ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The Liberal City Commission will have a wide variety of topics to discuss at 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 Ordinance No. 4640 concerning a Temporary Event Permit for the Seward County United Way.
“Seward County United Way has requested a Temporary Event Permit in order to host an Oktoberfest fundraiser on Lincoln Avenue between 2nd Street and 3rd Street Saturday, Oct. 11,” the agenda information noted. “The fundraiser will include vendor booths, food trucks, crafts, local businesses and agencies, live music, activities for children, and craft beer from local breweries. United Way will be selling tickets for the alcohol and will be responsible for this permit upon approval of the ordinance. City staff recommends the approval of Ordinance No. 4640 to issue a Temporary Event Permit to United Way in order to host its 2025 Oktoberfest fundraiser.”
The Liberal Fire Department will also be on hand to request the purchase of breathing air cylinders.
“These cylinders are both replacements and spares for the Scott airpacks currently used by the department. Six of the cylinders (threaded) will replace old cylinders at or near the end of their service life. The six snap change cylinders will serve as spare bottles to ensure an adequate number on hand for the current generation of airpacks,” the agenda information noted. “This is a budgeted purchase for 2025 in the Liberal Fire Department budget (100-4220-44030). One quote is attached as MES is the designated Scott dealer for our region. City staff requests the purchase of twelve Scott breathing air cylinders from MES for an amount not to exceed $17,500.”
The Recreation Department will also requesting the purchase of a Direct-to-Film (DTF) printer, shaker, and embroidery machine.
“With our youth sports, we currently outsource all uniform and apparel decoration for our youth sports leagues. Bringing this in-house will allow for faster turnaround times, greater flexibility in design, and substantial cost savings. We can also offer custom apparel for sale, providing an additional revenue stream for the department,” the agenda information noted. “With our adult sports, similar to youth sports, adult league uniforms and team wear can be produced more efficiently and cost-effectively, offering greater customization options and potentially increasing participation. Also, events like the Splash and Dash and the OZ Man Triathlon often require branded merchandise, participant shirts, and volunteer apparel. In-house production will streamline these processes, reduce reliance on external vendors, and allow for last-minute adjustments or additional inventory as needed. This also opens the door for selling event-specific merchandise, further boosting revenue. Finally, having the ability to produce high-quality, customized apparel and promotional items in-house will elevate the overall branding and professionalism of the Recreation Department and its programs. These investments will provide the Recreation Department with the tools necessary to operate more efficiently, provide better service to our community, and generate new revenue streams. Staff believes the two purchases are a sound investment in the future of our department, the City of Liberal, and the services we provide to the citizens of Liberal. Staff requests the purchase of the DTF Printer Package from Equipment Zone for an amount not to exceed $28,000, to be funded from the Recreation Department Gifts and Donations line item. Staff also requests the purchase of an Embroidery Machine from Ricoma for an amount not to exceed $10,000, to be funded from the Recreation Department Gifts and Donations line item.”
The commission will also be asked to appoint Vanessa Ardese be to serve the unexpired term of Ruben Cano on the Library Board from September 2025 until June 2028 before moving on to discussion of the Rock Island Depot/roof.
“The Rock Island Depot, originally built in 1888, first served as a 21-room hotel and restaurant for train passengers. After a fire in 1910, it was reconstructed in a Spanish mission style at a cost of $175,000, functioning as a passenger depot, eating house, and hotel. 115 years later, the Depot and Grier House, two city-owned buildings, are listed on the Kansas State Historical Society Register of Historic Properties,” the agenda information noted. “The Depot currently houses the Liberal Chamber of Commerce and the Liberal Depot Heritage Museum. On Oct. 22, 2024, the Commission approved Resolution No. 2422, authorizing the City Staff to pursue a 2025 Heritage Trust Fund Grant from the Kansas State Historical Society. We were awarded partial funding in the amount of $77,300 for the Depot building roof repairs. An invitation to bid for the removal and replacement of the Depot building's Spanish clay roof, locating and repairing existing leaks, and restoring the roof to preserve its historic appearance, was mailed to three qualified contractors and posted on the City’s Web site Aug. 25. On Sept. 8, two sealed bids were opened. One did not meet the requirements, and the other, from Southwest Roofing, was for $142,726. City staff recommends accepting the bid from Southwest Roofing LLC for the roof repairs at the Depot building in the amount of $142,726. The total amount will not exceed $160,000, and payment will be funded from the 2025 Economic Development portion of the 1-Cent Sales Tax. We recommend the city manager be authorized to sign the contract.”
To conclude the meeting, the commission will be discussing the future of angled parking in town.
“In the Launch Liberal 2035 Comprehensive Plan, we specifically addressed improvements to our downtown area stating, ‘The city's goals should be focused on infill and redevelopment activity, including second story living units, providing a comfortable and safe pedestrian experience, and increasing general streetscaping elements in order to solidify Liberal's downtown presence, vitality, and resilience,’” the agenda information noted. “A huge part of this vision is the implementation of angle parking. City staff would like to begin discussion on these future improvements in order to move forward with planning and implementation. Staff recommends a consensus to begin preliminary planning on an angle parking project and time frame for downtown Liberal.”
