem that must be addressed, as it is not acceptable to allow the Construction Fund to sit negative in such a large amount for an extended period of time. Because there is not a surplus of cash reserves in the Wastewater Fund, an amendment to the KDHE loan must be considered in order to cover past and final construction costs. In order to pass underwriting, we must look at our current sewer rates and fees and make adjustments accordingly. When the KDHE loan for construction was amortized out, it gave the City of Liberal three years from 2021 to 2023 to pay $100 principal payments and around $360,000 in interest and fee payments. During this time, we should have reviewed rates and made corresponding adjustments to better prepare the Wastewater Fund for when the larger loan payments were set to begin in 2024. Starting last year, our payment schedule shifted to the larger amounts due of around $2.8MM annually. Because the rate adjustments were not considered in the earlier years of construction or loan repayment, the Wastewater Fund, as it currently stands, is not producing enough revenue to cover the routine expenses and debt service.”
Multiple options will be presented to the commission, with the overall goal being having a proper financial plan in place to benefit city staff and the citizens of Liberal.
“Although it is not ideal to assess flat improvement fees, we want to reassure the citizens of Liberal we are serious about addressing our debt repayment on a brand new facility, as well as planning for future needs that are bound to arise, given the dated state of our current sewer infrastructure,” the agenda information noted. “Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste are all service-oriented departments within the City of Liberal, and we strive to keep them in excellent physical and financial condition. City staff requests Commission approval of one of the four Wastewater Financial Plan options to be voted on via resolution at our next meeting and implemented as of April 1.”
Up first on the commission’s agenda will be a request for the approval of Ordinance No. 4631 concerning the adoption of 2024 ICC Building Codes.
“Ordinance No. 4631 brings the building codes, which are currently in the 2015 versions adopted in 2017, up to date with a more current code set,” the agenda information noted. “The ordinance sets the codes to the 2024 series and corrects some other sections within Chapter 6 of the City Ordinance. Staff recommends adopting Ordinance No. 4631, amending Chapter 6 of the City Ordinance and setting the 2024 ICC codes as the building codes for the City of Liberal.”
Also up for discussion will be Ordinance No. 4632 concerning the adoption of 2024 International Fire Code.
“The Fire Marshal’s Office of the Liberal Fire Department would like to present, for your consideration, a proposed Ordinance No. 4632 to adopt the 2024 International Fire Code, including Appendix Chapters B, C, D, E, F, H, and I prepared by the International Code Council, as the Fire Code of the City of Liberal,” the agenda information noted. “In the ordinance, we did omit or amend certain portions of the code to better fit and support the goals of the LFD. Currently, the LFD operates under the 2006 International Fire Code (IFC), which has served the department well for many years. The 2024 IFC would bring the department up to the newest code available, which would be a much better fit for the changes we are seeing in building design as well as the ever-changing uses for buildings. The LFD does not foresee this new code bringing any new financial hardships for new commercial projects. It will just give us the flexibility needed to grow with the changing needs. Also proposed with the ordinance would be a change to the current fee schedule. The new schedule would add some permit fees that would help to offset some of the cost to the department on items such as automatic fire sprinklers, fire alarm systems, and suppression systems for commercial cooking. These items take personnel hours and multiple inspections to be able to “finalize” the systems. The fees would simply cover some of the costs associated with those projects. Staff recommends adopting Ordinance No. 4632, making the 2024 International Fire Code, with appendices specified, the official Fire Code of the City of Liberal.”
Also up for the commission’s consideration will be Resolution No. 2429 concerning the City of Liberal fee schedule, and the commission will also be asked to approve the appointment of Jason Ingland to the Planning & Zoning Commission.
