Florence City Council issues press release about ADA complaint
Complaint filed with U.S. justice department
The first order of business for Florence City Council Nov. 21 was a 15-minute executive session for the purpose of consulting with city attorney Marilyn Wilder about an issue of attorney-client privilege. Included in the executive session were the mayor, all council members, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance officer Del Leeds, and city clerk Darla Gore.
Upon returning to open meeting Florence councilman Randy Mills made a motion to have the city attorney represent the city, city council, and ADA compliance officer in a complaint filed with the United States Department of Justice against the City of Florence on grounds of non-compliance of Federal ADA laws.
ADA compliance officer Leeds read a copy of a statement to members of the press and the community present at the meeting.
The statement said the city will enter into mediation over the complaint to avoid a long and costly Federal Department of Justice investigation. The statement also indicated that no city employee or representative will speak about the matter to either the press or the public at this time.
A copy of the complaint and a copy of the city press release are available at the city building.
Following the reading of the press release the regular business meeting was in session.
Les Littlejohn of Kansas Housing Resource Corporation was present to urge council to select a specific housing project and begin gathering the information Littlejohn needs to write the housing grant. Among decisions council needs to make are the number of housing units it wants constructed and what in-kind contributions the city can make to meet its obligation on the project.
Littlejohn will submit the grant application in February, 2006. He requested council have the information to him by the first part of January.
Council members agreed to meet at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12 for a special work session on the project.
In other business the council:
— requested fuel logs be kept by each city department and presented to council monthly.
— approved warrants in the amount of $15,911.02.
— heard that city clerk Gore received her clerk certification.
— accepted 2006 auditing services from Knudsen and Monroe for $4,800.
— approved a 90-day trash service extension for a rural customer. Gore will contact others on the route about also receiving service.
— heard levy inspection has been postponed until Wednesday or Thursday.
— unanimously approved purchase of a sickle mower from Joe Heath.
— tabled a decision on roof repair at City Springs, request for an employee raise, and purchase of a bulk water sale meter, a weed eater, and a culvert cleaner.
— approved a $10 a month expenditure for a drawing by the fire department to promote attendance at monthly meetings. Chief Tim Parmley announced the Christmas party would be held this year at Chuck Wagon Café.
Parmley also said hog roast purchases made at Peabody Market were an isolated incident stemming from a misunderstanding. Council previously had refused payment of the account until it received an explanation of why the purchase was not made locally. Council approved payment.
— Parmley announced he is looking at a grant for uniforms for Florence firefighters.
— council agreed to lift a lien placed on property in 1999, by the Florence Standards Board. The lien was to recover costs of cleanup, but the cleanup never was done. A party is interested in buying the property and will clean it if council will lift the lien. Unanimous approval was given.
— acting police chief Erik King reported a busy November. Two officers attended a check point/DUI workshop. He noted the patrol car damaged when it struck a deer should be fully repaired in a week.
— council also heard King and his officers again will adopt several families for Christmas. He said local Girl Scouts had offered to help with the project as well.
— city superintendent Jeff Wagner announced Christmas snowflake decorations had been mounted on light poles downtown and one had been slightly damaged when struck by a beer delivery truck. It had been repaired.
