Council meets in special session to select insurance provider
Hillsboro City Council met March 30 in special session to select an insurance provider, set parameters for purchase of trucks, approve the Galaxy franchise, and make board appointments.
The council approved IMA as the insurance provider for the city for $59,956. IMA's first quote to the city was for more than $64,000. The Rodgers and Associates quote with Scottsdale as the carrier was for $54,724.
City administrator Steve Garrett recommended staying with the current provider.
"I am not dissatisfied with the coverage from from EMC or the service from IMA," said Steve Garrett. "I know the company and the agent. I don't want to switch insurance providers right now."
According to Mayor Delores Dalke, Scottsdale's not having any other cities covered in Kansas could be a problem.
"Scottsdale does not have any cities in Kansas," Dalke said. "Why don't we wait one year to see how they work for someone else. We don't want to be the guinea pigs."
"Scottsdale does not have a track record in Kansas," said council member Matt Hiebert.
His motion to stay with EMC died for a lack of a second.
After more discussion about going with a local insurance agent or staying with EMC from Wichita, Byron McCarty made the motion to stay with EMC. Hiebert seconded the motion, which passed 2-1 with Len Coryea voting no.
According to Garrett, the city needs to replace two 1989 vehicles. The requirements for the new vehicles are gasoline engines and automatic transmissions. The city hopes to buy used vehicles and has $20,000 for the purchases.
The council approved the Galaxy franchise with some changes for three years.
The council approved Dalke's appointment of Kevin Suderman to Hillsboro Community Planning and Development Commission to replace Karen Elliott who recently resigned.
The council approved Dalke's re-appointment of Sonya Fisher, Elfrieda Funk, Mike Knak, Hank Wiebe, and Steve Berg to the Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
The council approved Dalke's appointment of Pat Nuss, Donna Klose, Stan Harder, Frances Walls, and Matt Dalke as new board members of the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Garrett reported on a seminar he attended on street repair. There was discussion about city crews putting gravel on alleys and the problems that caused with drainage.
"Do we have a written policy?" Delores Dalke asked.
"We need to approach street improvements in the same way we do utilities," Garrett said. "Alleys are for access; streets are for traffic." Garrett said the city needs a policy on street repair.
The council went into a 15- minute executive session at 4:40 for the purpose of land acquisition. No action was taken.
