Beloit City Council â€“ Wednesday, December 21, 2022

By Terry Bailey

The Beloit City Councilors gathered on a frigid, first day of winter Wednesday evening, December 21st, to oversee the affairs of the City. At the regular starting time of 7 p.m. only Mayor Tom Naasz and Councilors Gretchin Staples, Jamie Meier, and Tony Gengler were present along with City staff members Katie Schroeder and Amanda Lomax. This number did not allow for a quorum in order to formally make decisions. Finally, at 7:28 Councilor Lee McMillan arrived ensuring a quorum so that business could be conducted.
Absent from the meeting were Councilors Todd Adolph, Andrew Grabon, and the City Manager.
While awaiting for a fourth Councilor to establish a quorum, those present discussed items on the Work Session agenda.
City Clerk Lomax announced that a Request For Proposals would be circulated to the local banks so that they could bid on the City's banking business for the upcoming three-year business cycle. Currently the Solomon Valley Bank handles the majority of the City's banking affairs.
Attention was called to the new Fee Schedule to be charged for City services and equipment rental. Action will be taken at the next Councilor meeting on January 4, 2023, to act on the approval of the new schedule. Interested citizens may find the new proposed fee schedule at the City's website.
With arrival of Councilor McMillian the meeting was officially called to order at 7:30 p.m.
City Engineer Stewart Porter was present to discuss the status of the plans for the new Water Treatment plant and Pipeline to Beloit from the Waconda Lake. Mayor Naasz signed the official application to be sent to the State. Porter said, "All the paperwork and working diagrams are completed. Now we sent everything to the State, and they review everything with a fine-tooth comb." Porter said he expected five or six vendors to bid on the pipeline segment of the project and three or four to bid on the Water Treatment plant. It is possible for vendors to bid on both segments, but the work on the two different segments are significantly different for one company to bid on both.
City Attorney Schroeder announced that the City should be receiving money from the Opiate Settlement Lawsuits. Fines will be paid by those companies manufacturing opiates and by companies who distributed them. She expects Beloit to receive around $8,000 in the first distribution of funds. The money must be used to fund opiate prevention activities.
Community Development director Emily Benedick was on hand to discuss low and moderate housing possibilities and the needs for workforce housing in the near and distant future.
A handicapped parking space was approved for installation at 116 East Main. Dr. Banker's P.A. will be opening a practice at that location in the near future.
The contract for the Westside Drainage project was awarded to Ron Schaflei Construction in the amount of $74,000. Three bids were received for the project with the engineers estimate for the work having been established at $84,245.
The purchase of a Wastewater Traction Bar for the wastewater plant was approved. The current one is well worn and is in need of replacement. The cost of $139,576 was approved. This device is quite unique and it is expected that it will take 12 months before it can be manufactured and delivered.
A Pawn Broker License was approved for Big and Bad Gun and Pawn.
Cereal Malt licenses were approved for the following local vendors within the City limits of Beloit. Background checks were conducted by City Attorney Katie Schroeder and Chief of Police Dave Elam.
Arlyn Mead dba Beloit Bowl
Joe Kindscher dba Pump Mart
Mitchell County Fair Association
Ana D. Leon dba El Puertos
Cassey's Retail Company dba Casey's General Store #2739
Cassey's Retail Company dba Casey's General Store #2079
Bubba Q's
Floersch IGA, Inc. dba Ray's Apple Market #466
DG Retail, LLC dba Dollar General Store #2469
Time was devoted to the City employee pay structure proposal. The overall affect will allow most workers to receive between two and three percent pay increases. The proposal was approved.

Other News

Beloit, KS 67420, USA