City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. I'd like to call our meeting to order. It's Tuesday, January 20th, 2026. And let's stand for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Would you join me in prayer, please? Oh, gracious God, we come before you tonight in the name of your son and we thank you for the wisdom that you will give us tonight to lead this city and make good decisions for it. And we thank you for good weather tonight. And we ask for the weather to uh be milder than what the predictions are for the weekend. and we just thank you for your goodness and your mercy. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Amen.

So, our first item of business is to review and approve the council meeting minutes from January 5th. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion approval of the minutes of the January 5th, 2026 city council meeting. Second. Got a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Now, let's review our appropriation ordinance number 12 C. I move for the approval of the appro appropriation ordinance number 12 C dated December 29th, 2025. Second. Got a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I.

Any opposed? Motion carries. Okay. Our next item is to administer the oath of office to our two new council members, Matt Lider, Ward One, and Allison Wedi, Ward Four. So, please join Erica up here and we'll put you to work.

You me. Okay. And if you raise your right hand, repeat after me. I do solemnly swear or affirm I do solemnly swear or affirm that I support I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Kansas and the Constitution of the State of Kansas and faithfully discharge the duties and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of council member of the office of council member

of the city of Augusta of the city of Augusta. So help me God. So help me God. Come take your seats anywhere you go to get their stuff. while they're gathering their things. Uh we have a under our visitor section sergeant promotions and uh a mass chief come up and do that. Good evening. Congratulations, Councilman Over the last month, we've had a couple vacancies uh at the department with the sergeant level for command staff. And so we received letters of interest of officers that would like to promote the sergeant. Then we tested did oral boards and such. And we have brought it down to the two uh candidates that were promoting the sergeant and uh Samantha Brandham and Nathan Kaufman come forward. Mr. Mayor, would you come and help? Mr. Mayor.

Yes, sir.

There's your stand over here with the mayor. Thank you for your service. Got five positions up. I think six maybe. I don't know what to tell her. Okay, we have uh other visitors here. Is Don Don, are you still here? Okay, Don, would you come up to the podium and you've got five minutes to tell us what you're here for. Good evening. My name is Don Patterson. I live at 412 Country Hills Drive. I am the vice president of Country Hills Homeowners Association.

With me this evening is Kim Annler. She lives at five Arnold Drive. We would like to discuss with the council ornamental street lights within Country Hills development. There are five smaller ornamental lights along or Arnold Drive and one tall pole at the entrance of Ohio and Country Hills Drive. The city provides electricity for all these lights. However, the electrical department has basically refuse to do any maintenance on them. Um, the primary difficulty is apparently with sensors for the lights. Some stay on all day. Some flicker before they come on. Some don't come on. And there was one that Kim will talk about that has no electricity running to it at all. The service for the lights is underground. Um, we understand that you may have been through a similar situation recently with the Nebler edition. I don't know the outcome of that or what transpired. If there aren't any immediate questions, I'll turn this over to Kim. I have some knowledge of the history. Those were put in by the developer um when he developed the

project the property. Bob Bob Whitaker years ago installed. Yes. And he requested he requested and paid for those and paid for the installation. And in the past, we've always left it up to whoever bought those to take care of them. I will say standard practice for developments is that there are covenants that are made and that responsibility would fall to the HOA um for anything outside of city installed like city infrastructure.

So what what's your ask exactly? What are you asking? um options. Um, in discussing it with previous W 4 council people, we understood that the council may elect to approve removal of those street lights and installation of city approved lights and poles andor request that the electric department maintain them. Okay.

Staff, do you want to consider options and get back with us?

Yeah. So, this issue has come up so many different times since I've been here, but as many times as I deal with it, I I always forget what the answers were when I when I get that history. But um we'll uh we'll go back and um see if we can find any of that documentation. U that is as Cammy was describing that is kind of the standard practice practice. Normally what you have uh with street lighting in different communities based on my research of other cities is you'll have like a city standard that's used but then occasionally developers will want to put in something that is more ornamental. And there's different ways of governing that relationship. Um, Cammy had indicated a lot of times covenants will will describe how those will be maintained if it's different than a city standard. We still provide the electricity. We still do those other components, but don't we don't like we don't replace those fixtures in kind because we have a city standard or something. Now, if you go back and try to find covenants from that far back with some of these places, there's a good question of whether you have uh something in writing that dictates that or not. I've I've had that struggle when I've gone back and try to find that for old subdivisions um in this community, but the history I've been told has been something of that effect. So, it sounds like they've got two potential asks. either maintain as they are or potentially replacing them to a city standard. At least from a city perspective, uh that that more so align with what we would do in other cases if if you're uh developing another subdivision and using a city standard versus choosing something decorative that's unique to your subdivision. Um, we'll go back and we'll do some other history, give council options. If you did want to retrofit, you'll have to

decide if the city just takes that cost on or if that's something that we share with the HOA or if it's an HOA cost. We'll try to give you some different models of how that could potentially work. But all all of those things are technically accurate about what a standard process might be, but I can't recall if I've ever found like written agreements that govern much of anything. There there was quite a long history of yes, deals were made, but there's not a good record of that. And so we've always kind of managed through that in the past. Do they have a copy of that? The registered deeds because I know I know I got mine from there. If it's covenants,

yeah, if there's one that's filed, the covenants should be up up there. And there's no guarantee this particular item will be addressed in the covenants anyways, just based off of when the decade they were created. Get at least we get a date and kind of see. We could get a date. I mean, we definitely get a date and read through them and see if there is anything in there that speaks specifically to this. Um, my possibly be in the petition. So, usually your street lights are included with your electric petition. So, your special assessments are included as a cost in those that are assessed to every property in the development. Um, so it's it's possible.

And my my memory is not great on the Nebler, so I'd want to verify this for for sure, but I think on any of their decorative lights as well, I don't think we have replaced any of those in kind with a decorative style. Now, there have you can see that the the light that is by the sign at Country Hills, that is a city standard light and I can't remember what the arrangement was uh when that went in, but that one is a a city standard. So, if we're having issues with that one, I was certainly Are you guys seeing any issues with the one that's out at the entrance on Ohio Street? I can't hear you. This one,

are you having any issues with this one? Are you ha are you having any issues with the the light that's on Ohio Street? The the city standard street light. Yeah, it doesn't light. That one's not okay. So, let let us do some followup on that and uh see if we can fill in those gaps. Again, I probably probably responded to that inquiry three or four different times in the past. I bet I've got it sitting in a file somewhere. I just got to find it. I don't remember the answers off the top of my head tonight. Do we pay for the lighting for their sign also? Do you know

that? Not not typically. No. When you have those islands that are out there, the uh the HOA, so like I'm in Willowbrook as an example, like the HOA maintains that area and that's their landscaping and their lighting as well. Um, this I know there was some kind of particular history for that street light and that going in, but that is a city standard street light. The decorative ones are are not. Those were done by a developer when they were put in kind of like the nebler example. And we do provide electricity, but we haven't maintained the fixture itself because our maintenance of the fixtures is to the city standard. So, um, let let me go back and find that history again and I'll bring it back up for everybody to look at and see if you can come to a resolution what you'd like to do.

We're going to look into it. Dawn. Okay. If this discussion between staff and council didn't take out of my five minutes, Kim would like to say something. State your name and address for the record, please. And hi there,

Kim Enler, 5 Arnold Drive. My problem is in 2017, we did an addition and we asked for the lights to be shut off so that we could we were afraid we were going to hit a line over there. So, the city came and disconnected it. And then June, we reached out and said, "Hey, we're we're done with the rebuild. Can you guys come hook us back up again?" And at that point, uh, they came out and checked the pole. We're not so sure that they checked the box that's in the backyard for continuity, but they said there was no power and that they would need to run another line. So, we waited about nine more months. They said, "Well, we need a 10-ft easement on the east side." and we said no because we had already given a six-foot easement on both sides. So that would have literally brought us to our our house. Multiple trips my husband made to the city asking who's responsible for this, who's not, what can we do, and so forth. Long story short, nine years later, we have a pole in our yard that has not been lit. And at this point, it is wobbly. There are pieces that have come off the very top that is laying down on the bottom. So my concern is I don't want to wait any longer because it's been nine years. So if if we have the right, can we just remove it ourselves and be done with it if it doesn't have electricity? Is

is it a power pole or is a light pole or It's a light pole. Light. It's a light pole. One of the decorative ones. We'll have to run that through channels, I would assume, once we established ownership of the lights. Um, they belong to the HOA. HOA HOA.

Yeah. So, the city wouldn't be responsible for removing the light, but the light worked prior to and my husband can plug in an extension cord out to that and it works when there's light bulbs. Um, I think they they busted out or whatever now. So, it's a working light. It just needs to have the electricity that's been ran to it. But at this point with it being so long and it doesn't seem to be real stable, it's it's probably going to have to be replaced. Are you wanting us to go back out and check the electricity at the box?

That probably fixture is not the city's the city would not be responsible for running that electric from the box the city box to the personally owned light fixture. Okay. But we could check the source at the box on the city side. You said the city is not responsible for running the electricity to the pole. If it's not a city pole, it's not city infrastructure. It's not a city pole. We would that's basically a private service line at that point. So, we run the electricity to the box on the public side. And if that light is on the private side, that would be a service line. Do you happen to do you happen to have a copy of your covenants anywhere that's easily accessible?

I don't know. We've lived there since 1997, so I don't know. Okay. Well, we we'll before we speculate anymore, we'll track that down and see if we can find something specific. I'll pull our electric folks in and try to question. We've been told that that electricity is provided by the city. That's what I was going to say because you're not paying for that additional meter, are you? And I don't think the HOA is not paying for any electric other than at the pool, the playground, and then there's a pump at the pond. So, I don't know if they're paying for any electricity.

Yeah. And and I think that's cons again, I think that's consistent with the general process for the decorative lighting where it's still a street light and so there's a public service element of it where the city is covering that electricity. The issue has always been the fixture and if you don't do the city standard verse if you do the city standard. So again, let let us let us check the covenant. See if we can find any language that clearly governs. And if it doesn't, we'll just have to make a decision and and see how you're going to tackle that. Okay. So, let me let me track that down. Keep us on our toes, Kim. Okay. Well, we've been trying for nine years and we're about at our That's first I've heard of it, so I'm sorry.

Okay. Yeah, Ed's been and this is why Ed did not come tonight because I knew he would be really frustrated. So, I said, "No, you just stay home. Let me handle it." But he has made many, many trips to the office trying to figure out over the years, over the last nine years. I remember when they tied in your your addition, I don't remember seeing a wire in that transformer box. So, something's crazy out there. Yeah. Yeah. We've got the big green box in our backyard, right? That's the box that they added. Transformer. Mhm. Yep. So, thank you very much for your time. Appreciate it.

Thanks, Kim. Any other visitors here tonight with items to bring up? Think so. Okay. Our first item of business, resolution 2026-01 to schedule public hearings regarding condemnation or repair or demolition of structures located at 3404 North Quail Drive. staff.

Yes, Mayor and Council. Um, our building inspector was not able to make it this evening, so I will give the presentation for the next two items. Um, they are related. They will need to be voted on individually, but I'll give kind of one staff report um since they do go together. There was a house fire that started at 3404 North Quail Drive um and spread to 3402 North Quail Drive, which is the next agenda item before you um in November of 2025. Tonight, we are asking the council to set a public hearing date to consider the con condemnation of two structures that were dam those two structures that were damaged by the fire. One of the structures will most likely need to be demolished and the second um is they are planning to rehabilitate the structure. The public hearing is required to provide due process under local ordinance and state statute before any condemnation order is issued. Under city of Augusta code chapter 8 article 4 insurance proceeds and lean the city is authorized to participate in procedures involving insurance proceeds when structures are damaged and the total loss exceeds 75% of policy face value. The code establishes the city's lean right on insurance proceeds in certain high loss cases and triggers a review process for removal, repair, or condemnation of damaged structures. Both properties have been inspected following the fire and found to have structural damage. The insurance company has settled their claims and under that article 4 of chapter 8, the proceeds have been handled in accordance with the city's lean process. This enables the city to ensure funds are available to address hazardous conditions and associated demolition costs if the owner does not take care of this action on their own.

During a typical condemnation process, the city would most likely incur those costs for demolition and then abate that cost back to the property owner. And in a lot of those cases, the city is actually never made whole from that expense. So being able to hold on to some of those insurance proceeds as a lean upfront in the process helps us preserve those property tax dollars and hold that property owner responsible for those expenses. Um the goal of this is not to be punitive. It's to protect the public health, safety, and welfare while providing owners the opportunity to either rehabilitate or remove those structures. Um again, before city council can issue a condemnation order or direct abatement for the demolition, the local code requires a public hearing. So that is the action again that's before you this evening. Um the hearing will offer notice to the owner, the lean owner leanh holder and occupants an opportunity for those affected property owners um to come in and be heard by the city council prior to a condemnation determination being made. Um, establishing the hearing date tonight ensures compliance with all of our statuto timelines and proper notice requirements ahead of your formal consideration. Um, so I will stand for any questions. Again, this is just to schedule a public hearing. It will be held on, I believe it's March, sorry, March 16th at 700 p.m. here at city hall. And at that time, the building inspector will be here to give his findings um from his reports as well. And those property owners again will have an opportunity to come and address the council as well.

Have those properties been made secure so that people can't go in there and wander around? Yes, there are pictures provided in the packet and the windows are are boarded up and the inspector has already been out and inspected those properties. this maybe putting the cart before the horse. Cammy, is there so on on rebuilding this? Is there a timeline on that as well?

Um, so we're trying to work with the property owner and their contractor right now to get a timeline established whenever there's a building permit um issued. They do have 180 days to like get their first inspection. So that's just our natural process is that they would have to be making progress. Um but Travis um the building inspector is working to get more of kind of a firm timeline. That way we're not coming back to council kind of every 30 days during that process. Thank you.

Yep. I'll make a motion to approve proposed resolution number 2026-01 fixing the time and place for a public hearing to take place on Monday, March 16th at Augusta City Hall at 7:00 p.m. concerning the condemnation and repair or deliminate or demolish demolition of single family residential structure at 3404 North Quad Drive. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any questions? All those in favor say I. I.

Any opposed. Motion carries. Item number two, resolution 202602, scheduling public hearings regarding condemnation and repair or demolition of structures located at 3402 North Quell Drive. Staff and this is the structure that um they we anticipate the rehabilitation to happen. So this is the house the fire spread to. So again, I'd stand for any questions or recommend approval of the public hearing date.

Entertain a motion. Council, I was waiting for you up there. I'll again I'll make a motion to approve resolution number 282602 fixing the time and place for a public hearing to take place on Monday, March 16, 2026 of Augusta City Hall at 7:00 p.m. Concerning the condemnation, repair demolition of single family residential structure located at 3402 North Drive in Augusta. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any questions? All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Item number three, replacement of audio 911 and telephone recorder staff.

Yes, mayor and council is Chief Acriman's coming up to the podium. Just a little bit of background. Um, you authorized us uh by amending the 2025 budget to complete acquisition of this uh of this specific equipment. um just timing wise it did not wrap up going through the solicitation process did not wrap up before the end of the year in 2025. So ultimately if you choose to move forward with uh awarding one of these bids uh we we may and will likely have to do an amendment in 2026 but technically you all you already authorized that in 25 it just sequencing wise we did not complete it before uh we got into January this year. Um, Chief, when you present the staff report, if you could explain uh what this equipment is used for, what what kind of prompted our need, and then uh walk through the process because I know we do have three different quotes, and at least on the quotes, we're not recommending the low one, but that's because we it is not technically equivalent with the other bids. So, if you can explain that in detail for the council, I'd appreciate it. This uh recorder system that we currently have is by one of the biders, Equator U. So we allowed them to rebid. We found out when we changed over our entire phone system for the whole city, our phones were recorded per line. Now with the new type phone system, we have to have each phone recorded independently with along with 911 phones and the radio channels as well. Um so we have to replace a recorder. Uh, keep in mind this is 911 money. This is not coming out of general fund. And uh, this what we get from the 911 tax.

And so when you say 911 tax, uh, anybody listening at home or council members, that's one we don't talk about very often, but there is um, actually can you can you explain that? I'm blanking on it, but there there's a specific tax that is on like phone bills or cell phone bills or something that's related to 911. Correct. Yes. If you look on your cell phone bill or if you still have a landline, not many people do, you'll see 911 tax on it. That's where we get a percentage of it back uh to those. Now, we don't get 100%. We only get 75 because they give 25% to Butler County because they do dispatch outside our our city limits. So, so it's not a tax of ours necessarily. It's it's a tax.

It's a tax of the state. Yeah. And they give the money back to us is what they're doing. and help us maintain the PAP, uh the radio systems, anything in that room that deals with 911 or radios, they will allow us to use the money on. Even the security cameras inside now are covered by it. So, Chief, is there enough money in there to cover that or do we all of it? Okay, completely. Okay. Yeah, I believe uh I I'll let him get through the presentation, but down at the bottom, I believe that the funding balance we were looking at, ending funding balance in the fund was like 130,000 in cash that we have at at the moment. And so that should be enough to cover.

Yeah, we're only looking to spend uh I'll go through these. The the three uh bids that we sent out, one again, like I said, was Equiter and they're the current recorder that we have. And then we also sent to voice products. Equiture is out of uh Michigan and voice products is out of witchah. Now the third one, Nelson Systems is out of Illinois. And I can't tell you how many times we went round and round on what we were looking for. And he finally just said, "I'm just going to send you something and see if it works." And that is literally how we got that third bid. That's why it took so long. I says, "Okay, I'm done. I'm done arguing with that." Now, the uh we're asking to go with Voice Products out of Witchah because they also threw in 247 uh reliability for us. They'll come fix our stuff 24 hours, 7 days a week for us at no cost. You guys have heard of GSA, General Services Contracts from the government. They do GSA pricing there, but they are giving a local discount to us because we're right here. And it's actually cheaper than the GSA pricing. That's how they got down to the $48,10. So, it's my request that we um go with voice products out of Witchah. And it's about 6 weeks to get the equipment all here and installed. But they said if we have a breakdown of any currently that we have, they'll come over and work on it or replace it with a temporary system until our new system gets in at no cost. And did you say that Nelson's equipment and their maintenance agreements both are not equivalent with the other two?

Equator is the the only difference between Equiture they're a good system uh between them and Voice Products is the price. That's the only difference. But but Nelson was Nelson inadequate inadequate of the equipment we were actually looking for. Didn't put in the service contracts that we're looking for as well. So, it's very important with a 911 PAP that we have 24-hour day to be able to have it fixed if it goes down on us. And the other two have no problem with it. Voice Products out of Witchaw, I've known them for since I was a young deputy. They had the same one up north uh when we were there as well. Great service. So, I I don't I don't question going with them at all.

And so, for for counsel and anyone at home, he referenced GSA. One one of the things that that we it's a tool that we have for procurement. You do have both federal and state contracts where certain types of equipment uh could be vehicles, could be buildings have been bid on a state or a national level and that takes away the burden from a local municipality of having to do its own bid process and then you're able to piggyback off those contracts if you choose to. the vendor that's being recommended has one of those contracts. So, you could just go with them directly and and have satisfied a bid process in doing that. But in our communications with them, um they have given us a local discount and it's actually cheaper than what that that piggyback pricing would be if we went with one of their their state or federal contracts. So, um but we could have selected them through that other process. this was actually cheaper than what that other process would have been as well. So, just a little bit more info on that reference to GSA and what that meant

cuz I've known them personally for many years. That helps a lot when you know the people you're dealing with. How many um are we able to ask questions now? Yeah. Um I seen it says that the system's 20 years old, the one we have, how many 911 lines does Augusta have? Are there design you say four? Did I miss that? Yeah, there's designated lines for 911. Was if one's busy, it rolls over to the other three automatically. I almost said four. I'd have to look in here. I'm just asking because I hadn't found it. And

they may not break it down per line, but they do have uh this the system that holds uh many lines because you have digital lines and you have analog lines, right? And we have both still. So, we have to find a switch that'll run both. So, it just isn't the regular digital 911 from AT&T. We still have our analog lines as well. I was just trying to see if it would be 12,000 a piece or, you know, just trying to calculate how far it's going into the system, you know. Oh, per line. I couldn't tell you how much it is per line, per port, because it's one big machine that has multiple rows of ports because you have a port for every

every desk that has a phone on it. You have a port for every one of those phones. You have a port for every radio channel that's in our radios as well. And regular lines, 9 m lines. It's it's a good it's a huge system uh that takes care of it. Yeah. Any other questions? And it's Oh, sorry. It's a fiveyear service agreement as well that we're paying for. So I toured it one time and it's phenomenal control center up there. I mean,

it is eventually where we'd like to remodel and update it, but we're starting with pieces like this that are very high dollar that that need replaced. Technology changes, you know, we have to change with it, unfortunately. And that's what the 901 tax is for.

Any other questions? I move for the approval of the low equivalent bid from Voice Products in the amount of $48,110 for replacement of the current 911 and radio voice recorder. Second. Second. Got a motion and several seconds. All those in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Animal control boarding contract staff.

Yes. Mayor and council just give give you some quick background for uh many decades going back to the early 2000s. We had a relationship with the local Augusta Animal Clinic here. as part of that relationship, um they they were providing boarding services related to our animal control, but then uh we also had a city-owned incinerator that was up there. And um there there was just as council will recall um when we tried to uh figure out an ongoing partnership regarding the incinerator services. uh we could not come to agreement and uh and I think that the nature of our service changed over time as well with the volume of animals that we were dealing with, but the the pricing we were not able to negotiate it down to a level that everybody was comfortable with, especially with us providing the incinerator. And so we did get out of uh that relationship with the local Augusta Animal Clinic. And since that time, honestly, since Chief was hired, I've been looking for um opportunities to replace that service. It's been hard to find. There's a lot of folks they've met with, but um they they were able to find someone recently. And so the what you're seeing tonight as the agenda item is the result of those conversations. And so, Chief, can you uh fill us in on the background? How did we arrive at at this? And what are some of the basic terms we have in this agreement?

I gota be honest with you. I have both contracts sitting here in front of me. This one excites me the most tonight because of what we've been dealing with with animal control for how many years? Way before even me. And um it came out that we have a new dog training facility out here on 54 highway. Well, they moved out of a out of uh Andover. And after meeting with them, this contract is isn't for out here on the highway. is for the address in Andover. We will actually get the entire one building with all brand new um kennels and stuff for our animals for our dogs and we'll have the only uh facility in there and it'll be ran by them, fed and you know cleaned up everything. We just turned the dogs over. Natalie back there will uh take care of that, work with them one-on-one and uh we don't pick up cats anymore. Uh since you guys approved the TNR program, we put thousands of dollars a year into it. I see no reason to pick cats up anymore. You know, if we decide to thin one of the colonies, we still you still have the right to do that as we do. And uh but I see no reason to pick them up.

And in your research, Chief, you'd indicated a lot of other cities had moved away from that as well. Yes. And over did as well. They moved away from handling cats as well. They take all their animals to Witchah, but uh we were we were unable to negotiate a a thing with them. They were not taking any new contracts. And so then we were able to when this new company came in, we went and met with them and uh they were more than after acceptable to a contract and considerably less than we were paying before. And we don't have to worry about the incinerator. We're paying for all the gas for the incinerator. It's not even a part of it anymore.

So all of our animals are buried uh per state law at the landfill. I think costs what $13 is is what we pay to bury a whole load of animals. So, it's pretty minimal compared to what we were paying before. So, that chief, thank you for all the time you spent on this. I know it's been Oh, another one. Josh and I both your whole career and now Yeah, there's a few of us in on this one. Thank Natalie, too. Yeah. She takes care of it every day.

Yep. So, what I'm asking for is the uh um the contract. It's $24,000 a year contract and um we went back and forth with some emails over the last week weekend and uh everybody seems to be happy with the contract that we has presented to both parties. If I can give you a little bit more context, council, we um in the previous negotiations with the local clinic, you always had the incinerator component that that was kind of a sticking point for us and and we had the cost to replace that, which at one time was like 20 or 30 grand for us. It was getting to that point again. There was the ongoing propane cost and everything associated with it. And we had tried to uh one of the sticking points was trying to get a long-term contract with them with some sort of cost sharing regarding the incineration. Uh with that element kind of out of the way since we have found a different way to dispose of uh of the animals now. Um or some sometimes it's just carcasses. you got dead animals on the street and you have to pick up um we you have to dispose of those uh in one of two legal means I think the incinerator or the bearing. Um anyway, so that was one of the sticking points in historical negotiations was we wanted a longerterm contract with a cost sharing arrangement on that. In this case, um, we didn't feel like it was necessary to have to get that long-term because it it was more so can can we, uh, focus on the cost aspect and then have flexibility for both parties. And so, you will see it is a a one it's a one-year agreement with one-year renewal options, but basically, it has a 60-day termination for convenience clause. So, if for any reason it doesn't work out

for either one of us, we can get out of it uh with that 60-day notice without any ongoing obligation. So, historically, we tried to get longer given the fact that we're not going back and forth on the incinerator. Um, we thought giving both parties maximum flexibility was the best way to do it. Um, as chief indicated, we we were probably in the 36,000 plus range. Uh but that did not include the other line items related to the incinerator replacement and the uh the ongoing natural gas cost. So uh we were budgeting closer to $40,000 plus for that animal control contract. As you can see the pricing 24,000 per year. Uh as we go forward in budget process, we could potentially see some mill levied savings if we want to adjust that line item back down. We just didn't do it yet cuz we didn't know what we were going to find when we went out on the market. But if we're able to sustain this relationship, we may be able to eventually adjust that line item back down to our current contract levels.

Can you can you give just a little bit also just where we're at currently with uh animal tags and licensing and stuff to the city? I mean, do are we do we still just do that through you guys? This is okay. We had it before in the original contract that they sold tags for us as well and even collected fees and then write us a check for it every month and in turn we turn wrote them a check for the boarding. Just didn't make a lot of sense to me. So, we actually changed it with this. They're not going to sell tags for us. Tags are going to be sold Monday through Friday at city hall.

They actually the animal clinic is still selling them for us. Um we had conversations after that. They're like there's no reason people are up here getting the rabies shot anyway. So that one of the employees is handling that there on their end and agreed to do that and so she is bringing us checks monthly. They never had a a huge amount of them and I but they sell more there than we do at the utility office. So we are still continuing to get it but there's no agreement to it. They're just doing it for us and didn't know that. Okay. So public safety has been cut out of it. So that I think that's made the relationship a little easier. It would be my feeling they'd be 100% cut off. But for the new relationship, we're not you're not having them do those sales. It's

No, the new relationship does not. They're not providing any medical care. No, we have they don't have a in-house veterinarian, but they do have a mobile vet that can come in and take care of things as we need. Like if we have to have something put down or if somebody wants to have one spayed or neutered that they're going to pay for, they want to adopt or something. It's going to be a mobile vet that that they contract with. Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to approval of the new animal boarding contract with Andover Dog Training Center with authorized Mike Rollins to sign. Second.

Got a motion and a second. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Okay. Hadley, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Item five, our annual fireworks show contract staff.

Yes. Uh mayor and council, it may seem kind of early in the year, but this is actually uh pretty standard anymore because the fireworks vendors try to get their calendars locked in so they can get their shooters lined up, uh get their inventory ordered, uh most of which fireworks are coming from overseas. And uh so pretty much January, February, this time of year each year we uh enter into our fireworks contract for the annual city fireworks show. Um as one of the attachments indicated, they are seeing considerable cost pressures on the cost of fireworks now uh primarily related to tariffs. And I believe that they had indicated in the letter that they're seeing a 25% increase to their customers due to the tariff costs on the fireworks shows. So what we have historically budgeted for the show is $10,000 and uh you can run with what you've already budgeted in doing so just know that the show is going to be 25% smaller because that money does not stretch as far. Um, I think one of the considerations this year where where maybe that's not preferential of going with what you budgeted is the fact that it's the 250th uh for the country. So, we at least wanted to give you options. And so, there's three options for your consideration. We had them give us cost contracts for uh for each one. Uh, the first one is the $10,000 show, which matches your budget, but it's a 25% smaller show. $12,500 if you're willing to increase the expenditure authority. Um that will at least keep us level in scale with our prior year's show. So 12,05 gets us last year's show equivalent. Um if you wanted to increase for the sake of the 250th,

you can set whatever number you want. Um but we uh we asked them for a $15,000 contract and that'll get you roughly additional 20 to 25%. um uh fireworks inventory as part of that show. So it'll be slightly larger than years past, but 10,000 is what you budgeted and so we wanted you to to have all options to stick to that budget or to amend as you saw fit. So I'll stand for any questions you might have and we'll see where the conversation goes. as uh Priscilla Templan contacted anybody at the staff level about she's put together a group that's working on parades and stuff like that for that 250th

I I'm not going to say no. Um I don't I don't recall it. I'm going to check I'm checking my email right now. I reached out to some people earlier this year and I can't remember who I talked to about being on her committee. I'm not seeing it in my inbox right now. Um but we can if you'd like we can reach out and and communicate with her, see what her plans were. She has said he's on that committee. I didn't realize that.

So she asked me to be on the committee. Okay. Um, Daryl Thornton and Kaggel. Rex Kaggel. Rex Kaggel. Okay. Would it be possible to increase the fee of the firework tents to help offset some of that increase of cost the fireworks show? Uh,

so we generally have five to six, usually five on average, and they pay a $5,000 fee. Um, so the fees collected actually cover the cost of the show and the rest stays in the general fund. Yeah, the the the short answer is yes, because you have the ability to amend the fees. Um, but to Erica's point, um, I think we bring in about $27,500 on the fees from the fireworks tent on average right now. So, um,

the excess probably goes to cover, you know, safety department calls and those kind of things and the funds are to to clean up and that kind of stuff. I think it would be debatable, arguable whether 275 covers the fire calls and everything that comes out of a of a Fourth of July, but at least in terms of the scale of the fireworks show, it it does do that. But you have the ability to amend your fees. And if you are going to do that, the sooner the better so that those companies can start planning. I already received one application. So,

oh, so we already got an application coming in. Um, historically, the city didn't always provide the funding for the show. Uh, but you would have to go back 10 plus years. Um, you had a a former mayor that was very active in in trying to generate donations from businesses and and um private individuals. That that's hard to sustain uh sometimes. And uh so when when they moved on, the city did take over some of those costs rather than than trying to go the donation route. Uh we have had like donation drives in the past where we tried to supplement our funding, say, "Hey, if you want to donate to make this even bigger, um and we've done that kind of as a city activity." Didn't have a tremendous amount of luck with it, but I don't know how good we were at promoting it either. Um so there there's several options out there. So technically, yes. All of those are potentially on the table.

The fire department used to stand down there on the street corners, too. Down there. And we had a fill the boot. Yeah. Fill the boots. Uhhuh.

Any other comments, thoughts?

I think if we budget at 10,000, we ought to keep with our budget. I'd kind of like to see us increases just for the 250th this year. I'm kind of with Kip on this one. It is the two 250 if we've got close to 27,000 in there. It's not like we're we're just pulling more out of that 27 technically. Josh, so with the fees of the six vendors, if you left it just like it is, even if we went to 125 or 15,000, we're just pulling more money out of that bank of money that we think we're going to have.

It's a simplified way of explaining it. The the more complicated answer is all of your general fund revenues go into the general fund. Your general fund expenditures come out of general fund. So it's not like a a particular revenue source is tied to a particular expenditure. It's general fund money, general fund money in out. Um so the yes, you could say you're pulling in enough from the fireworks tents to cover it. Ultimately, you're just uh what you would be doing is spending an additional either 2500 or $5,000 out of the general fund for that. Thank you. than what you budget.

I'm going to make a motion we spend $15,000 to show the increase the fireworks for for this year or just this year for 2026 in recognition of special occasion of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Second.

Okay, I've got a motion and a second. Any other questions? All those in favor, raise your hand. All those opposed, same sign. Okay. Motion carries. Mayor and council, if you'd like us to there. So that that's just committing to the contract. There's nothing that precludes us from trying to raise revenue other ways if you'd like to try to do that. There there's nothing that stops us from doing it. We're just committing to the size of the show right now. And we can try other avenues if you'd like. It's absolutely not going to hurt. And they'd like I mean I'd even like like to see it maybe put it on the on our Facebook page or in our and our website and stuff to see if you know anybody

that's kind that's kind of what we did a few years ago and and so we we can put it out there and promote it. Um the the other thing we had done in the past is you're just setting the baseline so you're locking in the show date and the and the fire. But I I I think that the um the company can amend it upwards. Like if you do raise other money and you want to make it even bigger because you got private donations or something, they can amend their contract up from there. So, we're just kind of setting a baseline. Book it down to your business.

Okay. Item number six, request for proposals for a construction manager at risk for Augusta Public Works campus staff.

Yes, uh, mayor and council, we do have our city engineer, Brad Shores, here from JO to to help with the presentation of this item. As a matter of background, I it's I don't want to say that it's necessarily normal for us to come at this stage because I don't think it is. Typically um we would do our solicitation then council um is involved with the awarding of the bids in this case and kind of evaluating the project and the scope and the different moving parts associated with it and honestly kind of seeing what some other cities are doing with managing their projects. we're coming to you to essentially sign on to the process that we want to use because it's it's slightly different than what we've done in the past. And um so the the process that we're interested in using is called construction manager at risk. There's a lot of different models out there. A lot of times you can work with an architect engineer, get something designed, and then you bid it and then the contractors come in at that point. In this case, we're trying to involve the builder, the contractor very early on in the process to help us with kind of value engineering components along the way. And it's because we're looking at this project and some of the complexity and the primary concern being we want to lock in our maximum participation. like we have a budget, we have bonds issued, we need to make sure to come in below that budget or on that budget at all cost. And so our understanding is that this is one of the processes you can use to try to lock in uh that cost very early on. Um in the traditional sort of models, uh you can do the design, you can do the bid as a project's going, oh, we missed something, we've got to do change order.

But um that this is a way of trying to lock in our price upfront. Now my understanding is it may not guarantee the absolute lowest price that you could have gotten hypothetically. But what it's doing is it's trying to guarantee a budget for the project that we're going to stick to. And we thought that that was ultimately the most important thing to us. So Brad, um I know I went I probably stole some of your thunder in that, but you've been advising us a little bit along the way and how some of these processes work. Can can you share some of your thoughts on what construction manager at risk is and why it matters or why it might be a good fit for this project?

Yeah, sure. I anticipated Josh is pretty sharp, so I'm not sure he actually needs me around. He he usually knows what's going on and can explain it very well. So, Seymar is becoming much more prevalent as a procurement method or delivery method in the vertical world in the building of buildings. Now, um it actually in some estimates it is the number one vehicle. Uh Josh said it very well. So the advantages or the reasons why we have suggested to the city that this is the the delivery method to use for this project. Uh number one we can lock in our costs earlier that uh it's called the GMP the gross max price. Um want you to be aware that also it strangely it provides us some advantages in selecting uh subcontractors. So when you pick a a prime when you bid a job conventionally, they will go and bid to the subconultants they want and they will pick who they want. They don't necessarily have to use the the low bid subconsultant. They get to make all of their own choices. Typically, they're going to they pick the low because they want to win the job. But uh in a semar process, it's called open book. We get to see we get to be with the contractor. it's transparent as we're seeing all the sub consultants uh subcontractors apologies subcontractors that he is considering. So that's a that's an advantage. It's a small advantage. Uh the biggest the biggest one in my mind is twofold. Uh we get to collaborate with them. Uh we have some we have city staff that we need to make there's a sure there's a roof on their struct uh sorry a roof over their heads uh while construction is happening and how we sequence buildings on the site how we

get that going forward. It will be fantastic to have a contractor in the room to help us uh think about how we're going to do that when we start turning dirt. Whereas in a conventional method, the engineers are trying to figure that out and think like a contractor. And that's not what we're great at. We're we're good about thinking about final design. We want the contractor in there to help us with that. Uh the the number one reason in my mind, and it's actually not in your uh in that Semar contract, is we get a quality based selection of contractor. uh when we bid this, if we were to bid this conventionally, we have to take the low lowest qualified bid here. We can um we can say, "Hey, we know who the reputable contractors are. Let's shortlist those. Let's have an interview process." We have a really good idea about how much this should cost. We do lose some cost control, which Josh alluded to, but we gain a lot of ability in the confidence of the contractor we're going to work with. Whereas, if we bid this conventionally, very good chance working with someone we don't know anything about. And so, that's that's the number one advantage in my mind. Um, I think I'll stop there and see if you have any questions.

Have you got a short list in mind already?

We do. Yes. And we actually hired a um so so for our design side, JU does not do mechanical in-house like on the HVAC side. So we've hired uh what we call MEP, mechanical, electrical, plumbing. Uh it's a local sub. They have lots of good uh good reads on local contractors and we're relying on them heavily for that. So the the easiest way I can explain it, I thought the graphics were the most help for me understanding it because it's not a model that that I've used before. U but but just thinking about us as owner, architect, our engineer, and the contractor being a single team from conception through completion. If that makes sense. rather than our engineers just being someone we contract with to design it. Um then they've they've got their component they're doing it's bid out and then what what I have seen historically in those sort of arrangements you can end up with a lot of fingerpointing that that happens. Uh we saw that with our um we had a design bid build process with the uh the Garvin Park concessions facility project turned out fine. We had to wrestle daily uh to get to that end result and there was a lot of disagreement because we we had the architects that designed it and then the company that built it. In this case, I'm looking at it, if I'm understanding it correctly, they are part of a team from the start. And so you're you're kind of working those things out as you go, getting their feedback as you go and and hopefully mitigating that back and forth and the change order process if if maybe they've got a better idea than than what the design shows and then we have the

delays that can come from that sometimes. So that that was the best way that I understood it. It sounds attractive to me. I mean we've tried it multiple ways. Um we have done historically we've done uh those those federal contracts before. So the solid waste building um we used a federal contract that was bid and procured that way. So we were able to just select that vendor and then they managed it all the way through. Um we were building something pretty pretty standard at that time. This has more moving parts because we're demolishing a lot of stuff. We're having to do a ton of site work, a ton of utility work. we're having to coordinate the movements between the departments. So anyway, that that was the context. I had to learn a little bit about the process. Um but I do see more and more cities using it. And uh so I I have I have confidence in these guys that they're they're giving us what they think is the best recommendation for the scope of what this project is. So I'm willing to give it a try. The

school board has used it now twice on their school buildings. Gotcha. But it is it is new for us. So I wanted you guys to have a chance to ask questions about process before we launched into it at all. The construction manager will be there through the whole process on this walk from point A to B or

Yeah, that's right. So typically we on a conventional basis we'd completely finish design then you go get your contractor. Here we're still relatively early in on the design phase. We'll put this out. We'll interview contractors with the city. We'll select a contractor and now they are part of the team for the rest of the design and then through all the construction. And you're going to be dealing with one general contractor. Um there are some awkwardness. I think both projects that we just did with the water building and salt storage were delivered successfully, but we had two contractors out there. Sometimes, you know, you got to get them to communicate. We're going to have one GC. They're going to manage all their subs for the entire project.

It's a it's a common thing nowadays. I've worked on both sides of it. It it works quite well most of the time. So, we just don't build a lot of buildings at the city. So, it's it's newer for me, but it's just because we don't build very many buildings. Now, so the general contractor, is that going to be part of the bond portion or is this going to be a another salary on top of the bond? It's not a one guy.

So, so you you you've already bonded for the project. So, any project costs that are related uh will be will fall under the bonding that you've already done. And we have the money available now. We have received the proceeds. I'll make a motion to consider for the approval and authorize the advertisement of a request for proposals RFP for construction manager risk CMR AR services for the Augusta Public Works campus project located at the intersection of East 5th Avenue and North Grove.

Second. Got a motion and a second. Any other questions? All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? I. Motion carries. Okay. Let's appoint somebody to our park advisory board to fill uh the vacancy at Burke Cliffs. So staff. Yeah. I will tell you, mayor and council, we um

we don't really do programming from a recreational perspective so much with the city. Uh a lot of times where the park advisory board has uh been active in the past is if we're building a new park or a new playground or something like that. So, they were very active in the design process for uh uh Castle Park Point or sorry, Castle Park. Um, we had uh they were involved in um I think another I think the downtown playground. Uh they were involved in another playground we built over at Garvin years ago. Uh but it's not like ongoing meetings. So we haven't met uh I don't think we've met in the last year year and a half since those designs for Castle Park were put together. So I don't know if we have any prospects upcoming for meetings if that factors into your consideration. Um, we're not going to have a ton of calendar dates for this committee, but we do have a vacancy as a result of Eric's absence.

We did quite a bit for the rec commission. Yeah. Uh, reccomission discussions as well. That's true. that that honestly that that may be the most likely thing going forward that as the rec commission continues to build out their programming activities uh they may have more asks of the city or more things they want to partner on and I could see that being a likely thing that would generate parkboard activity. I'm not aware of anything right now but that's I don't expect we're building another playground anytime in our near future. So, I think that's probably the most likely thing that would happen that would trigger park board meeting. I'd recommend Allison, our newest council woman, to replace Eric.

A second. Second. Do you accept that, Alison? Yes. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Okay, that moves us down to matters from and for council. And so our first item is just to talk about the uh car chargers down here on State Street that have quit working. So staff

Yes. So, mayor council, sorry we don't have anyone from electric here, but uh want to let you know they approached me the other day and uh th this recommendation is being driven by the maintenance and upkeep issues that are associated with the equipment that we got from that that uh that KP deal. So, you have uh slow charging electric chargers that are in the downtown. It was done as part of that pilot project. a number of cities that were in KPPP uh did it. Um the issue that we're having is there just something about that equipment that is seems to always be malfunctioning at this point and our staff has had to go out there uh just multiple times. We're consistently getting calls and it is a relatively small user base that is just consistently calling because they keep going down. And so you're having to to contract with your local electricians to try to get those things functioning. And what staff is telling me is between whatever you have to pay the electricians to fix it and the constant back and forth with them checking on it to make sure that they're working, you probably have more costs associated with keeping them running than what the uh actual electric usage has been. And it at that point it doesn't really seem to make sense to us giving the maintenance issues with I don't know if it's just that brand. Um but it's it seems like they are down more than they're up and uh anyway. So based on that, our staff reached out to me and said, "Hey, can we talk to council about removing those for that reason because of the maintenance issues that are associated with them?" So, I wanted to get that in front of you because I know we've had multiple conversations on these in the past. People come down on different sides, but uh the new dynamic is there are more costs now than just the electricity

because the maintenance is getting out of hand from our perspective. So, if we go ahead and pull these, Josh, can we get uh get Augusta off the map for chargers so people don't think that they're We'll need to I think I'll have to short answer is we need to. The long answer is I I will try. Okay. Um because I think when KP got us those, I think that their operations person is the one that got us on that list and that person is no longer there. And so I don't know if we've got an account or how the heck we got on it. Um so I'll see if I can figure out how to get us off, but I think KP is the one that got us on it to start with. So I'll have to figure that out.

Okay. Thanks. I make a motion we remove the electric chargers downtown. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any other discussion? So, they're not You're just going to take them out. No replacement. Have Have you guys uh talked to KP? That's who gave them to us, right? KPB talked to him about about the issue that we're having and do they have any fixes or I mean we've talked I think they've worked with the company that where where they came because KPPP just got them from a company

and again it was done kind of as a demonstration project because EVs were picking up in the market and and uh that's where the interest came from. Um, I don't know if they've had any conversations recently with KP about the particular units, but all I can say is when they came in and talked to me about it, they were fed up. And uh, we we can do that outreach to KPP and see if maybe we're just missing something. U, but it's our local electricians that are working on it. Just we've had them out routinely to try to keep those things functional.

Well, I was just wondering if this is a routine thing with them or is it I I don't know.

Uh it wasn't initially um that I can't even think how long we've had them out there. It's been maybe two year, three years. Um so it took a little while. We weren't having those issues initially, but we really are starting to see it now. And if you go by, they've been bagged up more than they've been operational because of whatever. I don't know if it's just a piece that's malfunctioning, if it's fuses or what it is, but something keeps happening. and our our staff is fed up trying to keep up with it because they've got that they gave me that speech of there is there are more important things for us to be working on right now and uh and uh if we're constantly tied up in that they're they're they're not very interested in maintaining them anymore because of how often they have to go out and try to fix them. So, I don't know if there is a good fix or not, and we just we aren't asking the right people, but

that's where my staff's at now. Okay, we have a motion and a second on the floor to remove them. If there's no other questions, all those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. So, we we they do have like a base plate. They're mounted in that concrete. So, eventually we'll we'll see. Uh we may just be able to put some filler into any holes, cut the rebar out, and not have to replace a pad. Uh but we'll let you know. We'll get it dressed up once they're removed and done so it looks better. Okay, Mr. Martin, you got anything extra tonight?

Yes. The only thing I uh on the overpass on the two lanes that are going east, the south lane, there's a tremendous big hole that's uh I'm come with that. I go over it every day. And the north side is the west and there's some patch need to be put on that too. But the south side, eastbound lane is really there's a it's getting big and deep. Thank you. That's all I have. Mr. M Matt.

Yeah, just real quick. Josh, thanks for giving us the tours. I know Alice and I, we we learned a lot. We talked a little bit afterwards and it was drinking from a fire hose, which was great. But, you know, staff was great. It was really impressive to talk to everybody because they're not just knowledgeable, they're passionate, which is great. So, you know, just give everybody a big high five. And Cammy, thanks for coming out. Chief, thanks for not locking me in the detention cell. I appreciate that. And Mr. Mayor, thanks for being a plant too with us. Appreciate it. That's all. Just shoot a fire hose. Nothing. I didn't get nothing, sir. K. First of all, I just want to say welcome to our two new members. Thank you.

Glad to have you a part of and thanks for your willingness to be a part of the council and stuff. So, appreciate that. Um Josh, is there anything that can be done about our heat in here? Um I know it's an old building, old heater. Is there anything to do to we can do to get heater in the

Um I I'll just have to to check. So all all of these systems run off the boiler and um I know it's cold up here today. There's a sign that was put on the thermostat that controls these downstairs that says don't touch them. I don't know the reason. Um may maybe it's something benign, but if it's don't touch them because this will blow up, that that's good to know the difference. Um, so that that's why I didn't bother turning on the heat today because I don't know why that sign is there. So, let let me find out. Um, but that that boiler I I don't know if it's original to the building or not. I assume it's original to the building and and could be 80 90 plus years old.

No, it was replaced in the It was replaced 60s. Okay. All right. It's brand new. Yeah. brand brand brand new 60-y old boiler. Um, but I I'll just have to check with Travis if there's something actually wrong with it or or if maybe we can take that down and turn the thermostat back on. But it's next next meeting might be quite cold. Yeah, if we don't. Yeah, that's all I've got. Thank you, Ch. I don't have anything, Mr. Mayor. Alison,

um, I would just like to second Matt and thank the warm welcome from you guys. The tours were amazing. My kids were horrified when they flushed toilet and I said I toured where that goes and they're like so so that was really fun and um anyways it's just a privilege and I'm excited to get started. So that's it. Mr. Brown make a motion to journ the meeting. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion stands. and Allison.