By JACKIE TAYLOR | April 5, 2023

The Pleasanton City Council opened their Monday meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance followed by Mayor Mike Frisbie thanking Anne Johnson and company for their help filling Easter eggs for Saturday’s egg hunt.

City Administrator Teresa Whitaker told the council police candidate Ivan Squire graduates from Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) Friday, April 7. Charles Stokes graduates as an officer as well, April 28. The council approved a $1 per hour raise for Squire plus one-half of his $1,000 sign-on bonus for successful completion of KLETC.

Whitaker mentioned public meetings to discuss the city’s one-cent sales tax coming up on the next election for street repair. The council approved Monday, April 17 and Monday, May 15 at 6 p.m. 

She said everything needs to be ready to go for the ballot by July 1. Funds will be designated for a special street fund that can only be used for equipment, materials and loans.

The council approved finding a location for a 40’ by 240’ motorcycle jump area for the attraction during the Soldiers for Jesus event scheduled the first weekend of June. They also approved looking into a “burn out” area for motorcycles to burn out tires.

Whitaker said the city received 48 Narcan doses and approximately 200 medical disposal bags from a grant she applied for.

The council entered into a 10-minute executive session for non-elected personnel with Pat and Rhonda Huntley to discuss a city employee. No action was taken.

The council entered into several other executive sessions for trade secrets of a corporation, legal for potential litigation and legal to discuss contracts; all with no action taken.

The council held an executive session with Becky Hegwald to interview her for the city administrator position after Whitaker resigns the end of June. The council approved hiring her at $22.50 per hour and place her in the interim city manager position while in training. They will renegotiate her contract when she takes over as city administrator.

Whitaker said the Planning and Zoning book and Codes book have been codified and corrected; City Attorney Burton Harding said the council would have to approve two new ordinances to replace the ones covering the P&Z and Codes books.

Police Chief Tristan Snyder was quizzed about four dogs living in an unoccupied structure. He said that he can’t do anything if the dogs are fed, have water and shelter.

The council asked if the county’s approval of making city’s pay for city prisoners at the county jail would affect the city and Snyder and Whitaker both said it might cost $500 per year.

Whitaker said they were looking into insurance if a city prisoner got sick in the county jail and how to handle that expense.

Public Works Director Joey Morrisey told the council mowing season has begun, they completed draining the city pool and 75 grass carp were given to the city for East Lake by Fisheries Biologist Don George. Another 75 went to Mound City Lake.

George also gave the city one more fish feeder.

Morrisey presented a bid for painting the pool to the council for $54,500 that they did not act on. He felt they could make it through one more year without painting the pool.

The citywide garage sale is Saturday, April 29, followed by the citywide cleanup May 1 and the dog clinic Thursday, April 20.