Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Administration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Phillipsburg council grants $25,000 spending authority, appoints city attorney and votes to livestream meetings
Summary
At a Jan. 16 special meeting, the Phillipsburg City Council unanimously approved temporary spending authority up to $25,000, appointed Dakota Coomes as city attorney and reappointed Bonnie Leidig as municipal judge, voted to begin live-streaming city meetings, and changed the City Administrator role back to Public Works Director.
The Phillipsburg City Council on Jan. 16 unanimously authorized a temporary spending approval of up to $25,000 for Kent Footh, appointed Dakota Coomes as city attorney and reappointed Bonnie Leidig as municipal judge, and voted to begin live-streaming meetings through the city website.
The actions came during a special meeting that opened at 5:00 p.m. and began with a brief executive session under K.S.A. 75-4319(b)(1) to discuss a non-elected personnel matter. Councilmembers then returned to open session and moved through a series of administrative items, all of which passed by unanimous vote.
Mayor Lance Munyon said job postings will be posted on the city website for Maintenance I and Maintenance II or III positions, depending on experience, and indicated the city will later post for a Public Works Director after reverting the City Administrator role. "Job postings will be put on the website for Maintenance I and Maintenance II or III positions," Munyon said.
The council approved a motion, moved by Councilmember Brian Shrader and seconded by Councilmember Terry McConnell, "to allow Kent Footh to have spending authorization up to $25,000." The motion passed with all members voting aye and none opposed.
Also during the meeting the council reappointed Bonnie Leidig as Phillipsburg Municipal Judge and appointed Dakota Coomes as Phillipsburg City Attorney; both motions were moved by Shrader and seconded by McConnell and passed unanimously. The council subsequently voted, on a motion by Don Roberts and seconded by McConnell, to change the city attorney's compensation to an hourly rate of $200 per hour.
On administrative housekeeping, the council designated the Phillips County Review as the official city newspaper and First National Bank and Trust as the official depository, both approved by unanimous votes. The council voted to begin live-streaming meetings on the city's website after Brandi Spray, the city clerk, noted uncertainty about whether third-party platforms such as Facebook meet current ADA live-streaming requirements.
Munyon relayed public works updates he had received from John Ward: a new plow is being installed on the Sterling truck and the 78 International Hydro 186 tractor used for mowing and at the sewer plant currently has water in the oil. Councilmember Shrader suggested repair options to avoid replacement, and Councilmember McConnell raised safety concerns about a Ford truck that carries the water tank.
Munyon proposed reverting the City Administrator position to a Public Works Director; Shrader asked that the new job description specify that the director "fill in where necessary." The council approved the change and instructed staff to prepare a new job description and posting.
The special meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn at 5:37 p.m.; the motion passed unanimously.
