At the special meeting of the Lennox City Council Feb. 23rd the Council and members of the Lennox Park and Rec committee heard a presentation from Dave Burbach of Burbach Aquatics, Inc. Architects and Engineers. Burbach’s presentation was followed by questions and answers from those in attendance.
In other business an agreement with Banner Engineers for assistance in general engineering services at the Waste Water Treatment Facility was approved.
An application for abetment of taxes was approved as presented.
The motion to temporarily appoint Joe Kidd to the Planning and Zoning Board was approved. An ordinance change will be necessary to allow Kidd to remain on the Planning and Zoning Board. Kidd has moved out of town. According to Finance Officer Jerry Jones, Kidd has moved out of city limits but is still in the City’s planning jurisdiction.Jones said that ordinance change is in the works.
The Plat for Landon Addition was approved, as well as two plat approvals in the Meadows.
Brief discussion was held on the Highway 17 construction. Jones said information that had been gathered recently reflected a larger price tag for the widening of the sidewalk (shared use path) than the city had originally planned for. Jones said the state is working with them to allow payments on the $333,000, to be made over two or three years. Jones said this matter would be put on the agenda for approval at the next City meeting.
Jones said there were eight applicants for the Public Relations Director position. The council agreed to set up interviews on March 7th with the top candidates.
A resignation was accepted from Head Librarian Lorraine Nordmann. Jones said that Library Board president Laurel Shaffer would like to see someone hired before Nordmann leaves the position on April 2, 2016. The Council approved the resignation and instructed Jones to advertise for the new hire.
You may recall at the Feb. 16th City Council Meeting Shaffer submitted a letter requesting an adjustment to the city librarian’s salary. That same evening after executive session, a motion by councilmen Alan Ratliff was made to increase the head librarian wage to $15.00 per hour, not including the stipend for the health insurance. The motion died for a lack of a second. Salary listings published in this paper on Jan. 28, 2016 show the current wage for librarian as $12.75 an hour.
Nordmann said, “I will miss all the patrons, children, co-workers, and all the other librarians around the area and state I have met over 20 years.”
Also under personnel discussed at the Feb. 23rd meeting, a new position for additional personnel in water and sewer was discussed. Councilmen Mike Gregg said that based on recommendations from Banner and Associates that more testing is required at the Water Plant, additional staff will be required. After discussion the council instructed Jones to work with Water Superintendent Jeremy Gulbranson to draw up an advertisement for the new position.
The Council approved the hiring of Dustin McLouth as pool manager at $12 an hour, as well as the new hire of Lauren Luther as assistant at $11.00 an hour.
Park maintenance employees Darren Mechels at $12.00 an hour and Grant Sweeter at $10.25 an hour were approved.
The next meeting of the Lennox City Council was to take place on March 1, 2016.