City council creates position for full-time compliance officer
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
Peabody City Council addressed the growing need for a full-time compliance officer Jan. 8 at its first meeting of 2007.
With the resignation in December of health and safety officer Deb Buser, the police department and council began looking at expanding the job description of that position.
"It makes more sense to have one person looking not only at mowing issues and nuisance properties, but at inoperable vehicles as well as animal control," said Mayor Tom Schmidt. "And there is enforcement of codes and ordinances that may not necessarily be police issues, but need to be addressed by a representative of the city."
Peabody Police Chief Jeff Pohlman agreed that the compliance job could be a full-time position. He felt it could be funded in large part through the citations issued as part of the job.
"If we look at what the city paid Deb (Buser) as health and safety officer and Marvin (Lirley) as animal control officer, plus revenue from tickets and citations, I think we could fund a full-time position," he said.
Schmidt asked Pohlman and city administrator Jeff Benbrook to bring some costs and potential funding sources to the next meeting. Council members will pursue the creation of the compliance officer position at that time if the information warrants such a job description.
Council members addressed another available city position with public works director Darren Pickens. Applicants for a maintenance position had been interviewed and Pickens offered his recommendation to council members. An offer of employment was made to Harold Brooks, Jr.
A final issue of staffing came up in the discussion of updating the city's comprehensive plan. Riggs and Associates of Wichita had contacted Benbrook and expressed an interest in pursuing plan updates as required by the state.
"The group studying the nuts and bolts of the city's plan will be the planning and zoning committee," said Benbrook. "Planning and zoning will review with Riggs and Associates what's on the books and make recommendations to the city council.
"The only problem is that the members are volunteers and probably did not intend to sign on for an intense multi-year commitment," he added.
Benbrook was instructed by Mayor Schmidt to contact board members with information about the extent of work that will be involved on the comprehensive plan.
In other business, the council:
— reviewed criteria for a monthly police report from police chief Jeff Pohlman. The mayor and each councilman noted what information they would like to receive in a report from the chief.
— sought input from a group of employees present at the meeting about health care increases. After discussion and review the council approved retention of the existing coverage at a 9.4 percent increase while dropping orthodontia coverage which is not used by any employees.
— heard that mercury remediation excavation at the former sewer plant will take place Jan. 15-22.
— approved fire investigation training session in Topeka for Kelly Cook.
— heard that due to recent snowstorms Westar work crews are busy in western Kansas and will not get a lighting project completed at the site of the new city shop on Ninth Street.
— heard a report from Peabody Main Street director Kristen Hooper about economic restructuring, the Peabody Prairie Christmas celebration, and the holiday shopping promotion.
— approved attendance by assistant city clerk Stephanie Ax at an advanced municipal finance workshop at a cost of $75.
— heard from Benbrook that anyone planning to file for mayor or one of the three available council positions needs to file at the county clerk's office at Marion County Courthouse by noon Tuesday.
— approved payment for trimming some trees along the property line between Prairie Lawn Cemetery and Peabody Industrial Park.
