Executive session first item on council agenda
Peabody City Council meeting began Monday with an executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel. Police Chief Jeff Pohlman remained in the meeting with the mayor and city council.
Upon returning to open session, the council accepted the resignation of officer Kevin Pasteur. No reason was given for the resignation.
Pohlman also told the council in open session that he was going to need to hire a new probation officer. Stephen Gillet has resigned from that post due to conflict with his job. Pohlman said the position could not be filled by a law enforcement officer.
Pohlman agreed to contact City Judge Bryson Mills about probation officers serving other area communities who might be willing to take the position in Peabody.
Al Reiss updated the council on the sewer project and was told that the city has not yet heard from Gary Harper regarding the offer to purchase his land.
Darren Pickens presented information on the back hoes and skid steers the city has been using prior to making a purchase. After discussion, the council asked Pickens and Ronnie Harms to select the two city employees found most adequately fit their needs and bring that information back to the council at a future meeting.
Pickens and councilman Randy Dallke will create the specs for bids and send a request for bids to the companies involved.
The council will make the purchases from the contingency money left from the water project which has to be spent on water-related equipment, supplies, or maintenance.
In a related item, the council approved the purchase of a harness/belt system from Cunningham Sand Blasting in the amount of $2,496 with an additional belt and sleeve for $375. The funds for this purchase also will come from the contingency money.
Pickens and Harms were given permission to attend the Kansas Rural Water Association convention March 25-27 in Wichita. Each will take continuing education classes to renew his certification in water and waste-water.
In other business, the council —
— agreed to hold a special meeting March 18 to discuss the need for a city manager.
— heard that Deanna Baker had agreed to accept the position of swimming pool manager for the 2003 season.
— adopted a revised Neighborhood Revitalization Plan and agreed to hold the public hearing March 24.
— heard that the DTN Speednet antenna has been installed on the water tower.
— agreed to look into getting asphalt millings from the work being done on U.S.-77.
— heard from KDOT that there is no money available for improvements to the highway bypass around Peabody despite KDOT's own study showing traffic had doubled in that area in two years.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be at 7 p.m. March 24.
