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Friday
March 29th, 2024

city of liberal logoELLY GRIMM • Leader & Times

 

The Liberal City Commission will have a full agenda on its hands for its next meeting this evening starting at 5:30. 

Up first for the commission will be discussion of Ordinance No. 4541, which concerns managing the use and occupancy of the public right-of-way. 

“The proposed ordinance will allow staff to manage the installation and maintenance of the right-of-way within the city,” the agenda information noted. “The ordinance will also enable the City of Liberal to keep records of when work was completed and by whom. Staff is recommending the commission approve Ordinance No. 4541.”

Up next for the commission will be discussion of the vacation a of 20-foot by 250-foot platted alley at 624 N. Pershing Avenue. 

“On June 11, the Liberal Metropolitan Area Planning Commission  hosted a public hearing and reviewed the petition to vacate the alley,” the agenda information noted. “After review and discussion, it was the recommendation of the commission to forward the request to the Liberal City Commission for its approval with the condition that the utilities are in agreement was to the width for an access gate. No structure is to be built in the area, and the purpose of the vacation is to close off the area for better security for children. Staff is recommending the commission approve Ordinance No. 4542 for this matter.”

The commission will also be asked to approve the vacation of a platted alley at 516 W. 1st Street. 

“On June 11, the Liberal Metropolitan Area Planning Commission  hosted a public hearing and reviewed the petition to vacate the utility easement running between Lots 1 through 32 of Block 1 of the Land-Thayer’s 1st Addition,” the agenda information noted. “After review and discussion, it was the recommendation of the commission to forward the request to the Liberal City Commission for its approval Staff is recommending the commission approve Ordinance No. 4543 for this matter.”

The question to be put before voters regarding the renewal of the 1-cent sales tax will also be before the commission again. The question, approved at the commission’s July 28 meeting will read “Shall the levying of the retailers’ sales tax in the City of Liberal, Kansas be continued in the amount of 1 percent to be effective Oct. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2031, with 60 percent of the proceeds used for Streets, Drainage & Other Capital Improvements, 15 percent of the proceeds used for Economic Development, 5 percent of the proceeds used for Crime Prevention and similar programs, 15 percent of the proceeds used for Housing and Community Development, and 5 percent of the proceeds used for Beautification, with 5 percent of each budgeted item allocated for maintenance?”

The commission will also be discussing the 2021 budget. After the public hearing, the commission will be asked to approve Resolution No. 2335. which concerns the actual adoption of the 2021 fiscal year budget.

“The City’s 2021 fiscal year budget contains a proposed total budget amount of $45,265,500, a mill levy dollar amount of $6,350,616, and an estimated mill levy of 52.082 mills, based upon the July 1 estimated valuation, which is identical to the City’s 2020 budget mill levy,” the agenda information noted. “On Nov. 1, the final assessed valuation will be determined for which our number of mills necessary to fund our dollar request is subject to change. However, the levied dollars will not change. Due to the increase in estimated 2021 valuation over 2020 assessed valuation, an additional $65,428 will be generated. Staff wishes to express appreciation to the commission and all city staff, from department heads to employees, who are to be commended for their commitment to efforts to maintain the quality and level of services they provide to citizens at as low a cost as possible.”

Up next will see the Liberal Fire Department ask for some bunker gear purchases to be approved. 

“The department is seeking approval to proceed with the purchase of protective clothing. This is a budgeted item in our equipment replacement program,” the agenda information noted. “Our intent is to keep our PPE on a 5- to 7-year replacement program and depends on variables such as staffing levels, unforeseen damage and wear attributed to individual use during training and emergency response. We are asking the commission to approve our purchase of five sets of protective clothing from Weis Fire Equipment for a total of $9,673.35.”

The commission will also be asked to officially approve grant awards for new KDOT bus facilities in Liberal (which include funds for a storage facility, cameras and shelters, and bus stop shelter advertising), and will then hear an update on CDBG-DV business applications. The commission will then discuss the fall tree match program. 

“This program is open to any resident, business or non-profit organization located in the city limits,” the agenda information noted. “The trees offered this fall will be the Autum Blaze Maple, Royal White Redbud, Golden Raintree, Rockford Planetree, Yoshino Cherry, and Lacebark Elm. All trees will be 7-gallon container size and will be $25 each.”

The commission will also be asked to approve an appointment to the Arkalon Board and will also discuss Addenda 2 to the engineering plans for an upcoming project on 2nd Street, and will conclude the new business with a request from the Liberal Police Department to replace a wrecked LPD K-9 unit.