City Council - Special Meeting

All right, you ready to rock and roll? All right, guys. We're going to go ahead and get started. I want to welcome you all to the the special meeting of governing body of Spring Hill, Kansas on Tuesday, December 30th, 2025. Uh we don't have a pastor available this evening, but if you guys want to stand with me, I'll go ahead and do the invocation. Father God, thank you once again for bringing us all here together to try to make the best decisions for our community and for the citizens here of Spring Hill. God, I thank you as we're entering into a new year, God, asking you to bless the upcoming year, God, and help us to continue to make the best decisions for our community. Amen.

Please remain standing for the pledgece 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. We do have a couple council people joining us remotely. Um, so with that, Deputy Madam Clerk, if you could please take the role. Mr. Young here. Mr. Peele here. Mr. Thrawn. Miss Feedback here. Mr. Grant here. Mayor, we have a quorum.

Thank you very much. Next, we'll move on to the consent agenda. These are items that the staff considers to be routine maintenance, but if there are any questions or comments, now would be the time. If not, I entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. So moved. Second. Second. I've got a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion? Not. All those in favor? I

opposed. Motion carries. 400. Next, we'll move on to formal council action. And the first item on the agenda is consider appointment of community development director. Um, the person I am recommending today, I had a chance to sit down with him uh for probably an hour and a half and talk with him to kind of drill him with some questions and just kind of find out a little bit about him, his past work history. And amongst the candidates, he stood out by far amongst the others. Um, so Mr. Mike Malon is the person I'm recommending. He has over 20 plus years in planning and development um throughout his career and then he also has a bachelor's in geog uh geography and urban re regional development and then also a masters in urban and regional planning. Um so he's got a lot of experience. He's been involved in several different cities. One of them is pretty large city in the Kansas City metro area and has very good success uh throughout his career. So we're blessed and happy to have him on our team. Um, so with that, I recommend that we uh appoint Mike Min as the community development director.

Do we require a motion or anything on this? We're just going to vote. The only thing I'll say is I got to be a part of the um interview process and was very impressed with with Mike and I'm looking forward to working with you. Glad to have you on. Any other questions or comments? If not, I entertain a motion. I don't think we motion. We're just going to vote. Just Yeah, that's a recommendation. So, you can either roll call or do a call of voices. Since we have people roll deputy, madam clerk, can you take the role? Mr. Mr. Grant, Miss Feedback, Mr. Peele,

yes. Mr. Young, yes. Motion carries 400. Welcome to the team. Would you like to say anything, Mike? You don't have to if you don't want to, but if you want to step up to the microphones so the people online can hear you. Welcome to the team. We're happy to have you. Thank you. Just want to say uh how excited I am for this opportunity and to thank the mayor, the mayor elect, and all the members of the city council and very much looking forward to working with uh this wonderful staff here uh for the growth and future of uh the city of Spring Hill. Awesome. Well, thank you, sir. Appreciate you coming out.

Thank you. All right. Next item on the agenda is consider ordinance number 2025-26 annexing land of the city of Spring Hill, Kansas, William J. Mills and Susan R. bills for parcel ID number 9F2415-10001 and 9F241505-30002 9F241505-20001 at the southeast corner of 191st Street in Rena Road. Mr. Laauo, you have the floor.

All right. Thank you. Um, so I'll keep this fairly brief. This is an annexation ordinance. The next item before you will also be me. That's the annexation agreement. I'm going to present them as one single item for for two separate votes rather than you hearing me say the same thing twice. So, uh just over 316 acres at 191st in Rener. Uh it's a request request annexation. So, um voluntary there. Uh happy to have it in um nothing to note of this other than some good amount of ground coming into the city. So,

yeah, this is always nice when they're voluntary. You know, a lot of times we try to chase chase some of these people. So, it's nice when they just come in and volunteer. So, yeah, we're happy to have them. And there any other questions or comments? No. If not, I entertain a motion. Get back. Uh, move to adopt annexation ordinance 2025-26 annexing the subject property into the city of Spring Hill, Kansas. Second. I've got a motion, a second. Is there any further discussion? If not, deputy, madam clerk, could you please take the role? Miss Febback. Mr. Peele. Yes. Mr. Young,

yes. Mr. Grant, mayor, ordinance 2025-26 passes 400. All right. Next item on the agenda is consider an annexation agreement between William J. Mills and Susan R. Mills the city of Springhold, Kansas for the parcels previously described at the southeast corner of 191st Street and Ren Road and allow you to still have the floor.

All right. A little disappointed we didn't hear the numbers again, but I understand. [laughter] Um this is the annexation agreement. So you all the ordinance is what brings it in. Annexation agreement is an agreement between the city and the property owner setting forth the terms of that annexation. Uh so that's in your packet. That's all in there. Nothing too noteworthy on this one that hasn't happened on many annexations before, but again here for questions if you have any. So I didn't see any kind of agreement to certain terms outside of just being able to deanex if they need to or whatnot. So as long as that's the case, it sounds good to me. Any other questions or comments?

Not I entertain a motion. I move to approve the annexation agreement between William J. Mills and Susan R. Mills, collectively referred to her as the property owners and city of Spring Hill, and authorize the mayor to execute the agreement. I've got a motion to second. Second. [clears throat] [laughter] I was trying to give you a chance that time.

All those in favor? I oppose. Motion carries 400 Z. Last item on formal council action is consider selection of a firm that will provide the city with expertise uh expertise and experience conducting a comprehensive classification and compensation study to include a benefits analysis. And Mrs. Jones, you have the floor.

Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. So I am here to um provide some additional information that I was indirected to do at the December 11th meeting. Um as you recall I presented the firms that submitted their quotes to be the um one that would um collaborate with us to do this additional study. And the directive was to see if I could go back and negotiate to get all of them to agree to the $28,200 cost. So while I was doing that I then make sure that I confirm the the size team aligning the timeline and any additional services so that we can make sure that we're comparing apples to apples on all of them. I put in a little chart there that shows the findings of the negotiations that I did. So two of the other one of the organ vendors was able to come down to the 282. The other one was able to get a little bit closer to it. But as you can see from the table that I submitted, um, when you look at the amount of team members that are going to be dedicated to us as well as the timeline as well as the services, there's one team that just for one vendor that I may think falls down, but the other two, McGrath and CBZ are the ones to consider. But based off of the additional services, um, the recommendation is still to go with CBiz as the vendor department of the city. If you have any questions, be happy to go over that with you.

Oh, good job. Yep. Yeah. And it looks like looks like they're dedicating more people to it. Yeah. And like Yeah. So, yeah, while while the others were able to come down, they still one, you know, is about equal with it, but doesn't have as many services and the other one only has one person and others as needed versus three to four. So, yeah. Plus, they're higher. So, yeah. I appreciate you doing the extra extra effort. You know, we've seen in some instances like with Jacob and public works department when they went back, they said saved a significant amount of money by going back and chasing our rabbit trail. Um, this time maybe it didn't quite save us money. So, well, $4,000. Yeah. [laughter]

Yeah. Yeah. We'll take it. Any other questions, comments? Oh. Yeah, every little bit counts. You're welcome. Thanks. Any other questions or comments? Not. I entertain a motion. Uh

move to approve selection of CBiz and confirm to provide the expertise and experience to conduct a comprehensive classification and compensation of STE study to include a benefits and total rewards analysis for a cost of $28,200 and give Mayor Joe Berky authorization to execute the contract. Second. [laughter] We're getting time. Got a motion in three seconds. Is there any further discussion? Not all those in favor I opposed. Motion carries 400 Z. Thank you very much.

Next we'll move on to that ends formal council action. This time we'll move on to a discussion item. Uh this is something that I had brought up. Um I've had discussions over the last few years about um kind of beautifying the city a little bit. as you drive into town, we have, you know, flags and stuff on some of the flag poles, but three4s of them are missing and some of them are broken and just it just doesn't look that great as you're driving through town on Webster coming from the north or the south with, you know, three4s of the poles missing the flags that are supposed to be there and stuff. And so I just kind of something I want to do, something small and simple that I think we could do to just make our make our town look a little bit better. And then we change them. You know, for Christmas there's Christmas flags that go up. So, they get changed a few times a year, but for the most time, it's, you know, flags. I just thought it'd be nice to include all those poles through there or as many as possible um to install some flags on there just to do something small that we can do to make it look nicer as you drive into town. Um I know a lot of other small communities and towns do that. It does look really nice as you're driving into town. So, uh Mr. Spear, if you have anything to add on that, I know you've looked into it a little bit. I know there's some of the polls that might we might not be able to do it too, but just what we can do. I feel like it's it's up to us to do small things like that just to make our town look a little nicer as you enter them.

Sure. Thank you, Mayor. Just to give you a little background on this. So, kind of some terminologies. We've got flags out there. They're um brackets to hold a poll. Um right now we have the US flags uh on there. We also have banners and those are kind of those seasonal can be changed out uh or rectangular that are attached top and bottom of the banner that hangs alongside of the poles. So we've got we have flags and the brackets uh to mount those and we have the banners uh as well. So out there right now along Webster and kind of to orient you, we're talking from uh North Street to Victory uh is is kind of the range there along Webster. Currently we have or have had uh 30 flags uh existing. They are generally placed, this isn't exact, but it's basically on every other pole and and they're kind of staggered, the east side and west side, so that they um, you know, rather than directly across from one another, uh, they're offset or or staggered. So, there are currently 30 polls out there that have flags on them. Uh 10 of them have banners and we have ordered as the mayor mentioned those have have fallen into disrepair. So we have ordered and received the the mounting [laughter] new mounting brackets for all 30 of the flags. In fact, we ordered 35 of them just so we then have some spares uh on hand. And uh so those brackets have been ordered and we have those uh in our possession. Uh we've also got the flags. We're waiting on the vendor that has a bucket truck that does the installation and just as soon as his schedule will

allow um all 30 of those will be changed out uh with new flags. Now, in addition to those, there are other polls out there that could be candidates. Um, if you wanted to add flags um andor banners for the for the flags, you sticking with proper flag etiquette because those are out 24 hours a day. They need to be lighted. So, really only the poles that have street lights on them are an option. There are other poles out there uh but they don't have a light on them. So, there are metal poles um with lights that are that have no other obstructions. I I'll call them clean metal poles that would be a candidate. There are 19 additional uh metal poles out there that are candidates. And then there are another seven wooden poles. So, 40 polls total have flags or banners today. And there are another 26 that could be candidates if you if you want to add to that to that count. Um installation for the flags um mounting brackets, the flags and installation running around $215 uh each, you know, give or take five or 10 bucks. So, uh, you know, that on mag on a, you know, scale of magnitude, if if if we wanted to add them to all 26 polls out there, um, that don't have them today, we'd be looking at somewhere around $5,600 or so. Happy to answer any questions you have.

Yeah. And for me it was there's areas where you go where there's just you know either some of them have broken over the years the brackets have broken off so you'll go there'll be a flag and then you'll go you know quite a ways before you see another flag or there'll be one here and not one here and one here and so just just to kind of fill it in and make it make it look more uniform and stuff and then just make it look better is kind of kind of my idea but I'll open up the floor to anybody else that what they what they think on it.

Yeah. No, that that $215 each times the times the 26 poles that that don't have anything on them today, that would be the roughly $5,600. Like I said, the the you've already paid for the existing that are being repaired.

Existing ones are already paid for. So those those 35 brackets to to restore the 30 polls that have had them in the past. And I again we're just waiting on that vendor to be available to put those up. So I think you to the mayor's point it it will look very different here within the next couple of weeks as soon as they come in. Um, you know, there are, like I said, 30 out of 30 polls have the the brackets and and flag or can have the the flags on them today. Uh, and then there would be another 26. So, that is running pretty close to just a little over every other um every other poll has a has the flags or will have with these ones that have already been purchased. And then the question is, do we want to add, you know, add to that count?

No, the lights are the are these street lights. So, it we're taking advantage of the existing, you know, overhead street lights, the poles that have the street lights on. Yeah, we don't have to install any lights. It' be the the street lights that already the flags stay up year round. Flags stay up year round. And the banners are more seasonal. Banners are more seasonal, right? What different seasons? Like how many times do we change those?

So, right now we really just have um I think we have some fall banners that try to go out around fall festival time and we have some Christmas holiday banners. That's what we have right now. Possibilities are almost limitless. Um that's a a standard size and so they make those for you know all seasons, holidays, events, you know that um you know as much as many of them as we want to buy and and and pay to have installed taken down. The more you buy, the more you got to switch them. Exactly.

Yeah. My only concern when I first heard this was to make sure that the lighting was covered because I didn't think paying for lighting would be worth it. that if we have that many that we can do that have current lighting, I'm okay with it. And I think when they're all up there, I think it'll I think people will notice. It'll be a significant change to what because I've had I've probably had no less than 10 to 12 people mention something to me about the sporadic flags throughout town and how it's not very uniform. There's a bunch of them missing or broken or my wife was actually out on a run one morning and one of them was just laying on the ground on the sidewalks. Well, that was my other question is are we going to have some sort of maintenance program for the flags as they start to I'm sure some will deteriorate faster than others and making sure we don't keep them up there if they're

Yeah. So, we've we've now so we found a vendor uh who's you know willing and able to work on those. We we don't have they're they're up just tall enough uh that it really you need a bucket truck to get to those and access them and and we don't have one uh in in our fleet and and honestly given the cost of one for just to change out seasonal banners that's not a cost that we new sewer truck

uh yeah yeah the uh boom on [snorts] that might reach anyway um the so that so yeah I would recommend sticking with the the vendor now that we found a vendor. It but we are still like like right now um you know we've been waiting a couple of weeks for for those that we've had had the parts the materials to install them. We just been waiting on the availability of the company to do the installation. We that will continue. We'll still be kind of at the at their mercy at their mercy.

Okay. No. Yeah. Just as long as we can maintain all the flags that's that's another concern. Well, I think years down the road if we do end up, you know, if there ends up being a need for a bucket truck for other things, then we can maybe utilize our own staff to to do that at that point. Yeah. Yeah. As as we add, you not not today or tomorrow, but as we add, you know, traffic signals uh to to our list of infrastructure that we maintain, then that will necessitate a truck. And then then we can do other things like these seasonal banners and flags, things like that with it as well. Any other comments or questions?

No, I don't think it's a bad idea. I think as long as long as those things are covered, then you know, it's one thing for the initial cost is thinking about later on. How do we maintain the flags? How do we make sure that they're not messed up and the lights stay on? And they're pretty good quality flags that should last for quite a few years. And EverGy owns all these lights or do we Okay. Yeah, they're all they are all owned uh owned by EverGee and and we have a we have a pole attachment agreement. Okay. I was going to say that's another thing. Is there anything we have to pay them for?

Yeah, that's that's already done and and we pay them for the for the street lights as well. There's a monthly cost per light um that covers the energy that's consumed as well as the maintenance. You they change out lights when when they're burned out or the photo cell goes bad. So if if if we go with all these new ones, where would it kind of start now and where would it end as far as it's all on Webster. So it's all on Webster and those numbers that I gave you are in that stretch between uh you know North Street 207th uh down to victory. Yeah. So Sonic to where the curve kind of starts is where they end. Okay.

Most of the polls kind of end there anyways minus the sporadic one. supposed to say Webster gets pretty dark once you pass victory. Yeah, there's not a whole lot of light. Yeah, there exactly. That's that's kind of where the polls start and stop. Um and that's where your speed limit drops to 32. So you're driving slower too. So you you might notice the banners and stuff. Did we look at anything over by like Price Chopper? Is there to continue it back that way since that's kind of a I don't know there's many poles that way. I'm trying to think on is that what I know there's some lights down that way but I don't know the frequency of the polls is yeah I don't think it's worth of victory. It would look pretty sporadic down there. I'm just wondering if we're doing it. Might as well do it all one time.

I don't have any problem with investing in this especially to make sure that the flags look good and clean and are well maintained and not beat up by the weather. Um, me personally, I would lean more towards putting new investment into more banners, trying to kind of level that out numbers, more banners, too. But I also know that the banners is multiple changes throughout the year potential and I know that creates more difficulty. So, like whatever the happy medium area might be with that, the flags are a lot easier because it's not up and down every year. It's you put it up until it wears out and then you replace it. So, um,

and I agree on the banners for sure. I would love to see more of those. They are pretty sporadic as well. My thought is it started with the flags and then I don't think you could do more than maybe three or four changes per year tops. Maybe even two would be more realistically labor-wise with what our workload is. you know that I I just as cool as it is and as good as it looks, I don't know that that's the best way for our guys to be spending their time with other things that we need to do. Yeah. You know, the banners also present a there's a storage uh issue. Um where where do you keep the ones that aren't in use and they get lost and Yeah.

Sorry, going back to the flags. What about like Main Street or where they do fall festival? I know there's quite a few around there. Should we look at that too while we're doing it? We can. Yeah, I I haven't. I don't know what your thought is on that. I think it'd be cool to have them along Main Street for sure. I don't know about lining all the way to there just because there's so many so many trees and blockages kind of going down the two one-way streets, you know. Well, I'm just talking about on Main Street. Yeah, on Main Street I think would be awesome to have.

There's poles down I think there's six or eight poles down there. We do Christmas lights over there and we got some new Christmas tree stationary pole mount ones that went up there and I think we're looking at adding three or four more to hit all the poles. So yeah, I'll I'll take a look at that. I can get back with you there. We also have to look at um because those the brackets that that the poles uh that the flags and flag pole goes into it it clamps on around the the outside of the pole. So if there if there are conduits and service drops and transformers there are on main street

then then that sometimes will will take a poll out of consideration. It's just not an option. I'm just trying to think if we're doing it and we're they're going to be out here. We might as well look at all the places we're thinking about. Yeah, if we can do mainstream, let's go ahead and all within, you know, it's within the dollar limits and everything that we're just wanted to bring it for you guys because I didn't want it to be just something that I was like, "Hey, let's I want to do this." But I didn't think anybody would really oppose it, but I want to at least get your guys's opinion on it. No, sounds good. I think the whole idea is a good idea. You guys are general idea. Yeah.

Doesn't sound like it's even gonna add much. I mean, Main Street's pretty short. Yeah. If it's eight if it's eight poles, I mean, you're talking I just figured we use that city parking map if there's anything over there since it might be nice to have it different events. So, okay. Okay. Check it out. Thank you. Thank you. Cool. Thanks. So, uh, with that, we don't really need to vote, I don't think. As long as you guys are cool with it, we'll plow forward. Just do it. So, all right. Cool, guys. All right, that ends discussion item and move on to executive session number one. Uh, let's see. How many minutes do we have on that one? 15. Yep. Why don't we do 10 on this one? 10. 10. Okay. Okay.

Uh, move the city council recess into executive session for 10 minutes to receive advice to council regarding economic development pursuant to KSA 754319B of the canceled meetings act. You have meeting will resume in the city council chambers at 12:38 p.m. No formal action is anticipated following the session. Persons to be in attendance are the following. Lane Massie, city administrator and Spencer La attorney. Second. Got a motion second. Is there any further discussion? Not all those in favor. I opposed. Motion carries 400 Z. We will see you guys shortly and uh those you two online will call you here in a

All right, welcome back everyone. Let the record reflect the governing body reconvene open meeting at 12:30 p.m. No votes were taken or decisions made during the executive session. The discussion was limited to subject stated. With that, I entertain a motion to move into executive session number two. Still good for 10 minutes.

Okay. I move the city council recess into executive session for 10 minutes for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property present to KSA 754319B6 the Kansas act. The open meeting will resume in the city council chambers at 12:50 p.m. No formal action is anticipated following the session. Persons to be in tenants are the following. Lane Massie, Jacob Spear, Alison Ael, and Spencer Laauo. Second. Got a motion to second. Is there any further discussion? If not, all those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries 400 Z. See you soon.

All right, welcome back everyone. Let the record reflect the governing body reconvene and open meeting at 12:50 p.m. No votes were taken or decisions made during executive session. The discussion was limited the subject stated. And with that, I entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Got a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion? All those in favor? I I opposed. Motion carries. 400. Have a great night, everyone. You too.