REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

 

DECEMBER 1, 2004                                       7:30 P.M.

 

PRESENT:  Jerry Bruns, Mari Ann Parker, Donna Parish and Tony French.  Mike Batchelder was absent.

 

ALSO PRESENT:  Chris and Trish Gibson, Ken Stewart, Brian Kingsley, Dan Harden, Neal Hontz, Jeff Riley, Shawn Tilton, Dick Powell, Carol Hopkins, Ted Collins and Bill Butrick.

 

PRESIDING:  Mayor Janet Tyler.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. with a quorum present.

 

Mari Ann Parker moved to approve the minutes of the last Regular Council Meeting held November 3, 2004.  Jerry Bruns 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

Donna Parish moved to approve the bills for the month of November, 2004.  Mari Ann Parker 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

Highland Community College was unable to attend the meeting to update the Council on the water line project but would be attending the January, 2005 meeting.

 

Brian Kingsley and Dan Harden of BG Consultants, Inc. presented the Council with information concerning the water line project and the electrical maintenance of the new well.  They were asked to submit a copy of their contract for services to the City Attorney for his review.  The Council stated that after the City Attorney reviewed the Contract that they would keep in touch about hiring their services for future projects.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

Tony French moved to adopt Ordinance #449, An Ordinance of the City of Highland to vacate the 500 Block of N. Iowa Street at the request of Chris Gibson.  Mari Ann Parker 2nd.  By roll call vote:  French-yes, Parker-yes, Bruns-yes, Parish-yes.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

Jerry Bruns moved to approve the cereal malt beverage applications for 2005 from Ernies, B.S. Inc., Highland Total and Casey’s Retail Company.  Mari Ann Parker 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

Tony French moved to purchase Christmas hams for the five full time employees.  Jerry Bruns 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

Tony French moved to hire Shawn Tilton for the Assistant in the Public Works Department at step #5 on the salary schedule with a probation period of 6 months.  Mari Ann Parker 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

CITY OFFICERS REPORT

 

Tony French moved to have the City Clerk,at his discretion, do a transfer of funds from the Water to the General not to exceed $5000.  Jerry Bruns 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

City Clerk Bill Butrick stated that he would be certifying 3 council positions for the upcoming 2005 elections.  The deadline for filing will be January 25, 2005 at 12:00 noon.

 

Butrick informed the Council of a letter received from Galen Wieland of the Doniphan County Economic Development Commission asking for a pledge of $5000 for the financing of the Commission.  No action was taken.

 

Butrick told the Council that the furnace in the Community Center was still out of order.

He was instructed to contact Keebler Electric to set up a time frame to get the furnace back in operation.

 

Mari Ann Parker moved to purchase a seven foot blade attachment for the Bobcat at a cost of approximately $2300 to be billed after the 1st of the year.  Tony French 2nd, motion carried unanimously

 

8:36 p.m.  Jerry Bruns moved to go into executive session for fifteen minutes to discuss police department personnel.  Donna Parish 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

8:51 p.m.  Jerry Bruns moved to come out of executive session.  Tony French 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

Jerry Bruns moved to have the Mayor, Police Chief and City Clerk interview the applicants for the vacant police officer position.  Tony French 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

Tony French moved to accept the resignation of Police Officer Mike Liechti.  Donna Parish 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

GOVERNING BODY COMMENTS

 

Councilmember Jerry Bruns stated that he had spoken with Jim Ruhnke about one of the tractors on the Raymond Ruhnke auction to look into as a possible purchase.

 

City Attorney Ted Collins updated the Council on the Degginger Park Trust fund and informed them he was waiting on a response from a representative with the Bank of America.

 

Donna Parish moved to have the City Attorney send a letter regarding damages to the City police car, Bill Butrick’s vehicle and possible damage to the City Hall roof to the construction company that applied roofing to the Highland Hardware building.  Tony French 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

Tony French asked that performance reviews be made available for the January, 2005 Council Meeting from the Mayor and Department Heads.

 

9:20 p.m.  Tony French moved to adjourn.  Jerry Bruns 2nd, motion carried unanimously.

 

 

____________________________                    ___________________________

 

               Mayor                                                                  City Clerk