By ANNE JACKSON | January 11, 2023

The Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, Prescott City Council opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

City Attorney Burton Harding was unable to attend.

The first order of business was to make and second a motion to accept the minutes from the December meeting. 

While the council members looked over the bills, Mayor Kevin Wood reminded them that one of the bills was for the new digital water meter equipment, as proof that the project continues to move along. A motion was made and passed unanimously to accept the payment of the bills.

Karen Springer then gave the Food Pantry report. She is very grateful for all the help given to the pantry, both from volunteers giving hours of their time, or people donating things. With food prices going up and less food coming even when she places an order with the Kansas food bank, she was very grateful for the December donations.

Curt and Dusty Laderer donated 54 dozen eggs.

Two other families between them donated 186 pounds of food.

Hunters for Hunger donated 400 pounds of venison. The hunters like to hunt, but don’t necessarily want to eat all the meat themselves; so they very generously donate the meat to food pantries, but also pay for the meat to be processed commercially.

Jerry and Marsha Heizer, even though they have moved out of state, sent $300 with a note, “Merry Christmas.”

Pleasanton Elementary School held a food drive and brought in 3,300 pounds of food plus a gift of $40.

Troy and Lana Stoughton donated $75 from their Christmas decoration prize money.

Heartland Electric Company gave a generous grant of $2,000 from the money they receive when their customers agree to “round up” their bill to the nearest whole dollar to benefit the community.

In old business, City Cerk Kathy Wood expressed frustration that City Attorney Burton Harding had not yet returned to her papers for WAPA - Western Area Power Administration (who market and transmit Federally produced hydroelectric power to utilities in a 15-state area of the central and Western United States.)  

She was able to add her relief that the WAPA people said, “No problem, they could be turned in during the month of February just as well.”

Although permission was given last month to another company to use the city’s sewer system, the company is holding true to their stated need of “infrequent use” and they have not yet asked to dump a load.

Mayor Kevin Wood said the city received a “Thank you” card from one of the families who won a prize for the Christmas decorating contest. He really appreciated the feedback that the contest is enjoyed.

For new business, a problem with loose dogs had to be ignored because Harding was unavailable. Clerk Wood wanted Harding to send an official letter since the dogs do fit into the Ordinance 265 description of “vicious dogs” because they have bitten and even killed domestic animals.

The report from the City Superintendent is that in between taking down Christmas decorations, old City Hall had a broken water line that needed attention and some sewer lines have also needed repairs. Dogs needed rounding up, too.

City Clerk Wood said she has done a lot of quarterly reports, year-end reports and even year beginning reports.

Council Member Fritz Norbury said he checked on what the price of a roughly four foot by four foot sign for the city would be if it was made of marble. The price was $7,630. He added that was just for ordinary grey limestone. A granite block would last longer, but, of course, would cost even more.

Council Member Ron Roberts suggested the council members start thinking about raising the rental prices of the city facilities, since the city does not charge very much and occasionally the buildings need a deeper cleaning than they usually get.

Mayor Wood asked that the council go into executive session for 15 minutes.

When he reopened the meeting, a motion was made and passed unanimously that the full-time city employees be given a raise of .50 per hour.