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Saints!

Friday
March 29th, 2024

city of liberal logoELLY GRIMM • Leader & Times

 

After beginning with a 10-minute executive session, the Liberal City Commission will be taking on a handful of items during its next meeting this evening starting at 5:30. 

The commission will start the new business with discussion of Ordinance No. 4536, which concerns amending Section 1-304 of the Liberal city code relating to the position of assistant city manager for the City of Liberal. 

“The assistant city manager is a part-time as needed position and shall perform the duties of the city manager in his or her absence. The assistant city manager shall be protected from political fallout. The position of assistant city manager may be terminated or filled by a different employee at the discretion of the City Manager, provided the full time position simultaneously held by the assistant city manager may only be terminated for cause due to actual job performance,” the ordinance noted. “As there is not a current need for a full time assistant city manager, the city manager may appoint an assistant city manager as deemed necessary to fulfill the duties as stated in Section A above for a period of time as determined appropriate by the city manager. The appointment shall be of a current, full time city employee and compensation for the duties of assistant city manager shall be sent by the city manager in an amount not to exceed $1,000 per month in addition to the employee’s current salary. Notice of the appointment shall be provided to the commission and all department heads by the city manager. In the event the city manager appoints a different assistant city manager (and absence cause for termination), then the replaced assistant city manager shall be allowed to return to his or her current full time employment and be paid the same compensation as previously set. At no time shall there be more than one assistant city manager.”

After that will be see the commission revisit discussion of Resolution No. 2324, which concerns residential demolitions.

“On Sept. 27, 2017, the Building Department was notified of an abandoned house located in the TERWILLIGER-WEIDENSAUL ADDITION, BLOCK 14, E2, Lots 21-24, or better known as 16 W. 10th Street, in which no utilities have been turned on and possibly has people living in it,” the agenda information noted. “Upon investigation by Code Enforcement officers, the house was found to be open and not secured. The porch on the front of the house was observed to be deteriorating to the point of possible collapse, and the interior of the house was observed to be extremely cluttered with large piles of trash throughout the house. The ceiling of the house was noted to have holes in almost every room of the house, with some of those holes going into the attic space. The interior walls have numerous holes in them. The structure was deemed unsafe and in a state of repair, unsanitary, and containing filth and contamination.”

Some street maintenance will also be up for discussion, with the commission being asked to award the crack seal bid and the chip seal bid. The commission will also be requesting the purchase of a new motorcycle for the Liberal Police Department.

“In 2016, the department purchased five police motorcycles from the Garden City Police Department for $8,500. Kawasaki ceased production of the KZ-1000 motorcycle in 2005 and since then, that model has been revered as an ‘antique’ or ‘collector’s item.’” the agenda information noted. “The technology of the KZ1000 is no longer consistent with year-round police work as it maintains a carbureted engine, which is difficult, if not impossible, to start in near-freezing weather, which is still acceptable riding weather for professional police motorcycle operators. The Hutchinson Police Department has offered to sell a black 2010 Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle to us for $9,000. The motorcycle in question has been test driven by our full-time motorcycle officer and is a well maintained, high-performance motorcycle that responds as expected. By purchasing the Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle from the Hutchinson Police Department, we’ll be able to upgrade to modern motorcycle technology, extend the riding season for the department’s police motorcycle officers, and obtain equipment that will be necessary in the future at a reasonable price, making police motorcycle purchases less expensive to the City in the future.”

The city’s I.T. department will also be talking with the commission about some needed technology updates and will end the new business of the meeting with discussion of the upcoming KC Park and Hike & Bike Trail.