City council passes several ordinances
The Goessel City Council met May 20 at the Goessel Civic Center community room.
Those present at the meeting included Mayor Peggy Jay; council members, Larry Lindeman, James Wiens, Larry Schmidt, Racquel Thiesen; City Clerk, Anita Goertzen, Public Works Director, Aden Goertzen. Absent: Council Member Duane Duerksen. Guest was Jan Nolde, accountant from Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd.
The following positions were re-appointed: Police Chief, Joe Base; City Clerk/Court Clerk, Anita Goertzen; City Treasurer, Jodi Unruh; Municipal Judge, Bryson Mills; and City Attorney, Brookens & Collett, J. Robert Brookens
The council voted, 4-0, to keep the official newspaper the Hillsboro Star-Journal and the Citizen State Bank as the depository institute for the City of Goessel.
For the audit report, Nolde reviewed the management letter and audit report with the council. No new violations were reported, but discussion was held on the need to have a report that would show unencumbered cash monthly. Implementing a purchase order system could do this or generating a report that would show unencumbered cash. Goertzen will continue to work on improving that.
Public Works Director Arlen Goertzen reported KRWA has completed the GPS locating of all the lines and the meters and the project was completed in eight hours. USD 411 loaned Arlen their Gator, which helped speed along the process. The maps will be sent out in four to six months.
Goertzen reported Osage Street is in and graded with 80 tons of rock dumped on it. Workers will wait for the rock to settle before placing any more rock on it.
He also reported KDHE inspected the burn site again, and Goessel is in compliance again.
Goertzen contacted Brochamwood Tree Service to remove the dead trees in the park.
He informed the council that Mayer Specialty Services will be doing their annual sewer cleaning on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and notices will be delivered to those in the affected areas.
City clerk Anita Goertzen discussed the need to remind citizens about removing standing water on their property to try to control mosquitoes. Goertzen will put up posters around town.
Goertzen invited the council members to attend the Municipal Leadership Academy on June 12 in Derby on Effective Meetings. Mayor Jay would like to attend.
The council voted 4-0 to pay the registration for Mayor Jay to attend the Municipal Leadership Academy.
Goertzen informed the council that she will be attending a budget seminar in Wichita on June 1, 2004.
Council voted 4-0 to approve Ordinance No. 193 which amends the prohibition of racing and exhibition of speed and establishes its prohibition on public and private property. The ordinance allows police officers to issue tickets for exhibition of speed on private property such as parking lots.
Council voted 4-0 to approve Ordinance No. 194 which provides for a debt service fee for all sewer connections. The nine dollar per month fee will pay the wastewater user charge for the Kansas Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund loan.. The debt service fee will be discontinued when the loan is paid off.
Council reviewed the bid from Bachman Plumbing and Heating to remove the return air vent in the meeting room and make several other changes to decrease the noise in the community room when the furnace or air conditioner is running.
Council voted 4-0 to accept the bid from Bachman for the work in the mechanical room of the civic center.
Council reviewed the Goessel Public Library's 2005 proposed budget, but the 2005 figures were not in yet, no action was taken.
In other business:
— A public hearing and meeting date was set for the Wastewater project. The meting will be at 7 p.m. July 15 in the civic center community room.
— Council reviewed Ordinance No. 195 concerning the loan between the City of Goessel and the Kansas Dept. of Environment for the purpose of obtaining a loan from the Kansas Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund to finance a wastewater treatment project and establish a source of revenue for repayment of such loan.
Council voted 4-0 to approve Ordinance No. 195, pending review by the city attorney.
— Arlen Goertzen reported that he would like to improve the appearance of the park and place safety material under the equipment. He will get prices for the next council meeting.
