CITY COUNCIL MEETING

MINUTES

MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2009

 

I.                    CALL TO ORDER

 

A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Liberty, Missouri was held in the Council Chambers at City Hall on June 8, 2009 with Mayor Greg Canuteson presiding.  Mayor Canuteson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

 

II.         INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

            The invocation was given by Nick King, who then led the pledge of allegiance.

 

III.       ROLL CALL

 

Roll call was answered by Paul Jenness and Harold Phillips, Ward I; Greg Duncan and Jeff Moore, Ward II; Lyndell Brenton and Jeff Watt, Ward III; and Fred Foster and Nick King, Ward IV.  Also in attendance were Curt Wenson, City Administrator; Dan Estes, Assistant City Administrator; Steve Hansen, Public Works Director; Steve Anderson, Development Director; Diana Adams, Assistant Finance Director; Craig Knouse, Police Chief; Gary Birch, Fire Chief; Karan Johnson, Planning and Economic Development Manager; Tony Sage, Information Services Director; Shawnna Funderburk, Assistant to the City Administrator; Janet Pittman, Deputy City Clerk; legal counsel Chris Williams; Angie Borgedalen, Liberty Tribune; and 8 members of the public.

 

IV.       APPROVE MINUTES AND SUMMARIES

 

A.                 SPECIAL SESSION MINUTES OF MAY 27, 2009

 

Council Member King moved to approve the minutes as distributed.  Council Member Jenness seconded the motion, which carried 7-0-1.  Council Member Phillips abstained due to absence.

 

V.        CITIZENS? PARTICIPATION

 

Dean Tyler, 1135 Robin Ct., President of the Clay County Museum and Historical Society, stated that he is concerned about parking on the square.  The Museum?s elderly docents are unable to park on the square for the duration of their shift, which has resulted in a loss of valuable volunteers needed to operate the museum.

 

Joyce Pecora, 1797 Shannon, stated she is a volunteer for the Museum and was seeking permission for the volunteers to be able to park on the square.  In the past, the volunteers had been allowed to display a sign on their vehicles which would allow them to park on the square.  She noted that the elderly volunteers also act as ambassadors for the City by providing directions to visitors of the square.

 

VI.       MEETING SCHEDULE

 

VII.      CONSENT AGENDA

 

A.                 SPECIAL SESSION MINUTES OF MAY 18, 2009

 

Council Member Phillips moved to approve the minutes as distributed.  Council Member Foster seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

 

B.                 STUDY SESSION SUMMARY OF MAY 18, 2009

 

Council Member Phillips moved to approve the meeting summary as distributed.  Council Member Foster seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

 

C.                 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES  OF MAY 26, 2009

 

Council Member Phillips moved to approve the minutes as distributed.  Council Member Foster seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

 

VIII.     PUBLIC HEARINGS

 

A.        APPROVAL AND ACTIVATION OF REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT B-1 WITHIN THE LIBERTY TRIANGLE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN - ORDINANCE

 

In response to Council?s questions, staff stated this action will allow for the capture of the tax increment from the payments-in-lieu-of Taxes (PILOTS) and the Economic Activity Taxes (EATS) to be applied toward the TIF.  By activating the project prior to the end of the year, the base for calculating the PILOTS and EATS would be set as calendar year 2008.  Staff believes the first priority call on these incremental tax revenues would be for the refinancing of the City backed Clay County Health Center debt into a market-based TIF obligation.  The $1.8 million in bonds have a one time balloon payment that comes due in 2010. 

 

Mayor Canuteson opened the public hearing and asked if anyone wished to speak.   Seeing no one, he closed the public hearing.

 

Document No. 7027 was read.  Council Member Brenton moved to waive the rules and consider the ordinance on first reading.  Council Member Duncan seconded the motion, which failed to carry unanimously.

 

Mayor Canuteson stated that the ordinance would be on second reading at the Regular Session Council Meeting on June 22.

 

IX.       ORDINANCES, CONTRACTS AND RESOLUTIONS

 

A.        ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF VENDOR PAYMENTS FROM MAY 15, 2009 THROUGH MAY 29, 2009.

 

                        In response to Council?s questions, staff stated that check #113531 to Roger Powell Concrete was for the removal and replacement of the steps in front of City Hall.

 

1.                   EXCLUDING KCP&L PAYMENTS ? ORDINANCE

 

Document No. 7028 was read.  Council Member King moved to approve the vendor payments.  Council Member Brenton seconded the motion.  Vote on the motion was as follows:  Council Member Phillips ? yes; Council Member Moore ? yes; Council Member Brenton ? yes; Council Member Foster ? yes; Council Member Jenness ? yes; Council Member Duncan ? yes; Council Member Watt ? yes; Council Member King ? yes.  The motion carried unanimously; it was approved by the Chair and inscribed in Ordinance No. 9463.

 

 

 

2.                   KCP&L PAYMENTS ? ORDINANCE

 

Document No. 7029 was read.  Council Member King moved to approve the vendor payments.  Council Member Jenness seconded the motion.  Vote on the motion was as follows:  Council Member Phillips ? yes; Council Member Moore ? yes; Council Member Brenton ? abstain; Council Member Foster ? yes; Council Member Jenness ? yes; Council Member Duncan ? yes; Council Member Watt ? yes; Council Member King ? yes.  The motion carried 7-0-1; with Council Member Brenton abstaining, due to a potential conflict of interest.  It was approved by the Chair and inscribed in Ordinance No. 9463.

 

X.         OTHER BUSINESS

 

A.                 LITTLE SHOAL CREEK LIFT STATION

 

Staff presented information regarding the pump station located in an easement located on Mr. Boggess? property that surcharged sometime around May 15, but was only discovered last week.  Staff stated that Kansas City currently owns and maintains the station.  It is intended that the station will eventually be the City of Liberty?s responsibility to maintain; however, there are concerns with the design construction and staff is working to address these issues prior to the City of Liberty taking it over.  Staff contacted Kansas City who sent out a crew to clean the facility, and staff will continue to follow up with Kansas City to ensure this is completed to the property owner?s satisfaction. 

 

The Mayor stated that although this was not a public hearing he would allow public comment. Fay Bedinger stated that Council should make fixing the sewers a priority.  Harry Lee Boggess stated that although the station is currently owned and operated by the City of Kansas City, he signed the easement to the City of Liberty.  He noted that this is the fourth incident that has occurred since 2003 and presented pictures for Council to review.  This line services the Little Shoal Creek area in addition to portions of Liberty, and he requested that no other taps be added to this line until it is fixed and upgraded, otherwise things can only get worse.  Mike Bedinger stated the line isn?t designed correctly and the situation needs to be rectified.  He requested that Council make addressing the City?s sewer infrastructure a priority.

 

The Mayor requested that staff keep the Council apprised of the progress with Kansas City regarding the clean-up effort.

 

XI.               MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATOR

 

City Administrator Curt Wenson stated that the item for the next study session would be a 2009 budget update.

 

XII.            MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS FROM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

 

Mayor Canuteson stated he was appointed to the Mid-America Regional Council?s (MARC) Board of Directors, and that Pleasant Valley Mayor David Slater would serve on MARC?s Total Transportation Committee.  He also noted that the City is taking the sewer concerns very seriously and staff is working on ways to resolve the issues.  In addition, the City has recently applied for sanitary sewer system grants through the federal stimulus projects.

 

In response to Council?s questions, the Mayor requested that activation of the Liberty Triangle Project B-1 be added to the June 8 study session.

 

 

XIII.     ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:13 p.m.

 

                                                                                    __________________________________

                                                                                    Mayor

Attest:

 

 

_____________________________________

Deputy City Clerk