Kearney Board approves water/sewer ordinance changes, green-lights traffic study and adopts FY2026 priorities

Kearney — The city board voted unanimously to approve changes to the municipal water and sewer code, authorize a transportation safety study through the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, and adopt the board’s priorities and initiatives for fiscal year 2026 during its December 2024 meeting.

Finance Director Stephanie Harris presented the water and sewer ordinance amendment, saying the update clarifies when customers qualify for bill adjustments, specifies shutoff and reconnect procedures, and modernizes language in chapter 700 and the chapter 720 user‑charge system. “November, we had 31 shutoffs due to past due balances,” Harris said, explaining staff time and safety measures factored into proposing a $50 disconnect fee (staff estimated roughly four staff hours at $25 an hour for a typical disconnect and reconnect event). The ordinance preserves the city’s 10% late‑fee penalty, which staff noted has been unchanged since 2001. Board members asked for and received clarifications about treatment for pool‑filling and irrigation uses and how the ordinance differentiates one‑time exceptions from repeated irrigation adjustments.

The board read the ordinance on first and second readings and then voted. Alderman King, Alderman Holt, Alderman Barker and Alderman Lehman recorded “Aye” votes on the roll call; the mayor also voted in the affirmative. The vote carried unanimously and the ordinance was adopted.

Public Works Director Shelley Daniel outlined the city’s application for a Transportation Engineering Assistance Program (TEAP) grant to perform a traffic safety and operations analysis at an east intersection of A Hundred and 60 Second Nation Road, citing multiple citizen concerns and a shared interest with Clay County in studying crash risk and countermeasures. Clay County agreed to fund 50% of the local match for the study, which staff said is expected to be completed by May. The board approved the MO H&TC TEAP agreement on first and second readings and passed the ordinance unanimously.

The board also approved Resolution 59‑2024, which codifies five overarching priorities and sets out FY2026 initiatives staff expects to accomplish within a single fiscal year. Staff said the resolution reflects work from a September priority‑setting work session; the document separates longer‑range priorities from single‑year initiatives intended to guide budgeting and planning.

In other business, department heads presented second‑quarter operational reports. The city administrator reported improvements on employee survey measures after initiatives such as quarterly citywide meetings, bimonthly one‑on‑ones, values‑based performance reviews and an employee engagement team; one measure rose to about 78% positive responses from a February baseline. City Hall staff reported that the city’s assessed value is about $277,700,000, that staff issued 11,431 utility bills in the quarter and that IT handled 131 help tickets. Parks staff said the city received a $504,000 grant for Hall Park, and the water department described project work at the plant, recent water purchases from Kansas City while a well was offline, and the ongoing disinfectant conversion project.

Fire Chief Kevin Pratt told the board that recent lot sales in the KADC moved projects forward and that the development’s note for phase 4 has been paid off; he presented a reimbursement check to the city.

Before adjourning into an executive session to discuss personnel matters under RSMo 610.021 (personnel records and employment actions), the board set the next regular meeting for Monday, December 16 at 6:30 p.m. The motion to enter executive session passed unanimously on roll call.

The meeting record provided no public comments during the open‑comment period.