CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 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 October 12, 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 Harold Phillips, 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, Planning and Development Director; Craig
Knouse, Police Chief; Gary Birch, Fire Chief; Dennis Dovel, Parks and
Recreation Director; Amy Brusven, Human Resources Director; Donna Kay Taylor,
Community Center Manager; Anna Slocum, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director;
Jonna Wensel, Community Development Manager; Dave Tedesco, Police Captain; Tony
Sage, Information Services Director; Shawnna Funderburk, Assistant to the City
Administrator; Janet Pittman, Deputy City Clerk; Angie Borgedalen, Liberty
Tribune; and 8 members of the public.
IV. APPROVE MINUTES AND SUMMARIES
F. STUDY
SESSION SUMMARY OF SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
V. CITIZENS?
PARTICIPATION
Sheriff
Bob Boydston spoke regarding the extension of Clay County?s law
enforcement sales tax. On the November 3 election ballot, voters will be asked
to extend the one-eighth of one percent tax for a period of twelve years for
the purpose of providing law enforcement services for the County, including
maintenance of current law enforcement facilities and all operational costs to
provide for the incarceration of inmates. A citizen oversight committee will
be named to provide oversight of the funds. Sheriff Boydston requested that
Council consider the value of the detention center and, if appropriate, to
provide an endorsement of the sales tax extension.
VI. MEETING SCHEDULE
VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. SANITARY
SEWER SYSTEM
Staff stated design was initiated on two projects to
rehabilitate the City?s aging sanitary sewer collection system. These projects
were submitted to MDNR as ?shovel ready? in an effort to receive Federal
economic stimulus funding to maintain the system. The funding was approved in
June 2009 subject to local match identification. One project will concentrate
efforts in the Cantebury, Wilshire, Westboro, Liberty Manor West, Liberty Manor
East, Liberty Heights and Southview Estates areas, and the other project will
concentrate in the areas around downtown Liberty between the square and William
Jewell College. The combined project costs are estimated to be $3 million.
Staff stated Capital Sales Tax (Liberty 2010) funds have been designated as the
funding source for the City?s match of $1.5 million. The Citizen Sales Tax Oversight
Committee reviewed this request and stated this is a good infrastructure
project in order to take advantage of $1.5 million in grant funding. While
this grant project will not require an adjustment to sewer rates, the MDNR
grant compliance submittal does require a public hearing be held in accordance
with State law. The Council will discuss future utility rate adjustments
pertaining to operation of the system at a later date.
Mayor Canuteson opened the public hearing at 7:11 p.m. and asked
if anyone wished to speak.
Thomas Bakely, 1071
Maplewood Court, stated he was
concerned that sales tax funds, not intended for that purpose, are going to be
used for the sanitary sewer system. The obligations of the sewer system have
not been met for the past two years and he wanted to know if the system was now
to be supported by sales tax funds.
Mayor Canuteson asked if anyone else wished to
speak. Seeing no one, he closed the public hearing at 7:15 p.m.
Council stated that the intention is not to utilize
sales taxes to fund sanitary sewer fund improvements; however, the sewer
enterprise fund does not currently have sufficient funds necessary for the
grant match. It was noted that the Infrastructure Task Force determined there
is $170 million in infrastructure needs, with approximately $25 million of that
in sanitary sewer needs. If the Citizen Sales Tax Oversight Committee had not
approved use of Liberty 2010 funds, the City would not have been able to take
advantage of this grant opportunity. Staff noted that Council could, in the
future, choose to issue bonds from the enterprise fund to reimburse the capital
sales tax fund.
IX. ORDINANCES,
CONTRACTS AND RESOLUTIONS
A. A RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION FOR ROBERT
BURKS FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF LIBERTY
Council Member Phillips moved to approve the
resolution. Council Member Jenness seconded the motion, which carried
unanimously and is inscribed in Resolution No.2436.
Mayor Canuteson presented the Resolution to Mr. Burks.
Mr. Burks thanked staff for their assistance throughout his tenure on the Parks
and Recreation Board and the Parks and Recreation Charitable Fund Advisory
Committee.
B. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF VENDOR PAYMENTS FROM SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
THROUGH OCTOBER 2, 2009 - ORDINANCE
Document No. 7071 was read. Council Member King moved
to approve the vendor payments. Council Member Moore 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. 9501.
C.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 4,
?ANIMALS AND FOWL?, OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF LIBERTY, CLAY COUNTY, MISSOURI
(SECOND READING)
Council discussed the proposed ordinance amendment.
Staff noted that they are looking at a ?grandfather? list for residents that,
if the ordinance passes, will have more cats than the total combination of dogs
and cats allowed.
Document No. 7063 was read. Council Member Phillips
moved to approve the ordinance. Council Member Brenton seconded the motion,
which carried 5-3-0. Council Members Foster, Jenness and King voted in
opposition. It was not approved by the Chair and is inscribed in Ordinance No.
9502.
Council Member Moore moved to approve the resolution.
Council Member Jenness seconded the motion, which carried 7-1-0. Council Member
King voted in opposition and is inscribed in Resolution No. 2437.
E. A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A FOURTH OF JULY
CELEBRATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LIBERTY
Council Member Phillips moved to approve the
resolution. Council Member Watt seconded the motion, which carried unanimously
and is inscribed in Resolution No. 2438.
F. DONIPHAN
STREET WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT
1. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 9471
APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH CLAY COUNTY SANITARY AND DITCHING SERVICES, INC. FOR THE DONIPHAN STREET
WATER PROJECT
Document No. 7072 was read. Council Member Phillips
moved to waive the rules and consider the ordinance on first reading. Council
Member Watt seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.
Council Member Phillips moved to approve the
ordinance. Council Member Jenness seconded the motion, which carried
unanimously. It was approved by the Chair and is inscribed in Ordinance No. 9503.
2. A
RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE DONIPHAN STREET WATER PROJECT
Council Member Watt moved to approve the resolution.
Council Member King seconded the motion, which carried unanimously and is
inscribed in Resolution No. 2439.
G. AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM CATEGORY 3
GRANT
Document No. 7073 was read. Council Member Phillips
moved to waive the rules and consider the ordinance on first reading. Council
Member Duncan seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.
Council Member King moved to approve the ordinance.
Council Member Watt seconded the motion, which carried unanimously. It was
approved by the Chair and is inscribed in Ordinance No. 9504.
H. AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH
SUPERIOR BOWEN ASPHALT COMPANY, LLC FOR THE PRINCIPAL ARTERIAL STREET
REHABILITATION PROJECT
Council discussed the scope of the
project, and the additional $30,000 in City funds that will be required in
addition to the grant funding.
Document No. 7074 was read. Council Member King moved
to waive the rules and consider the ordinance on first reading. Council Member
Duncan seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.
Council Member Jenness moved to approve the
ordinance. Council Member Brenton seconded the motion, which carried
unanimously. It was approved by the Chair and is inscribed in Ordinance No. 9505.
X. OTHER BUSINESS
XI.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS FROM CITY
ADMINISTRATOR
XII.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS FROM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
Council
Member Phillips congratulated the Planning and Development Department on the
recent Home Fair that was held. He noted that contractors will be working with
Liberty residents and Rebuilding Together Liberty, in regards to the Kansas City
weatherization program that provides assistance to lower income homeowners.
Council
Member Moore thanked Public Works? staff for responding to the sump pump issue
on Nashua, and requested similar facilitation on an issue on Franklin Street.
Council
Member Watt and Mayor Canuteson will be participating in the Rockin? Readers
program, sponsored by Cracker Barrel, by reading to children at Manor Hill
Elementary later this week.
XIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:07
p.m.
__________________________________
Mayor
Attest:
_____________________________________
Deputy City Clerk