KVSV

Beloit City Council – Wednesday, February 15, 2023


By Terry Bailey

The Beloit City Council conducted its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday evening, February 15th, at City Hall. Attending in person were Councilors Gretchen Staples and Tony Gengler, Mayor Tom Naasz, City Manager Jason Rabe, City Attorney Katie Pruitt, and City Clerk Amanda Lomax. Attending via Zoom were Councilors Lee McMillian and Todd Adolph. Absent were Councilors Andrew Grabon and Jamie Meier.
Rabe reported that the pre-construction meeting regarding the West Side Drainage project last week went well. The contractors are ready to begin work after March 1st weather permitting. He told the Council that two new informational billboard signs regarding the Little Red School House have been completed to replace the old ones on the east and west approaches to town. Additionally, a "photo op" board has been created near the front of the schoolhouse to allow for Old Time photos to be taken of visitors.
The purchase of the property at 113 East 2nd Street has been finalized. The previous owner will be allowed time to remove all personal property from the location.
Economic Director Emily Benedick reported the moderate income housing program is proceeding nicely and that considerable interest has been shown in the project. Benedick reported a dozen folks showed up for the discussion regarding senior citizen housing. She believed it was a good start to a significant process. She will travel to Hays next week to interview four candidates for summer interns. Two of the candidates are from Kansas and two are from countries other than the United States.
Michelle Heidrick was present to report on the 2022-23 Chautauqua Isle of Lights. Heidrick said attendance was down this year. Last year 12,433 visitors viewed the Lights and this year the total was 10,637. There were 3,311 cars this year. A total of 836 people came from 38 states other than Kansas and nine foreign countries.
Heidrick reported that the horse and wagon rides were very successful. This rides were available both Friday and Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend. She added that they are looking for someone else who might be interested in providing this service. The fellow who provided rides this year was from Nebraska and is over 80 years old. He did a very good job, but they believe it would be well to look for a replacement, just in case.
Heidrick gave ample praise to the volunteers that make this undertaking possible, especially the City crews.
An open house will be conducted at the First Bank Community room on March 15th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to discuss light displays. Anyone interested in creating a new display is invited to attend and learn more about the process.
The council approved City Manager Rabe to apply for grant funds under the RAISE grant program to allow for work to be done on the North Walnut Street project. This project has been bid twice with the bids being well above expected amounts. This will allow the City to move forward should all the pieces fall into place.
The Council approved Ordinance 2328 for a Special Event license for the Ducks Unlimited's annual banquet at the Municipal Building on March 4, 2023.
The Council approved Ordinance 2329 for a Special Event license for the Struttin' Dusters for a fundraising activity at the Municipal Building on March 11, 2023.
Rabe presented a proposal for an automated entry for the gate to the sewer plant. During the workday, the crews make many trips into and out of the complex. While the gate should be closed and secured each time the men leave the plant area, that is not always done. An automated gate opener/closer would ensure that the plant entry gate is always closed and secured. Rabe had three bids for a device with the lowest being from a company in Abilene, Kansas, for a total of $13,500. The Council approved the purchase of the gate opener.
A City-Wide Clean-Up has been scheduled for June 5th through June 9th. It has been two years since the last Clean-Up. More information will be available closer to the date of the activity.
The Council approved an agreement with NCK Outdoors ab NOMAD Trails. NOMAD Trails will be doing the work to complete the new trail along the Solomon River.

 

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA