The Cawker City Council met on Wednesday.
A fence permit was approved for Allen Fisher. It has been inspected and was approved by the council.
A building permit was considered which was tabled from last month’s meeting for Buck Alvis. Councilor Doug Bader said he viewed the site in question. Discussion was held, and it was suggested that Mr. Alvis should move the plastic structure which appears attached to the existing building. The council approved the permit contingent upon him moving the small building to within the legal set-back limit from the street within 30 days. Another building permit was approved for Greg Linton as well.
A livestock permit for chickens was approved for Bill Walsh.
Chad Carter of CarTel Enterprises appeared to update the council on surveillance cameras. He said he has lost faith in the company he has been working with on the city surveillance cameras. There are cameras at the golf course, the park bathrooms, one on Lake Drive facing the bank and another outside the Cawker City Office. He said he is going to have to redo the entire system with new equipment. The city has already paid the costs of the camera work and are going to end up with an upgrade in resolution and overall system quality.
City Superintendent Dave Reling was absent, but left notes with City Clerk Danelle Mick. She related one of the city employees needs to acquire certification hours. They will send him to water training in Wichita. Reling also said he needed to have Sellers come in and look at the street sweeper which is in need of repair that will likely be over his discretionary spending limit of $500. The council advised he get a quote on the work before moving forward.
Reling also asked permission to start advertising for seasonal help at the golf course. He also said they needed to purchase a new chlorinator for one of the city wells at $1,850 which was approved.
Mick then provided a handout with material about work that needs done in the future on the water tower. They council will review the material. The tower is due for cleaning and inspection.
Police Chief Ken Moore said there has been an increasing level of activity for the police department. Two arrests have been made this year where Moore has been forced to use his taser. Moore discussed his preference to the taser as the safest and most effective use of force method available to him as a law enforcement officer.
In her report, City Clerk Mick said there will be a golf club meeting on March 1 at the city office at 7 p.m. She also said they are getting a Dollar General credit card due to Koster’s Home Center closing at the end of last year. She wanted to inform the council that petty cash expenditures will be higher until that card arrives.
She also reminded the council that Erica Villareal from Mid-Kansas Electric will be at next month’s meeting and there will be several topics to discuss with her.
The council then appointed Mayor Linton voting delegates to Kansas Rural Water Associations.
Jan Corneley is currently a voting delegate to the Kansas Municipal Energy Association board. Former Mayor Wayne Musgrove and Councilman Doug Strathman served previously. Mayor Linton and Councilor Drew Duskie, as an alternate, were appointed to fill those positions.
The council approved a $100 donation to Lakeside High School After Prom out of the city’s Parks and Recreation budget.
Mayor Linton asked that the city clerk and assistant clerk perform a review of electrical rates. He said there are some businesses including home-based businesses where some are paying commercial electrical rates where others are paying residential rates.
Mayor Linton said there were lots available adjacent to the EMS station in Cawker. He asked the council to keep it in mind and discuss their interest at a later date after gathering more information such as pricing and the actual size of the lots.