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 review departmental budgets

SEKMHC budget cut During the July 28 meeting, the Linn County Commissioners reviewed several departmental budgets. Discussions began with Linn County Sheriff James Akes. Sheriff Akes explained to commissioners that initially he had budgeted extra hours to cover... [More]
Wisdom appointed Pleasanton Fire Chief

Following the resignation of Jimmy Watts as Pleasanton Fire Chief after last week’s council meeting, the Pleasanton Council appointed Jeff Wisdom as the new chief of the city fire department. Wisdom took the podium Monday night and said he’d spoken to the fire fighters... [More]
Pleasanton Council cuts to get to revenue neutral

The council met in special session Monday night to discuss the appointment of a new fire chief, see separate story, and discuss the 2026 budget – knowing they had approximately $45,000 to whittle to get below 90 mills to be revenue neutral. The police budget was discussed... [More]
More News
- Local residents warn of bad business practices
- Special: Resurfacing to begin on U.S. 69 in Linn County
- Pleasanton FD again at center of heated discussion
- La Cygne city to be below revenue neutral
- USD 362 files revenue-neutral exceedances
- Commissioners discuss airport future, request more information
- SPECIAL: Resurfacing on U.S. 59 in Anderson County to begin in August 4
- Commissioners vote to exceed revenue neutral
SPORTS
Pleasanton trapshooting team shows grit at National Championship

Eight members of the Pleasanton Trapshooting Team traveled to Mason, Mich., last week to compete in the USA Clay Target League National Championship. Five members participated in the team event, and all eight competed individually. The team was among 264 qualified teams competing... [More]
Blue Mound softball earns second place at Crest

The Blue Mound girls’ coach pitch team 1 places second at the TRL girls’ coach pitch tournament at Colony. The tournament took place from July 7 to July 9.
More Sports
- Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament
- Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship
- Gratton at Nationals
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team places seventh at State, Wallace earns State championship
- Joey Ewalt impacting youth wrestling here and abroad
- Prairie View trapshooting competes at State