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Winfield council approves ARPA invoice payments, sets Trick-or-Treat hours and hears police staffing update
Summary
At its Sept. 12 meeting the Winfield City Council approved ARPA-funded invoice payments, set Trick-or-Treat hours for Oct. 31 and approved a series of small donations and administrative items; the council also heard a police staffing update and held the first reading of an ordinance restricting minors from adult performances.
The Winfield City Council met Sept. 12 at Winfield City Hall and approved payment of several invoices from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, authorized routine donations and set community event details while hearing departmental updates on police staffing and wastewater repairs.
Council member Dana Campbell moved to approve ARPA-funded invoices to Precision ($5,033), Xylem Water Solutions ($922 and $4,635) and Aqua Aerobics ($10,934.82); the motion carried. Minutes note an approximate remaining ARPA balance of $180,000 after those payments. The council did not record roll-call vote totals in the minutes; motions are recorded as "motion carried."
Chief of Police Jeff Losh reported that the department purchased new shotguns, expected to arrive within weeks, and that Officer Thompson has resigned; Losh said a new officer is scheduled to start in October. He also said the department has received several complaints about so-called "speed traps" and indicated that staff have issued legitimate citations in some cases.
Public works and wastewater staff reported progress at the city’s treatment plant: electric and gas service were installed in a new building, a backflow device was installed, a Precision crew repaired a pump, grinder-station components were replaced, the courtyard was marked for planned street work and a sewer line at Woodland was repaired.
Mayor Randy Barrett told the council the final pay application was submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for concrete work on the new building. He also noted that homecoming went well and a car show is scheduled in the coming weeks.
On unfinished business, the council authorized Mayor Barrett to submit a bid at an upcoming property auction up to a previously approved limit. The council also approved a resolution to exclude elected officials from the city's workers' compensation policy after a motion by Council member Dana Campbell.
During new business the council held the first reading of Ordinance Article 517.09, which would bar minors from attending adult live performances; the first-reading motion carried and a second reading will be required before the ordinance can be adopted. Other approvals included:
- A $1,000 donation to the Woody Williams Foundation, contingent on receipt of proper nonprofit documentation (moved by Council member Kevin Karnes). - Trick-or-Treat hours for Oct. 31, 2023, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. (approved). - A $250 donation to the Republican Women of Putnam County for First Responder Appreciation Day on Oct. 7, 2023 (approved). - Purchase of a memorial bench plaque reading "In Loving Memory of Sam \"Poppy\" Barnette." - Use of proceeds from the sale of decommissioned vehicles (up to $9,400 received) to buy new computers for the police station. - Coverage of up to $300 annually from the fairs and festivals line to pay for a new AEP service for the Fourth Street homecoming event.
All motions are recorded in the minutes as having carried; the record does not include individual vote tallies or names of any seconders. The meeting closed with a brief code-enforcement note about a citation issued for a brown house on Fourth Street and adjourned at 6:51 p.m.
The council did not vote to adopt the ordinance during this meeting; next steps for that item will be a second reading at a future meeting per standard ordinance procedure.
