ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

A natatorium project between the City of Liberal, Seward County Community College and USD 480 took a step forward Tuesday evening thanks to some action by the Liberal City Commission at its most recent meeting.

The final item of new business on Tuesday evening’s agenda was discussion of a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the project.

“For nearly two years, city staff have been working alongside USD 480 and Seward County Community College to produce a solution for the aging pool on the college campus,” Liberal City Manager Scarlette Diseker said. “The overwhelming message from our residents and surrounding communities is for all three taxing entities to work together for the purpose of delivering a quality indoor space equipped with a competition-size lap pool, locker rooms, and concessions. Our goal is to maximize the use of our 1-cent Sales Tax dollars and contribute a cash investment in this project, while still addressing the issues with our existing Adventure Bay Water Park. The Memorandum represents our commitment to work together, in a mutually beneficial agreement, to pool resources and provide a fiscally responsible solution to this need in our community. With all of that in mind, we are requesting commission consideration to approve a Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Liberal, Seward County Community College and USD 480. For the public, in case anyone gets nervous, this is a non-binding memorandum, with a more definitive agreement and terms to come in the future.”

After some brief discussion, the memorandum was approved 4-0, with Vice Mayor Janeth Vazquez absent.

Also up for approval were the city’s Standard Traffic Ordinance (STO) and then the Uniform Public Offense Code (UPOC). Both were approved 4-0, with Vazquez absent.

“ Section 14-101 of the Code of the City of Liberal, Kansas, is hereby repealed and replaced with the following: ‘Incorporating Standard Traffic Ordinance. There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of regulating traffic within the corporate limits of the City of Liberal, that certain standard traffic ordinance known as the Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas Cities, 52nd Edition published in 2025, prepared and published in book form by the League of Kansas Municipalities of Topeka, save and except such articles, section, parts or portions as are hereafter omitted, deleted, modified, or changed. No fewer than three copies of said Standard Traffic Ordinance shall be marked or stamped ‘Official Copy as Adopted by Ordinance No. 4644’ with all sections or portions thereof intended to be omitted or changed clearly marked to show any such omission or change and to which shall be attached a copy of this ordinance, and filed with the city clerk to be open to inspection and available to the public at all reasonable hours,” the new STO ordinance reads. “The police department, municipal judge, and all administrative departments of the City of Liberal charged with enforcement of the ordinance shall be supplied, at the cost of the City, such number of official copies of such STO similarly marked, as may be deemed expedient. The STO currently adopted shall be amended or supplemented, as the case may be, by all other sections of this article regardless of whether such other sections were adopted before or after the current. The City of Liberal previously exempted itself from regulation of the operations of golf carts per the STO and adopted Article 5 of Chapter 14 to the Liberal City Code. The City of Liberal hereby reaffirms the exemption from Section 114.4 of the STO and amendments thereto which regulate the operation of a golf cart.”

“Section 11-101 of the Code of the City of Liberal, Kansas, is hereby repealed and replaced with the following: Incorporating Uniform Public Offense Code. There is hereby incorporated by reference for the purpose of regulating public offenses within the corporate limits of the City of Liberal, that certain code known as the Uniform Public Offense Code for Kansas Cities, 41st Edition of 2025, prepared and published in book form by the League of Kansas Municipalities of Topeka, save and except such articles, section, parts or portions as are hereafter omitted, deleted, modified, or changed,” the new UPOC reads.. “No fewer than three copies of said Uniform Public Offense Code shall be marked or stamped ‘Official Copy as Adopted by Ordinance No. 4645,’ and to which shall be attached a copy of this ordinance, and filed with the City Clerk to be open to inspection and available to the public at all reasonable hours. The Uniform Public Offense Code currently adopted by the City shall be amended or supplemented, as the case may be, by all other sections contained in this chapter, regardless of whether such other sections were adopted before or after the current Public Offense Code.”

The commission also granted permission to apply for multiple grants.

“The City of Liberal is eligible to apply for the 2026 Kansas Commerce SIGNS Grant, which would support updated signage for three downtown businessess,” Finance Director Kristyn Reust said. “The City of Liberal is also eligible to apply for the HUGS Grant through Southern Pioneer Electric, which would help support our Municipal Treatment Court Program. The City is also eligible to apply for a Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant, which would also support our Municipal Treatment Court operational expenses. The City is also eligible to apply for the 2026 Pedigree Foundation Grant, which would support our local Animal Shelter Programs. With all of these grants, we are asking for commission consideration to allow the mayor, city manager, and grant administrator to execute grant documents.”

All these resolutions, Resolutions No. 2449 through 2453, were approve 4-0, with Vazquez absent.

In other new business, the commission approved Tara Logan’s appointment to the Arkalon Advisory Board and changes to the city’s fireworks ordinance.