City hires new clerk/administrator
In the opening minutes of the Peabody City Council meeting Monday night, Mayor Randy Dallke announced that at a special meeting Aug. 18 the council had approved offering the job of city clerk/administrator to Jeff Benbrook.
Benbrook, of Wichita, will begin work Sept. 2 on a one-year contract, subject to quarterly reviews. His starting salary will be $29,000 per year.
Benbrook is married with grown children. He eventually will move to Peabody.
The council will hold another special meeting to determine a job description and duties for the new position. Formerly, the city clerk's job was strictly in the front office of the city building.
Benbrook will assume some management and supervision of the city employees working in the community.
In a related issue, Dallke and several councilmen thanked Stephanie Ax and Cathy Jantzen for the excellent jobs they have done as interim office staff.
Ax was promoted to assistant city clerk and her salary raised from $10.50 an hour to $11 an hour. The council plans to send her to city clerk school so she can become certified, providing extra knowledge and experience in the city office.
Jantzen's employment was temporary and her last day will be Friday.
The council went into executive session to discuss the acquisition of property. Upon return to open session, members cast a unanimous vote to purchase the property at 203 Sycamore for $7,000 providing all back taxes are paid.
The city has no immediate plans for the structure which is known locally as the "Butler House." Crews will clean up the property, secure the house and make it safe, and perhaps entertain selling it. The house is in the historic downtown district.
The council heard a request from Earl Madsen for reimbursement on part of the cost of the sidewalk he replaced.
After discussion, the council agreed that, in the future, it would put a policy in place to allow $500 per year from the city budget for sidewalk repair done to city specifications.
The city will allow the funds to be spent by property owners for two yards of cement per individual owner. Owners can apply to the city for reimbursement and the money will be paid on a first come, first served basis.
The fund, to be renewed annually, will be covered in the next year's budget planning.
In other business, the council:
— approved fire chief Ronnie Harms' attendance at the Kansas State Fire Chief's Conference Oct. 16-19 in Arkansas City.
— heard from Al Reiss of Reiss and Goodness Engineers about the status of the sewer project. Easements from property owners were reviewed and a time table for the work to be completed was discussed.
— heard a review from Stephanie Ax of the software being used for billing and reconciliation in the city office. Ax urged the council to consider changing some of the software to systems more easily integrated. The topic was tabled until a later meeting.
— received an update from Deb Buser about nuisance properties. The council approved moving ahead with hearing procedures against the owners of the property at 205 Pine, 802 Sycamore, and 302 Elm.
— held an executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel and took no action on returning to open meeting.
— agreed to participate as a sponsor of student activities featured in the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin.
— forwarded to the zoning board a citizen's request to erect a portable carport.
