Mayor abstains from approving administrator

By SUSAN BERG

Managing editor

Following a 15-minute executive session for personnel, Marion City Council re-appointed city officials Monday as part of the annual designations.

Mayor Mary Olson asked city administrator David Mayfield if he intended to retire any time during the year of his appointment. Mayfield responded he intended to serve his term.

When time came to vote, Councilman Bill Holdeman voted against the reappointment and Olson abstained. When City Clerk Angela Lange asked Olson’s reason for abstaining, Olson responded her question was not adequately answered. With that, the motion passed, 3-2.

One-year reappointments unanimously approved by the council were Lange, Becky Makovec as deputy clerk, Josh Whitwell as police chief, Mike Regnier as fire chief, Bryson Mills as municipal judge, and Dan Baldwin as attorney.

In other business:

• A payment request to engineers Kirkham Michael for $17,591 was approved for work completed on the North Cedar/Eisenhower Drive project progresses. A supplemental financial assistance application for KDOT’s revolving loan fund also was approved, which allows the city to access funds to do additional work related to the project.
• A revised agreement between the city and Kansas Department of Transportation for improvements to Main Street as part of the KLINK project was approved.
• An alley in Phillips Grandview Third Addition will be vacated. Mayfield said an alley was platted in the addition but never utilized. However, a utility easement will be facilitated.
• Holdeman asked why the council did not receive any bids on buildings being constructed in the city’s industrial park. Mayfield responded the city reviewed bids for the city-owned building but the other projects are considered private and up to the individual business owners. Holdeman then asked if there were any bids for Spur Ridge Vet Hospital. The response was “no, it’s a private project.” Holdeman said he believes the business owner is under the impression the city is going to provide electricity in his building. It was clarified the city will provide electricity to the building but the owner is responsible for electricity within the building.
• More than $250,000 in warrants were approved which include nearly $108,000 to USD 408 for a baby pool, slide, and water features.

The next council meeting is at 4:30 p.m. May 4 in the city building.