Chad Beeson was selected as mayor and Tad Stover as vice mayor during a regularly scheduled Arkansas City Commission meeting. The commission also approved a consent agenda that included a resolution authorizing attendance at an upcoming land bank meeting and, following two executive sessions on non‑elected personnel, approved a 4.88% pay increase for City Manager Randy Frasier.

The reorganization vote and the raise came during the open session that followed two recesses into executive session to discuss non‑elected personnel under KSA 75‑4319(b)(1). A motion to give City Manager Randy Frasier a 4.88% increase for the 2025 year was moved and seconded; the commission voted in favor (recorded as “Aye”) and the motion carried.

The consent agenda approved the Dec. 17, 2024 meeting minutes and a resolution authorizing a governing‑body public meeting to attend a land bank trustees meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025, in the commission room at City Hall, 118 West Central. The commission approved the consent items by voice vote; the chair called “Aye” and the motion carried.

City Manager Randy Frasier delivered department updates and an events calendar. He said a meeting on the Struthersville sanitary sewer relocation project is scheduled for Jan. 9 with PEC staff and Struthersville representatives; as part of the realignment of U.S. 77 in the Struthersville area, a lift station must be relocated and the local wastewater treatment plant will be mothballed, with piping to connect Patterson Park to Arkansas City’s wastewater system.

Frasier said the city will hold a town‑hall meeting about a CDBG housing rehabilitation grant on Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. to solicit pre‑applications and to identify a target area; he said the target area may shift depending on applicant interest. The commission’s planning retreat is set for Jan. 17 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the water treatment facility classroom. Frasier noted Local Government Day hosted by the League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM) is Jan. 22 in Topeka and said he had a meeting scheduled with state Sen. Ali; he said arrangements with Rep. Riley were pending.

Other items on the calendar Frasier mentioned included the chamber banquet on Feb. 1 and the SEK Health Foundation gala on March 1. He also summarized department reports about a recent winter storm, praising staff and noting that the city produces its own de‑icing brine, which saves “thousands of dollars.” Tony, a public works staff member, described the brine process: “We use water softener salt and I also buy liquidized stuff that they use for air strips and attic.” An environmental services report for December was delayed because the assistant environmental superintendent had a baby and leadership staff were managing coverage, Frasier said.

The meeting included two motions to recess into executive session to discuss personnel matters for non‑elected employees pursuant to KSA 75‑4319(b)(1); the open meeting times were announced before each recess. No public speakers were listed for comment, and the meeting concluded after a brief closing and a motion to adjourn.

Votes at a glance

- Approve agenda as written — motion made and seconded; voice vote, recorded as “Aye”; outcome: approved (not otherwise specified in roll call).
- Consent agenda (Dec. 17, 2024 minutes; resolution authorizing attendance at land bank meeting Jan. 20, 2025 at City Hall) — motion made and seconded; voice vote, recorded as “Aye”; outcome: approved.
- Select Chad Beeson as mayor for 2025 — motion made and seconded; voice vote, recorded as “Aye”; outcome: approved.
- Elect Tad Stover as vice mayor for 2025 — motion made and seconded; voice vote, recorded as “Aye”; outcome: approved.
- Recess into executive session to discuss non‑elected personnel pursuant to KSA 75‑4319(b)(1) (first recess) — motion made and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved.
- Recess into executive session to discuss the city manager annual review pursuant to KSA 75‑4319(b)(1) (second recess) — motion made and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved.
- Approve 4.88% pay increase for City Manager Randy Frasier for the 2025 year — motion made and seconded; voice vote, recorded as “Aye”; outcome: approved.

Speakers

- Chad Beeson — Commissioner (selected mayor for 2025), affiliation: government.
- Jay Warren — Mayor (outgoing), affiliation: government.
- Tad Stover — Commissioner (selected vice mayor for 2025), affiliation: government.
- Commissioner Spillman — Commissioner, affiliation: government.
- Commissioner Tweedy — Commissioner, affiliation: government.
- Randy Frasier — City Manager, affiliation: government.
- Tiffany — Staff member, affiliation: government.
- Tony — Public works staff member, affiliation: government.
- Mary — Resident (identified as not signed up to speak), affiliation: citizen.
- Robert Macklin — referenced near adjournment (role not specified), affiliation: unknown.

Authorities

- statute: "KSA 75‑4319(b)(1)" (referenced regarding executive session for personnel matters), referenced_by: ["executive_session motions"].
- resolution: "Resolution authorizing a governing body to attend a land bank meeting of trustees (Jan. 20, 2025 at City Hall)" (referenced by consent agenda), referenced_by: ["consent agenda"]

Actions

- {"kind":"other","identifiers":{},"motion":"Approve the agenda as written","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Voice vote recorded as 'Aye'; names not specified."}

- {"kind":"other","identifiers":{},"motion":"Approve consent agenda: (1) approve 12/17/2024 regular meeting minutes as written; (2) approve resolution authorizing a public meeting of a governing body to attend a land bank meeting of trustees at 5 PM, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025, in the commission room at City Hall, 118 West Central","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Voice vote recorded as 'Aye'; details of resolution location/time specified in motion."}

- {"kind":"other","identifiers":{},"motion":"Select Chad Beeson as mayor for 2025","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Voice vote recorded as 'Aye' after motion and second."}

- {"kind":"other","identifiers":{},"motion":"Elect Tad Stover as vice mayor for 2025","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Motion asked for unanimous vote; voice vote recorded as 'Aye'."}

- {"kind":"executive_session","identifiers":{},"motion":"Recess into executive session for 10 minutes to discuss a matter involving a non‑elected city employee pursuant to KSA 75‑4319(b)(1)","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Open meeting to resume in commission chambers at announced time."}

- {"kind":"executive_session","identifiers":{},"motion":"Recess into executive session (15 minutes announced) for commissioners only to discuss city manager's annual review pursuant to KSA 75‑4319(b)(1)","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Open meeting to resume in commission chambers at announced time."}

- {"kind":"other","identifiers":{},"motion":"Give City Manager Randy Frasier a 4.88% raise for the 2025 year (motion language: 'in accordance to the performance evaluation ... be given a 4.88 raise increase for the 2025 year').","mover":"not specified","second":"not specified","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Recorded voice vote 'Aye'; percentage specified as 4.88%."}

Clarifying_details

- {"category":"executive_session_statute","detail":"Executive sessions cited as pursuant to KSA 75‑4319(b)(1) for personnel matters of non‑elected personnel","value":"KSA 75‑4319(b)(1)","units":"statute"}
- {"category":"land_bank_meeting","detail":"Date/time/location specified for land bank meeting attendance","value":"5:00 PM, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025 at City Hall, 118 West Central","units":"datetime"}
- {"category":"CDBG_town_hall","detail":"Town hall to discuss CDBG housing rehabilitation grant and collect pre‑applications","value":"Jan. 14, 5:30 p.m.","units":"datetime"}
- {"category":"Struthersville_project","detail":"Struthersville sanitary sewer relocation meeting with PEC staff and Struthersville representatives; lift station relocation and mothballing of Struthersville wastewater treatment plant, piping to connect Patterson Park to Arkansas City system","value":"meeting Jan. 9; relocation along west side of U.S. 77 right of way","units":"datetime/location"}
- {"category":"planning_retreat","detail":"Commission planning retreat to set priorities and strategies","value":"Jan. 17, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., water treatment facility classroom","units":"datetime/location"}
- {"category":"city_manager_raise","detail":"Raise percent approved for city manager based on performance evaluation","value":4.88,"units":"percent","approximate":false}
- {"category":"brine_production","detail":"City produces its own de‑icing brine, saving thousands of dollars; materials include water softener salt and a liquidized product used for airstrips","value":"savings described as 'thousands of dollars' by city staff","units":"USD approx","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Tony"}
- {"category":"environmental_report_delay","detail":"Assistant environmental superintendent had a baby, delaying distribution of distribution and collections portion of the December report","value":"not specified","units":"note","source_speaker":"Randy Frasier"}

proper_names

[{"name":"Arkansas City","type":"location"},{"name":"Chad Beeson","type":"person"},{"name":"Tad Stover","type":"person"},{"name":"Jay Warren","type":"person"},{"name":"Randy Frasier","type":"person"},{"name":"Struthersville","type":"location"},{"name":"Patterson Park","type":"location"},{"name":"PEC","type":"organization"},{"name":"City Hall","type":"facility"},{"name":"CDBG","type":"other"},{"name":"League of Kansas Municipalities","type":"organization"},{"name":"LKM","type":"organization"},{"name":"Cox Communications","type":"business"},{"name":"SEK Health Foundation","type":"organization"},{"name":"Robert Macklin","type":"person"}]

community_relevance

{"geographies":["Arkansas City","Struthersville","Patterson Park"],"funding_sources":["CDBG (Community Development Block Grant)"],"impact_groups":["city employees","residents in target CDBG area","wastewater customers"]}

meeting_context

{"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":8,"duration_minutes":null,"items_count":10},"implementation_risk":"low","history":[{"date":"not specified","note":"City manager performance review and commission reorganization recur annually."}]}

searchable_tags

["Arkansas City","commission","mayor","vice mayor","city manager","Randy Frasier","CDBG","Struthersville","sewer relocation","executive session","KSA 75-4319"]

provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"block_507","local_start":0,"local_end":53,"evidence_excerpt":"City manager department, item number 1 is select mayor for 2025.","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"block_2667","local_start":0,"local_end":101,"evidence_excerpt":"After executive session, the commission discussed the city manager performance evaluation. I move that in accordance to the performance evaluation that city manager Frasier be given a 4.88 raise increase for the 2025 year.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

topics

[{"name":"municipal leadership","justification":"Article reports on selection of mayor and vice mayor and related reorganization votes.","scoring":{"topic_relevance":1.00,"depth_score":0.70,"opinionatedness":0.00,"controversy":0.20,"civic_salience":0.80,"impactfulness":0.60,"geo_relevance":1.00}},{"name":"city manager compensation","justification":"Article documents formal vote to approve a 4.88% pay increase for the city manager after executive session.","scoring":{"topic_relevance":1.00,"depth_score":0.80,"opinionatedness":0.00,"controversy":0.30,"civic_salience":0.85,"impactfulness":0.70,"geo_relevance":1.00}},{"name":"public projects & grants","justification":"City manager provided updates on Struthersville sewer relocation, a CDBG housing rehabilitation town hall, and other calendar items affecting city services.","scoring":{"topic_relevance":0.85,"depth_score":0.60,"opinionatedness":0.00,"controversy":0.10,"civic_salience":0.65,"impactfulness":0.55,"geo_relevance":1.00}}]