Alva Review-Courier -

All councilmembers were present when Kiowa Mayor Brandon Farney called the Oct. 9 meeting of the Kiowa City Council to order.

They are: Bill Watson, R.L. Simpson, Russell Molz, Brian Hill and Tom Wells. Kiowa City Administrator Lou Leone also sat at the council with City Clerk Trish Brewer and City Attorney Laurel McClellan.

At that meeting Leone announced that the new and old generators would be tested that Thursday night from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. to make sure that together the two were good to go in carrying the electrical needs of the entire city. The test had to be postponed. Leone explained that a manufacturer encased part was not the right one. He said the manufacturer paid for the new part and shipping. The generator testing is rescheduled for next Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Leone said he anticipates the electricity will go off three or four times in that two-and-a-half hour period. He suggests people might want to unplug some things.

Chamber Talks October Fest, Christmas and Big Kansas Road Trip Representing the Kiowa Chamber of Commerce, Janet Robison and Cindy Archuleta thanked the city staff, crews, etc., for all their help to make a successful Labor Day weekend and for the "phenomenal job" after the major summer storms.

Robison and Archuleta updated the council on many upcoming events. The first is October Fest in downtown Kiowa Sunday, Oct. 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. There's a free movie for the kids and lots of activities. Get your costume out and brush up on your putt-putt golf skills. There will lots of games and old fashioned fun. Brauts will be available.

New this year is a Meat Cookoff Contest. Contact Shelby Nielson or Summer Girty for details. People attending October Fest can sample the meat along with potatoes and baked beans and bread for $5. Sunday, Dec. 3, is Kiowa's Christmas in the Heartland downtown celebration with more details to follow. May 3–6 is the Big Kansas Road Trip, which will showcase Barber, Comanche and Kiowa counties. Groups from Kiowa and Medicine Lodge are working together to optimize showing off Barber County. The Big Kansas Road Trip takes the Kansas Sampler Festival mission on the road. It's a fun way for people to explore hidden treasures via scenic back roads. The tour group descends on towns, their restaurants, businesses and attractions.

Recognition for Longtime Employees Leone recognized and presented awards to three city employees at the meeting. They are Gary Johnson, Shon Webster and Ron McKitrick, who Leone thanked for their service and dedication to the city. Johnson is city superintendent and started Sept. 11, 1995. With over 22 years of service he's worked in every department, Leone said. Webster has the most years of service with 23 years. Beginning July 14, 1994, Webster has worked in every department and is city mechanic and refuse coordinator. McKitrick has 10 years of service, as he started Dec. 3, 2007. He is a general laborer and assistant to Webster in the refuse department. Kiowa Council Business The board held several short executive sessions at the end of the meeting to discuss employee's performance. Leone said no action was taken afterward. Regarding the USDA-RD application regarding some funding for the city's proposed water main line replacement project, Leone said USDA rep Tom Finger said one more resolution needed signed. The council approved having Mayor Farney sign Resolution No. 284, which pertains to standards of conduct by the city. Jenny Egging with EBH and Associates of Pratt asked to be on the agenda to introduce herself to council. EBH is an engineering firm. Egging said EBH does water line work, curb and guttering, flooding issues like Kiowa's 12th Street project, etc. "I'm here to see if we'd be a good match," Egging said to council. Because the city's landfill for grass clippings, trees, etc., is still so full from the summer storms, the council decided to hold off on Bi-Annual Trash Days scheduled for November. Instead, the council approved the next Bi-Annual Trash Days for April 6 and 13.

Leone requested that he transfer 80 hours of his sick time to another employee, which the council approved. Police Chief Steve Johnson submitted his monthly report to council. He mentioned that Officer Warren Howeter has once again started the DARE program at the elementary school. Chief Johnson said an emergency preparedness drill is scheduled for Nov. 6 at 9 a.m. City Clerk Brewer said they want more security at the city office as they've had a few "incidents." The council suggested cameras. Other measures are now in place. Administrator Disagrees with Police Chief's Letter At the September council meeting, Police Chief Johnson submitted a prepared letter to council members and to the press. When asked by this Newsgram reporter at the end of the meeting if he'd like it to run as a letter to the editor with publisher approval he said yes. The letter was addressed to "Any and All Concerned Parties." His letter acknowledged getting a sizable raise for himself and an officer when the department downsized to two officers rather than three several years ago and there would be a freeze of future raises for the KPD for quite some time. He also mentioned a mill levy increase would be needed to give employee raises in the 2018 budget, which he said was discussed at a previous council meeting. At the October meeting, Administrator Leone had typed and read a near two page response, disagreeing with the KPD Chief. Leone questioned why Johnson felt the need to post his letter in the newspaper.

Leone stated that a mill levy increase for employee's wage increases is not true. He said budgets are always written with a percentage increase in wages for every employee except the police department. In 2014, when the KPD went to two officers instead of three, Leone said Chief Johnson received a 40 percent pay increase. The administrator said that Johnson's claim that this move saved the city over $30,000 per year is not true. To make his case, Leone provided a list of police department budgets from 2009 to 2017. Leone mentioned the purchase of equipment, sometimes in threes for a volunteer reserve officer, and more. Administrator Reports on 12thStreet and Variety of IssuesThe survey of 12thStreet and part of 11thStreet is complete, Leone said. This is the area that has had flooding issues since the railroad abandoned the tracks. He presented the council with a map and said the goal is for the city to clean up part of it. The map had small shaded areas of land that Leone said is currently owned by no one, the survey revealed. Therefore, no one pay taxes on it or is responsible to help improve it.

Yvonne Miller

At the October meeting of the Kiowa City Council 22 -and 23-year employees were recognized: City Superintendent Gary Johnson and City Mechanic and Refuse Coordinator Shon Webster.

Leone said that this unclaimed property on the east side of the street can be claimed by landowners adjacent to it. He said property owners across the street would be notified of the additional property, but would have to go through the process of claiming it themselves. The administrator wants to squelch the "rumor" that this is "a land grab" by the city. "That's not true."Leone has and will be attending municipal gatherings. By attending the NCCI conference he said the city gets a two to three percent discount on worker's comp coverage. Oct.19–21 he'll attend the KMEA Conference in Wichita.

Leone thanked teens from the Methodist church youth group for painting parking lines. He said Savannah Hughbanks submitted an intern application. The city office now displays new city maps to replace the ones that have been up since 1972. Leone said the city office tested positive for mold. There's an issue with ceiling tiles and new leaks in the office. In council items, Simpson said police need to enforce the "No J-Turn Signs" on Main Street. He sees that happen frequently. He reiterated this is illegal because Kiowa's Main Street is also a state highway. Although the KDH hospital foundation's Jeans and Gems fundraising event already occurred at the community building, the council officially waived the $50 rental fee for use of the building.