--- date: "2025-02-12" title: "Council Meeting Minutes 2025-02-12" source: "2025-02-12-minutes-council-monthly.pdf" --- City of Prairie City City Council Meeting February 12, 2025 Attendance: Mayor Ed Clark Councilor Colby Bradford Councilor Danner Davis Councilor Amanda Whale-Murphy Councilor Chase McClung via phone Chris Camarena, Public Works Director Marvin Rynearson, Fire Chief Shonalie Oakes, City Recorder Trish Coburn, City Clerk Rob Gaslin, CPA Visitors: Steve Patterson Georgia Patterson Frances Preston Sue Malaney Fran Bunch Sandy Murray Mayor Clark called the meeting to order at 6:01 pm, the pledge of allegiance was recited, and roll call taken. Councilor Scott Clark had an excused absence. Minutes: The minutes of the January 15, 2025 , meeting were considered. MSP: To approve January 15, 2025, City Council Meeting Minutes. Councilor Bradford/Davis. All members present approved unanimously. Yay : 5 Nays: 0 Speaker’s Roster: Mayor Clark recognized the visitors at the meeting. Signed up to speak first on the speaker’s roster was Georgia Patterson. Mayor Clark addressed Patterson, giving her the floor. Patterson wanted to know when the City planned to advertise the vacancy on city council. Mayor Clark said that the City plans to advertise the vacancy beginning in March. Mayor Clark called on the next person who signed up on the Speaker’s Roster, Fran Bunch. Bunch was going to ask the same question as Patterson. Bunch went on to let everyone know that a new restaurant opened at the Historic Hotel, and that the planters in front of the hotel look awful and was hoping the City had community service help that could be sent over to clean them up. Resolution No. 2025-02: Mayor Clark read out loud the Resolution, then provided clarification on the change made. resolution 2025-02 repeals and replaces the previous resolution for the Cell Tower & Depot Park dedicating revenue for a specific purpose. The only change reflected in Resolution 2025-02 is that the City will no longer be subsidizing the water fund with cell tower revenue. Noting that the Water Fund was replenished and made whole by the sale of the second cell tower, and that the Water Fund user fees should be adequate in sustaining itself. With the cost of law enforcement, the general fund will run low if some changes are not made. Resolution 2025-02 dedicates revenue received from the cell tower to the general fund. MSP: RESOLUTON NO. 2025-02 A RESOLUTION TO DEDICATE REVENUES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES. COUNCILOR BRADFORD/WHALE-MURPHY. ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTED YES UNANIMOUSLY. Yay: 5 Nay: 0 RESOLUTION NO. 2025-03: A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK OF THE CITY OF PRAIRIE CITY. The council decided the employee handbook needed more work and to have a workshop to have continued discussions before any changes are made and implemented. Downtown Beautification: Sandy Murray said spring is around the corner, with that the downtown planters need to be prepped, and the soil needs to be amended for the trees planted to survive. Public Works had agreed to these tasks at a previous meeting, and Murray requested these tasks be completed by March 31, 2025. Camarena expressed concerns that the trees would create a liability to the City, if the trees ruin the sidewalks the City would assume liability for the sidewalks should anything happen. Mayor Clark said he would speak with the City’s attorney to see what kind of protections need to be in place. Shonalie Oakes the City’s Recorder said that most all the cities that she has reached out to maintain the trees and flowers in its downtown corridors, using a licensed landscaping contractor/arborist. Those contractors are licensed and bonded and assume responsibility for planting, maintenance and care of the trees. For example, if something is planted incorrectly, or isn’t watered deep enough and the trees ruined the sidewalk, the responsibility of the repairs would fall on the contractor. Oakes requested the council’s permission to direct this issue to the City’s attorney to construct a tree ordinance, outlining the responsibilities of the City, and business owner that would be affected. There was a consensus from all the council present to have the City’s attorney draft a tree ordinance. Law Enforcement: The general fund cannot fiscally sustain the cost of law enforcement. Councilor McClung weighing in that he wants to keep the police but doesn’t see how we can continue paying for it, plain in simple, Prairie City cannot afford $100,000.00 plus per year. Mayor Clark agrees, saying that the money is going out and nothing is coming in to replace it. Mayor Clark said he had similar discussions earlier with the City’s CPA Rob Gaslin, saying we need to go to the public, if they want police, we must figure out a revenue stream for it, and it would most likely come in the form of a tax. Mayor Clark called on Gaslin for his input. Gaslin said there are two options: First option, we go to the public and explain that we need to raise an additional 150k per year in the form of property taxes revenues. The second option is to construct a public safety fee, that would be added to their monthly utility bill. Gaslin reiterated that IF the public wants police, they must figure out another revenue stream. The Council would like to hear from the public and get their thoughts on whether they want to continue paying for contracting law enforcement with the County? Does the public feel like it is worth the expense for the services we receive? IF the public feels the expense is worth the value and wants to continue having a guaranteed 40 hours police presence within Prairie City limits, HOW do we continue paying for it? Trish Coburn, the City’s clerk, suggested the council put together a questionnaire or survey, thinking maybe it would be a good way to hear from the public and get their feedback. Councilor Davis would like to know what we are paying for and requested the Sheriff come to the next meeting and give the council an update, which was the consensus for all council members present. OPRD: Councilor Bradford suggested the City consider going out for RFP and arranging a town hall to get community input on the Parks & Rec Master Plan. A positive thing for the community, this plan will hopefully bring the vision of the community members to life. Public Works Report: Public Works Director Chris Camarena shared that the Water Master Plan was recently completed and sent out for review. Public Works plans on applying for a Sewer Master Plan soon. Powerline to the Faiman Well is pending in progress. Accounts Payable: Gaslin read out loud the financial overview, walked the council through the appropriations review, and the City Council reviewed the check detail. Gaslin reminded the council that we need to get the budget committee organized and start planning the budget meetings. MSP: To pay the City’s bills Councilor Davis/Councilor Bradford. All council members present agreed. Yay 4 Nay 0 Fire Report: Fire Chief Marvin Rynearson said with the recent cold snap people using back up heat that isn’t well maintained and had multiple call outs from detectors. Rynearson said they are still waiting for a license to put in the new local repeater for the emergency radios. The department has an upcoming nerve agent training that they plan to attend at the airport. The training will be put on by the Health Department. Adjourn: MSP: To adjourn the February 12, 2025, Council Meeting at 7:05 pm. Councilor Bradford/Whale-Murphy. All Yes votes 4 No 0 Approved by the City Council this 12th day of March 2025 and signed by the Mayor. Ed Clark, Mayor Attested: Shonalie Oakes, City Recorder