City commission discusses possible meeting to get public input on future projects

Members of the Holton City Commission have been hearing positive comments from a few members of the community about the direction the city has been going, but they are now asking for some directions from the public about where the city should go in the future.

During the commission’s meeting on Tuesday — held a day later than usual due to the Labor Day holiday — Commissioner Tim Morris inquired into whether the city could hold a “round table” or “workshop” meeting to get public input on future directions or capital improvements. Such a meeting was discussed “a couple of months ago,” Morris said, but it was suggested to put of setting up a meeting until after the city’s 2016 budget was approved.

“I’d like to know what people think as far as what direction the city is taking and where we’re at now,” Morris said. “I’d like to hear the other commissioners’ thoughts and directions as well.”

Holton City Manager Bret Bauer said that when similar meetings were held in the past, they were scheduled for the hour prior to the commission’s regular meetings. However, Bauer noted, the commission does not have to stick to holding such meetings at those times, although commissioners would need “a specific reason” for calling the meeting.

“I would suggest that reason would be in regard to direction, possibly on capital improvement projects,” Bauer said.

Other commissioners appeared receptive to Morris’ idea.

“From the meetings we’ve had in the past, we’ve always learned something,” Mayor Robert Dieckmann said. “If people want to come in and visit with us, then let’s do it.”

No specific date and time was set for a public meeting, although commission meetings, which are scheduled for 7 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month unless otherwise noted, are open to the public. During each regular meeting, commissioners set aside time a “public forum” in which residents may make comments in open session, it was noted.

In other business on Monday, commissioners approved a pair of street closings for “neighborhood barbecues” in the weeks ahead. The first involves a Saturday evening barbecue requested by residents along Emerald and Hillcrest drives, and the second involves a Sunday, Sept. 27 barbecue in the 800 block of Iowa Avenue.

Bauer said city officials had no problem with providing the necessary barricades to close the streets during the neighborhood gatherings if residents involved moved the barricades out of the street at the end of each gathering. Street department personnel will pick up the barricades on the Monday morning following each gathering, he added.

Commissioners also:

* Approved minutes from the commission’s Aug. 17 meeting and budget appropriations made since the meeting.

* Approved the appointment of Dieckmann and Bauer as the city’s voting delegates, along with Commissioner Dan Brenner and Assistant City Manager Kerwin McKee as respective alternates, at the League of Kansas Municipalities’ upcoming annual conference in Topeka.

* Heard a comment from Brenner about a local resident who had asked him to pass along thanks to city staffers for their recent efforts in assisting the resident with car trouble.

* Heard a comment from Brenner thanking Holton Police Chief Gale Gakle and his department for their work in monitoring the city’s school zones as well as traffic coming into the city on U.S. Highway 75.

* Heard a comment from Bauer that no progress had been made on repairing the Prairie Lake spillway because a contractor recommended for the repairs “keeps coming up with reasons why he can’t come up here,” even though the contractor, who was not named, is being sought for the city for his “inside knowledge” in making such repairs.

* Learned from Bauer that a representative of the Piper Jaffray firm has tentatively scheduled a visit with commissioners at their Monday, Sept. 21 meeting to discuss refinancing options for a general obligation bond that was issued by the city in 2004.

* Heard a comment from McKee about an issue with a utility connection permit application submitted by Walmart for provision of city utility service to the company’s new store, currently under construction at the south edge of the city.

* Were reminded by Bauer of the 2 p.m. deadline on Tuesday, Sept. 15 for bids for construction of the Banner Road extension to the west across U.S. Highway 75.

* Adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m.