The Linn Valley City Council held its bi-monthly meeting at 7:00 PM on Monday, October 23, 2023, with Mayor Cindy Smith presiding and all council members present.
Following approval of the October 9th and October 14th meeting minutes, Mayor Smith opened the floor for citizen participation, however, there were no citizens seeking to make comments or to share information with the Council.
City Clerk Karen Siffring presented the Council with the final draft of Ordinance No. 252 which amends Section 12 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Linn Valley, Kan. Key elements of the ordinance are two sections with proposed language dealing with the parking or storage of recreational vehicles and camping trailers at permanent residences within city limits.
The Ordinance had been adopted at the previous meeting contingent upon the correction of the wording as follows:
Item No. 4 in Section 6.1 of the city’s Zoning Ordinance which deals with R-1 Lots now reads as follows:
“No recreational vehicle or camping trailer may be stored or parked on a lot such that it can be seen from any point off site at ground level, but a recreational vehicle or camping trailer may be parked outside of an enclosed structure on that lot between May 1 and September 30.”
Likewise, Item No. 6 in Section 7.1 of the city’s Zoning Ordinance dealing with R-2 Lots now reads as follows:
“If a permanent residence is on a lot, no recreational vehicle or camping trailer may be stored or parked on that lot such that it can be seen from any point off site at ground level. Lots that do not have an existing primary family residence may host a maximum of (1) recreational vehicle used as a permanent or temporary dwelling, on the lot with no time limit.”
There were other changes to the zoning regulations including the addition of definitions, clarification on the maximum size of accessory structures, regulations on child daycare and short-term rentals. The ordinance was approved by the Council with these and other changes.
Siffring noted that the city’s mowing contract is up for renewal. Based on her recommendation, the council approved a motion by Council Member Robert Suppenbach to renew the current contract with Mike Van Vlack at the current cost of $150 per mowing.
Council President Lew Donelson passionately addressed the council about disagreements between council members. He stressed that council members and/or the mayor may not agree on every issue, but they must endeavor to work together for the benefit of the community. Donelson also commented about the ongoing chatter on social media which seems to cause much of the ongoing turmoil within the community, noting that the gossip and backbiting needs to stop so that the residents can come together as a community.
Donelson also raised the issue of past employees who left employment with the city, but whose resignations were never formerly accepted by the council. He specifically mentioned Dan Donham, former Director of Planning and Development, who played a key role in earlier stages of the water and wastewater projects, but left employment with the city in July 2022 for reasons still unknown to Donelson.
Based on Donelson’s request, the council voted to subsequently accept the resignations of the following four city employees:
Carol Powers, Municipal Court Clerk
Don Hastings, Building Inspector
Dustin Stuteville, Police Officer
Dan Donham, Director of Planning & Development
Smith announced that the city’s 25th Anniversary Jubilee will be celebrated from 4:00 – 6 p.m. at City Hall on Monday, Nov.13th. Past council members and mayors will be in attendance and will be recognized, and the burial of a time capsule has been planned as part of the event.
MEETINGS
LINN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - Monday, October 23, 2023

The Linn County Commissioners met in regular session on Monday, Oct. 23, and began their weekly meeting with the approval of the minutes of the last meeting followed by the approval of claims in the amount of $272,818.97. Linn County Rural Fire Chief Randy Hegwald presented... [More]
LA CYGNE CITY COUNCIL - Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Among actions at the regular La Cygne council meeting last Wednesday, Oct. 18, was a split vote in which the city accepts a draft agreement for title search and warranty deed preparation of seven lots at 402 S. Broadway in exchange for absorbing a $16,400 house demolition bill.... [More]
USD 362 SCHOOL BOARD - Tuesday, October 17, 2023

In addition to voicing approval for a four-day week survey and preparing for open enrollment policy/daycare grant application decisions next month, two reports located elsewhere in this issue, the Prairie View Unified School District 362 board of education acted on personnel... [More]
More Meetings
- LINN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - Monday, October 2, 2023
- PLEASANTON CITY COUNCIL - Monday, October 2, 2023
- BLUE MOUND CITY COUNCIL - Monday, October 2, 2023
- LINN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - Monday, August 28, 2023
- LINN VALLEY CITY COUNCIL - Monday, August 28, 2023
- USD 344 SCHOOL BOARD - Monday, August 14, 2023
- USD 346 SCHOOL BOARD - Monday, August 14, 2023
- LINN VALLEY CITY COUNCIL - Monday, August 14, 2023
NEWS
Commissioners discuss effects of city disbandment of fire department

During the Public Works report at the May 5 meeting Linn County Commissioners heard a brief report on mutual aid agreements for the Linn County Rural Fire Department and what effect the possible disbandment of the Pleasanton Fire Department will have on the county. District... [More]
Blue Mound discusses financing options for water tower project

Members of the Blue Mound City Council heard from Tom Fingers of Midwest Assistance Program and Joey McLiney from McLiney and Company concerning options for financing the water tower on Monday, May 5, for their regular monthly meeting. The city has received a grant... [More]
La Cygne leaders contemplate sales tax adjustment

After bond defeasance, election would be required to alter stated fund focus By all appearances, La Cygne voters may not be far away from seeing a ballot proposal to alter the stated focus for one of its two 1-cent city sales taxes. Information at the two regular... [More]
More News
- Fire department public hearing nets crowd
- County counselor issues statement on Tanglewood roads
- Linn Valley City Council ends discussion with SEKMHC on building
- SPECIAL: Legislative Update
- 16 criminal cases from Tanglewood Lake incident dismissed
- Tanglewood seeks clarification, aid from county
- Commission workshop hears of justification for SEKMHC CEO $600,000 salary
- La Cygne police get automatic plate readers
SPORTS
Prairie View track has a great day as they host home invitational

The Prairie View track team hosted their home invitational on May 1. The Buffalos did very well as the girls won the meet with a score of 142 and the boys placed second with a score of 92. Central Heights won the meet for the boys with a score of 103. Once again, the Buffalos... [More]
Jayhawk track places top three at Prairie View

The Jayhawk Linn track team traveled to Prairie View on May 1 to compete in the Prairie View Invitational. The Hawks did well at the event as the girls placed second overall with 124 points while the boys placed third overall with 89 points. Here are the individual... [More]
More Sports
- Jayhawk hosts home track invitational
- Prairie View track competes at Jayhawk Invitational
- Pleasanton baseball sweeps St. Paul and falls to Uniontown
- Jayhawk track wins the Pleasanton Invitational
- Pleasanton track places in top three at home invitational
- Prairie View track has multiple gold winners at Anderson County, top athletes compete at KU Relays
- Jayhawk baseball earns first victories of the season
- Pleasanton boys’ and girls’ track teams win Oswego Invitational