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CITY COUNCIL MEETING

MINUTES

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

 

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 September 13, 2004 with Mayor Stephen P. Hawkins presiding.  Mayor Hawkins called the meeting to order at 7:26 p.m.

 

II.         INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

           

The invocation was given by Council Member Juarenne Hester, who then led the pledge of allegiance.

 

III.       ROLL CALL

 

Roll call was answered by Mayor Stephen P. Hawkins; Ed Collins, Ward I; LeRoy Coe and Anna Marie Martin, Ward II; Lyndell Brenton and Juarenne Hester, Ward III; and Bill Parker, Ward IV.  Also in attendance were Patty Gentrup, City Administrator, Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Administrator; Steve Hansen, Public Works Director; Steve Anderson, Planning & Development Director; Linda Tyree, Finance Director; Gary Birch, Fire Chief; Jim Simpson, Deputy Police Chief; Sara Cooke, Public Relations Coordinator; Lyndsay Heal, Management Assistant; Jane Sharon, Deputy City Clerk; Angie Borgedalen, Liberty Tribune, Joe Cook, Liberty Sun News, Maricella Miranda, The Kansas City Star and eight members of the public.

 

IV.        APPROVE MINUTES AND SUMMARIES

 

A.                  POLL SUMMARY OF AUGUST 12, 2004

 

Council Member Martin moved to approve the meeting summary as distributed.  Council Member Brenton seconded the motion, which carried 4-0-2.  Council Members Hester and Parker abstained due to absence.

 

B.                  REGULAR SESSION MINUTES OF AUGUST 23, 2004

 

Council Member Brenton moved to approve the meeting summary as distributed.  Council Member Coe seconded the motion, which carried 5-0-1.  Council Member Hester abstained due to absence.

 

C.                  STUDY SESSION MEETING SUMMARY OF AUGUST 30, 2004

 

Council Member Martin moved to approve the meeting summary as distributed.  Council Member Hester seconded the motion, which carried 5-0-1.  Council Member Coe abstained due to absence.

 


D.                 STUDY SESSION MEETING SUMMARY OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2004

 

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

 

V.         CITIZENS’ PARTICIPATION

 

A.         Mayor Hawkins recognized three boy scouts, Andy Longres, Michael Russell and Charley Bailey, with Troop 374, all of whom are working on their Communication badges.

 

B.         PROCLAMATION FOR CONSTITUTION WEEK: SEPTEMBER 17 – 23

 

Mayor Hawkins read his proclamation declaring September 17 – 23, 2004 as Constitution Week in Liberty and presented it to Chapter Regent Vivian Stockwell and Program Chair Anne Sizemore of the Alexander Doniphan Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.  Mrs. Stockwell thanked the mayor for drawing attention to this most significant document in American democracy with this proclamation.

 

VI.        MEETING SCHEDULE

 

City Administrator Patty Gentrup stated that a light meal would be available for Council at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 20, prior to the group taking a tour of City facilities.  The study session would begin at 7:00 p.m. that evening.

 

VII.             CONSENT AGENDA – None.

 

VIII.     PUBLIC HEARINGS – None.

 

IX.       ORDINANCES, CONTRACTS AND RESOLUTIONS

 

A.         ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF VENDOR PAYMENTS FROM AUGUST 21, 2004 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 9, 2004 – ORDINANCE

 

Document No. 6253 was read.  Council Member Coe moved to approve the ordinance.  Council Member Hester seconded the motion.

 

Vote on the motion was as follows:  Council Member Collins – yes; Council Member Martin – yes; Council Member Hester – yes; Council Member Parker – yes; Council Member Coe – yes; Council Member Brenton – yes.  The motion carried unanimously; it was approved by the Chair and inscribed in Ordinance No. 8719.

 


B.         TEMPORARY LIQUOR LICENSE FOR BEER GARDEN AT CLAYVIEW COUNTRY CLUB DURING FALL FESTIVAL – RESOLUTION

 

Council Member Martin moved to approve the resolution.  Council Member Parker seconded the motion.  Council Member Brenton asked if any negative comments had been received regarding last year’s event.  Deputy Chief Jim Simpson said there had been no calls or problems last year.

 

Council Member Hester asked about the short time for the Chamber to obtain a State license.  Deputy City Clerk Jane Sharon stated that the Chamber staff had indicated they could obtain the necessary licenses from the State within this time period.

 

The motion carried unanimously and is inscribed in Resolution No. 2178.

 

C.         *COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH MID-AMERICA REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR OPERATION GREEN LIGHT TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM – ORDINANCE

 

Public Works Director Steve Hansen stated that this regional program, coordinated by the Mid-America Regional Council, was developed to improve traffic flow in the metropolitan Kansas City area.  He stated the effort is to optimize travel time, air quality, safety and traffic flow along major corridors.  Mr. Hansen stated that traffic signals would be coordinated by staff at a regional traffic center located at the Missouri Department of Transportation offices in Lee’s Summit.

 

Mr. Hansen stated that a feasibility study included the Kansas Street (M-152) corridor within Liberty as a portion of the Operation Green Light system.  He said the only signal along that corridor that would be Liberty’s responsibility in this system is the one at Kansas and Clayview, because the remaining signals from this intersection west to I-35 are included in MoDOT’s cost.  The program calls for participants to share the cost associated with implementation of the system, including traffic management software and hardware, communications network design and installation and traffic controller replacement design.  Mr. Hansen stated that the cost to each participant is based on the number of signals in the program.  With Liberty having one signal of the 593 in the system, he stated the cost to Liberty would be $1,670.

 

Council Member Brenton asked if the amount would be an annual fee.  Mr. Hansen said it would not and represents the City’s cost for this phase.  He stated the system is expected to cost approximately $5 million, 80% of which will be funded with federal funds and the 20% covered by participants.  Mr. Brenton asked if additional funding will be needed for maintenance.  Mr. Hansen stated that additional costs have not yet been identified or defined in terms of maintenance costs.  Mr. Brenton asked if there was any minimum amount that had been discussed.  Mr. Hansen said there had not been, but Liberty’s share of maintenance costs should be minimal.

 


Council Member Martin asked if the rest of the signals along 152 Hwy. would be reset, once the signal at Clayview is set within the regional system.  Mr. Hansen said they would have to be reset, but the staff at the regional office would have real-time monitoring capability, so if there was a problem on the interstate that required traffic to be redirected through this area, the system could be regulated from the Lee’s Summit office.

 

Mayor Hawkins asked if there would be cameras installed at the intersections.  Mr. Hansen said sensors would be installed initially, but cameras may be installed in the future.  He said the existing cameras on 152 Hwy. are optical traffic detectors.

 

Council Member Brenton asked what options the City has for regulating the signals, once they are included in the regional system.  Mr. Hansen said the City would continue to have opportunities to adjust the timing, if necessary and that the Lee’s Summit office would have to get the City’s approval for certain things.

 

Council Member Collins said the ultimate goal appears to be to cut down on the stopping time on 152 Hwy. when there is no cross traffic.  Mr. Hansen said that is one of the goals along with the improvements to air quality.

 

Document No. 6254 was read.  Council Member Martin moved to waive the rules and consider the ordinance on first reading.  Council Member Parker seconded the motion.  Without a unanimous vote, the motion failed.  Mayor Hawkins stated the ordinance would go to second reading on September 27.

 

Council Member Brenton asked for more information about the City’s future commitment before the ordinance is considered on second reading.

 

D.         ACCEPTANCE OF SANITARY SEWER EASEMENTS - OUR LADY OF MERCY COUNTRY HOME SEWER EXTENSION PROJECT – ORDINANCE

 

Document No. 6255 was read.  Council Member Brenton moved to waive the rules and consider the ordinance on first reading.  Council Member Coe seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

 

Council Member Coe moved to approve the ordinance.  Council Member Martin seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.  It was approved by the Chair and is inscribed in Ordinance No. 8720.

 

E.         CONTRACT FOR DESIGN SERVICES FOR FLINTLOCK OVERPASS WITH HNTB CORPORATION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,080,000 - ORDINANCE

 

Mayor Hawkins referred council members to a staff memo at their places.  Mrs. Gentrup stated that MoDOT had indicated at the last minute that the form of the agreement was not to its liking and had requested that the Council not consider the agreement at this time.  She stated that MoDOT had assured City staff that the delay in getting an agreement in place later than the initial


requirement of September 30 will not place the federal funding for the project in jeopardy.  Mr. Hansen stated that, while the state has now indicated the agreement should be in place by the end of December, MoDOT requested a delay in consideration to October so that the correct terms for payment of funds could be incorporated into the agreement.  Mrs. Gentrup stated that all parties are working diligently to proceed with this project as previously planned.

 

There being no objection, the item was removed from the agenda.

 

X.         OTHER BUSINESS – None.

 

XI.               MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATOR

 

Planning & Development Director Steve Anderson reviewed the plans for the upcoming design charrette for Phase II of the South Liberty Parkway.  He stated the workshop would kickoff on Tuesday, September 21, in the Council Chambers.  He stated that various groups were being invited to participate in discussions on the alignment and design.  On Tuesday, members of the City Council and Parks Board were scheduled.  Later participants in the Blueprint for Liberty process, chamber board and affected property owners, among others would be invited to provide input.  Mr. Anderson said this would culminate in a presentation by the design team on Friday, September 24.  He stated the design team consists of the consultants, City staff, Council members and Planning & Zoning Commission members.  The initial session begins at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21.

 

Mrs. Gentrup stated she would be out of the office Wednesday through Friday attending an HBA tour in Denver with Council Member Hester and members of the Planning & Zoning Commission.  During her absence, she stated that Cynthia Boecker will serve as Acting City Administrator.

 

XII.            MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS FROM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

 

Council Member Hester asked if there would be any follow-up to the model smoking ordinance received earlier.  Mrs. Gentrup stated there have been news articles recently and Management Assistant Lyndsay Heal has been attending meetings.  Mrs. Gentrup stated that information would be provided to Council at a later date.

 

Council Member Coe asked if there was a problem with the Opticom system as he had observed an ambulance having to proceed through a red light on 291 Hwy. at Brown Street.  Fire Chief Gary Birch stated that he was not aware of a problem with the signals but there could be a problem with the vehicle and he would check into it.

 

Mr. Coe also asked if the signal at I-35 and 152 Hwy. could be reset.  He stated that the exit from southbound I-35 onto 152 Hwy. is timed and traffic on 152 Hwy. must stop, even though there is seldom traffic exiting from that direction.  Mr. Hansen said he would check on that.

 


XIII.     ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting adjourned to study session at 7:56 p.m.

 

 

 

                                                                                    __________________________________

Mayor

 

 

Attest:

 

 

 

_____________________________________

Deputy City Clerk