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[27:39] call this meeting to order. Roll call.

[27:42] >> Mayor Parson

[27:42] >> here.

[27:43] >> Vice Mayor Baskque

[27:44] >> here. Commissioner Laura

[27:45] >> present.

[27:46] >> Commissioner McCaffrey

[27:47] >> present.

[27:47] >> Commissioner Warren

[27:48] >> here.

[27:49] >> We have a honor.

[27:50] >> Thank you very much. If you'd stand and

[27:51] join me for the pledge of allegiance,

[27:53] please.

[27:55] I pledge algiance to the flag of the

[27:58] United States of America and to the

[28:01] republic for which it stands. One nation

[28:04] under God, indivisible with liberty and

[28:08] justice for all.

[28:09] >> If you remain standing for the

[28:11] invitation, please.

[28:18] » Hello everybody. My name is Lanna Kley

[28:20] and I'm here representing the Liberal

[28:22] Ministerial Alliance. And I thank you

[28:24] all for allowing me to be here.

[28:28] Father, we just come before you today

[28:30] and we just ask you, Lord, to lead us in

[28:32] every decision that comes forth here

[28:34] tonight. Father, that you would bring

[28:35] your mercy and your truth and your

[28:38] knowledge and your wisdom would come

[28:39] forth out of this room tonight. Father

[28:41] God, that you would touch each

[28:42] individual and give them your

[28:45] understanding and your knowledge and

[28:47] your truth. Father, I just lift them

[28:49] before you tonight and I thank you in

[28:51] Jesus name. Amen.

[28:53] >> Amen.

[28:54] >> Thank you very much.

[29:01] » Item number one is awards proclamations

[29:04] and presentations. I know we have one

[29:07] proclamation

[29:08] tonight which I'll read real quickly um

[29:12] for fire prevention month, fire

[29:15] prevention week. Whereas Liberal Kansas

[29:18] is committed to ensuring the safety and

[29:21] security of all those living in and

[29:23] visiting Liberal. And whereas fire

[29:26] remains a serious public safety concern

[29:28] both locally and nationally, and the

[29:30] presence of lithium ion batteries in

[29:32] many household devices introduces fire

[29:35] risks. And whereas most of the

[29:38] rechargeable electronics used in homes

[29:40] daily, including smartphones, tablets,

[29:43] laptops, power tools, ebikes, e-

[29:45] scooters, and toys, are powered by

[29:47] lithium ion batteries, which if misused,

[29:50] damaged, or improperly charged can

[29:53] overheat, start a fire, or explode. And

[29:56] whereas the way lithium ion battery

[29:59] devices are charged can make a

[30:00] difference in helping prevent home

[30:02] fires. And whereas safe charging

[30:06] includes using the cord and charger that

[30:08] came with your device or one approved by

[30:10] the manufacturer. Charging on a hard

[30:13] flat surface, watching for warning signs

[30:15] like uh devices that are very hot or

[30:18] start to swell, unplugging when fully

[30:21] charged, and charging larger devices

[30:23] like ebikes outside and away from exits.

[30:27] And whereas residents are encouraged to

[30:29] understand that safe charging means

[30:30] making smart choices every time they

[30:32] plug in. And whereas liberal Kansas

[30:36] first responders remain dedicated to

[30:38] reducing the occurrence of fires through

[30:40] prevention, safety education, and

[30:42] community outreach. And whereas the 2026

[30:46] fire prevention week theme, charge into

[30:49] fire safety, safe charging is

[30:51] superpower, serves to remind all

[30:54] residents that safe charging can reduce

[30:56] the risk of fires in homes and

[30:58] communities. Now therefore, I, Jeff

[31:00] Parson's, mayor, do hereby proclaim

[31:03] October 4th through the 10th, 2026,

[31:06] uh, as fire prevention week throughout

[31:08] liberal Kansas, and urge all residents

[31:10] to learn about and practice safe

[31:12] charging habits.

[31:15] So, someone want to come up and

[31:50] appcate.

[31:51] Thank you.

[32:05] Item number 1B is uh fire department's

[32:08] commendations for the West Haven

[32:10] residential fire.

[32:14] » Good evening, mayor, commissioners. It's

[32:16] a this is a privilege for me to be here

[32:18] tonight to uh recognize some people for

[32:21] extraordinary efforts. As I I think I

[32:24] know you're all aware, one family in our

[32:26] community suffered a devastating

[32:28] houseire back on August 17th and um kind

[32:32] of the ana, you know, I've been here a

[32:34] long time and I've been to a lot of

[32:35] houseires. One thing I've always taught

[32:37] in public safety education, one thing I

[32:39] know from experience is that fire is

[32:41] extremely fast. It's um when we tell

[32:44] people you need smoke detectors to to

[32:47] make an easy escape, we we mean that. I

[32:49] mean, you have literally seconds to

[32:51] minutes to to get out of the house. So,

[32:53] kind of the anatomy of a house fire in

[32:55] Liberal is by the nature of the way it

[32:57] works, the 911 call taker receives the

[32:59] call, of course. Um this fire happened

[33:02] at 4:00 a.m. in the morning. So, um the

[33:05] firefighters are in their stations,

[33:07] probably in bed, just the way we work

[33:08] here. Uh the call gets dispatched out

[33:11] and our officers who are patrolling 24/7

[33:13] 365 are on the streets and they're one

[33:16] of the first to arrive at almost every

[33:18] houseire that we have and their efforts

[33:21] um can go a long way to a successful

[33:23] outcome and they're one link in that

[33:24] chain. Um they'll be followed quickly

[33:26] hopefully by fire units and probably EMS

[33:29] units depending on the type of fire that

[33:31] we have. So this fire was a very complex

[33:34] fire and following every fire there's an

[33:37] investigation that happens and um when I

[33:41] mentioned earlier that fire is fast you

[33:42] know when I got to this fire I was there

[33:44] you know I don't recall but it was

[33:46] within like probably 8 to 10 minutes

[33:48] when I arrived and took command of the

[33:50] fire and things happened so fast and

[33:52] I've seen this time and again and in

[33:54] this case with the complexity of the

[33:56] fire that we were facing and the way

[33:59] that things worked when when it's all

[34:00] done we hadn't had a fire in a while and

[34:02] I was I was very pleased with the

[34:03] outcome of the fire. Well, then the

[34:05] investigation starts and this

[34:07] investigation was different than most.

[34:09] It took a few twists and turns um as we

[34:12] uncovered different information through

[34:13] the through the investigation. We we you

[34:17] know we even considered lightning strike

[34:19] because thunderstorms had rolled through

[34:21] the area that night which I don't know

[34:22] if you saw this weekend Junction City

[34:24] suffered a terrible fire due to

[34:25] lightning strike on an apartment

[34:27] complex. Um, we always consider arson

[34:30] and then we try to rule out all of the

[34:32] accidental causes. So, in this case, um,

[34:35] while I was very pleased with the

[34:37] outcome of the fire, as we were going

[34:38] through the investigation, I had the

[34:40] opportunity to watch the body cam of the

[34:42] police officers that were on scene. And

[34:44] when I was done watching that body cam,

[34:46] I felt in my heart that this is one case

[34:48] where we need to give some recognition

[34:50] to the first people who were on scene

[34:52] that night. Um things have been, you

[34:55] know, going good with with the fire

[34:58] department, the police department here

[34:59] in town. And I I want to compliment

[35:01] Chief Pinkston and Deputy Chief Head. Um

[35:04] I really feel like they've got it going

[35:05] in the right direction over there. Um we

[35:08] have had training with them that I don't

[35:09] think I've seen more than two or three

[35:11] times in my 35 years. And um we're

[35:14] communicating better than ever before, I

[35:16] think. And um so I wanted to take this

[35:19] opportunity to get in front of you

[35:20] tonight and and recognize some efforts.

[35:23] So what happened there was the neighbor

[35:26] notified us of the fire and when first

[35:28] arriving police officers arrived on

[35:30] scene um the fire had control of two

[35:33] vehicles in the driveway and the fascia

[35:35] and sophet over the garage area directly

[35:37] in front of the vehicles and it was just

[35:39] starting to extend to a covered porch to

[35:41] the front door. These officers when they

[35:43] arrived they made the correct decision

[35:45] that there were still people in that

[35:47] house and through their efforts they

[35:49] made entry into that house. Not knowing

[35:51] how much time they had left. They awoke

[35:53] and got three individuals and they were

[35:55] able to one of the individuals was able

[35:57] to bring a cat out of the house fire as

[35:58] well. They got them out. Things are very

[36:01] hectic. Things are kind of wild. They

[36:03] kept the family under control. They kept

[36:05] the family away from the scene for us.

[36:08] And then their efforts didn't stop

[36:10] there. They also assisted as our fire

[36:12] units are starting to come in. There was

[36:14] a fire hydrant not 100 feet away, but it

[36:17] was an orange hydrant. Not the best

[36:19] hydrant on our water system. And that

[36:21] was going to be adequate to get us

[36:23] started, but that wasn't going to be

[36:24] adequate to finish the job. Because when

[36:25] we get to a house fire, we have to draw

[36:27] a line in the sand and decide where

[36:29] we're going to stop this fire. And in

[36:30] this case, when I got there, I very much

[36:32] feared for the house to the north of the

[36:34] house that was on fire and somewhat for

[36:36] the house that was to the south. I knew

[36:38] we were going to need a bigger water

[36:39] supply and in this case our next hydrant

[36:42] line had to come from Roosevelt down

[36:44] West Haven and it was nearly we laid

[36:46] every inch of hose off the truck and we

[36:48] carried 1,200 ft of hose on the truck.

[36:50] So then we needed to we had the initial

[36:52] water supply and those officers helped

[36:53] us get hooked up to the first fire

[36:55] hydrant and they were also not only did

[36:58] they account for everyone, evacuate the

[37:00] neighboring homes and let us know what

[37:02] was still in there, they told us there's

[37:04] still a 12-year-old service dog in the

[37:05] house. we'll make every effort we can to

[37:07] protect life safety. We sent four

[37:09] firefighters in while firefighting

[37:11] efforts were happening. Um brought the

[37:14] service dog out. It had succumbed to

[37:16] smoke unfortunately and the officers

[37:17] assisted with the resuscitation efforts

[37:19] on that dog which were tragically they

[37:22] were unsuccessful and the family lost

[37:23] their dog. But in the end, the outcome

[37:26] of this fire was that a family survived

[37:29] the fire.

[37:30] Back up a little bit on that body cam.

[37:32] When they bring the family out, when the

[37:34] last officer comes out and the family

[37:36] completely evacuates

[37:38] the house, the body cam catches the fire

[37:41] and it's starting to make its way down

[37:43] the porch to the front door. And in the

[37:45] body cam, it's less than 90 seconds

[37:47] later that the front door was

[37:48] impassible. And when my deputy chief

[37:51] Cody went to the back door, he came back

[37:53] and advised me that black smoke was

[37:55] about a foot off the floor coming out

[37:57] the back door. So, it might not have

[37:59] been survivable if these guys hadn't

[38:00] done what they what they did.

[38:03] >> Are we all here?

[38:05] >> Awesome. Okay. I was kind of stalling a

[38:07] little bit to make sure we got

[38:10] >> Can you have them come up or stand up?

[38:13] >> Can you have them come? I actually want

[38:15] to want to call it. Can I call up to the

[38:17] podium now Corporal Nathan Brennan,

[38:20] Officer Kaylin Martinez, Officer Isa

[38:23] Romo, Officer Brendan Bryant, and

[38:27] Officer Joel Lopez.

[38:35] Tonight I want to present to each one of

[38:38] these officers a certificate of commenation.

[38:43] And I'll just tell you right now, I was

[38:46] able to find the fire department

[38:47] challenge coin. And our challenge coins

[38:48] are numbered. I was able to find

[38:50] everyone's badge number. So I've got a

[38:52] challenge coin with your badge number on

[38:54] there with the exception of Officer

[38:56] Lopez.

[38:59] I don't have 553, but I got 453. And if

[39:01] there's another three-digit number

[39:03] that's significant to you, I'll sure to

[39:06] Full disclosure.

[39:08] So if you don't mind, I'll read to you

[39:10] the certificate of commendation. This

[39:12] certificate of accommodation and

[39:14] presented to Corporal Nathan Brennan,

[39:15] officer badge number 524. In the early

[39:18] morning hours of August 17th, 2026, a

[39:21] residential fire was dispatched at 1126

[39:23] West Haven Drive. Among our first

[39:26] responders to arrive on scene, Corporal

[39:27] Nathan Brennan along with four other

[39:29] officers took immediate action to safely

[39:31] remove three occupants and a family pet

[39:34] from the burning home. They led them to

[39:35] safety with only moments to spare.

[39:38] Further, after accounting for all

[39:39] occupants, Corporal Brown and the fellow

[39:41] officers were able to evacuate two

[39:43] neighboring homes being threatened. They

[39:45] were able to account for all human life

[39:46] and notify the fire personnel of a

[39:48] family service dog that remained trapped

[39:50] in the home. Corporal Brennan's efforts

[39:52] continued as firefighting operations

[39:54] began with his assistance in

[39:56] establishing a water supply to the first

[39:58] arriving engine from a nearby fire

[39:59] hydrant. And once the family pet was

[40:02] located, law enforcement officers

[40:03] assisted with resuscitation efforts,

[40:05] which were tragically unsuccessful.

[40:07] However, due to their selfless actions

[40:09] of Corporal Brennan and his fellow

[40:11] officers, the family survived unharmed

[40:12] to rebuild and move forward following

[40:14] this devastating fire. The bravery and

[40:16] professionalism exhibited by Corporal

[40:18] Brennan under extremely dangerous and

[40:20] difficult circumstances is to be

[40:22] recognized and commended. This

[40:24] certificate is hereby presented this

[40:26] 22nd day of September 2026 by Fire Chief

[40:30] Kelly Kirk.

[40:42] And what I just read to you is

[40:43] personalized to each one of them in

[40:44] their certificates. And next for officer

[40:46] Kaylin Martinez, match number 542.

[40:56] Officer Isa Romo, Bath number 545.

[41:04] Officer Brandon R. B46.

[41:12] Last but certainly not least, Officer

[41:14] Joel Lopez. I'll pass.

[41:23] Uh they deserve a tremendous amount of

[41:25] recognition. I don't know if they want

[41:26] to say anything, but I'm proud to be a

[41:28] part of this community and part of the

[41:30] first responders that serve here.

[41:34] » Thank you all very much. We

[41:37] >> Thank you.

[41:38] guys. Thank you.

[41:49] » Everything we do from here on out is

[41:50] going to be a let down.

[41:54] » Okay. Item number two, approval of the

[41:56] agenda.

[41:59] I'll make a motion that we approve the

[42:01] agenda as printed.

[42:03] >> Second.

[42:06] » Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any

[42:08] discussion or questions? Okay, seeing

[42:10] none, all those in favor?

[42:13] Motion passes 5 to zero. Item number

[42:16] three, uh, minutes from the September

[42:19] 15, 2026 regular meeting.

[42:24] » I'll make a motion that we approve the

[42:26] September 15, 2026 regular meeting

[42:28] minutes.

[42:30] >> Second.

[42:33] » And we have a motion and a second. Any

[42:35] questions or discussion?

[42:38] Okay. All those in favor?

[42:40] Motion passes five to zero. Item number

[42:43] four, items from citizens. Are there any

[42:45] citizens here that would like to address

[42:47] the commission?

[42:51] Okay, seeing none, items from groups.

[42:53] Are there any groups represented here

[42:55] that would like to address the

[42:56] commission?

[42:59] » All right. Item number six, the consent

[43:01] agenda. I move we approve the consent

[43:05] agenda as presented.

[43:08] >> Second.

[43:12] » Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any

[43:14] questions or discussion?

[43:18] Okay, all those in favor?

[43:20] Motion passes 5 to zero.

[43:23] Item number seven, resolution number

[43:25] 2463,

[43:27] authorization of Kansas tourism grant

[43:29] application.

[43:31] Mayor, vice mayor, and commissioners.

[43:32] We're bringing back resolution number

[43:34] 2463. We took no action on this item

[43:36] last meeting. Um this is for the Kansas

[43:39] Tourism Department's attraction

[43:41] development grant and we are applying to

[43:43] be able to create the um aviation

[43:46] playground that we presented to you all

[43:49] during the budget sessions. Um this

[43:51] would go out in front of the Liberal Air

[43:53] Museum. It would include the playground

[43:55] itself, which is shaped as an airplane.

[43:58] uh playground turf, polemounted

[44:00] lighting, um uh fencing, and then

[44:03] protective barriers as well. So, um this

[44:06] is something that we will submit in mid

[44:08] October pending approval of this

[44:10] resolution. Um it is a 60 40% and so the

[44:15] state would pay for 40% of the project.

[44:17] We are proposing for the match from the

[44:20] city of Liberal to come from our

[44:21] transient guest tax dollars through the

[44:23] convention and tourism center. And so we

[44:26] are recommending approval of resolution

[44:28] number 2463 authorizing us to submit the

[44:32] attraction development grant.

[44:37] » Do we have a total cost per

[44:39] >> it is nearing 255,000.

[44:44] The bulk of that being the playground

[44:45] itself. The equipment

[44:48] and this is equipment that has been

[44:50] installed. That same style has been

[44:53] installed in other places. So, it's not

[44:55] a custom build in any way.

[44:59] >> Did we say we were going to do a shade

[45:01] on that one or

[45:02] >> um

[45:03] >> that's not included.

[45:04] >> The design of the plane itself is a

[45:06] biplane and so there's a portion of it

[45:09] that is in the shade because it's

[45:10] underneath the wing. So,

[45:16] » so you said $255,000

[45:19] about

[45:20] >> about We're still in the process of

[45:22] collecting everything for the

[45:24] application itself.

[45:25] >> And it looks like just to kind of be

[45:27] clear, the grant would cover

[45:30] 40% of that,

[45:32] >> correct?

[45:32] >> And then the city would be covering the

[45:34] remaining 60%.

[45:36] And we we are looking for um in terms of

[45:39] especially the concrete work, there's

[45:41] some of that we can count as in kind

[45:42] matching

[45:43] >> so we can offset some of that cost.

[45:49] I move that we uh approve resolution

[45:52] number 2463, a resolution authorizing

[45:56] the submittal of an attraction

[45:58] development grant application through

[46:00] the Kansas Tourism Department and allow

[46:05] or authorize the mayor, city manager,

[46:07] and grant administrator to execute the

[46:10] grant documents.

[46:12] Second.

[46:15] Okay, we have a Got a motion and a

[46:17] second. Any discussion questions for

[46:20] Keely?

[46:21] >> Not really, but I'm pleased to see this

[46:22] back on the agenda after it did not make

[46:24] the agenda last week. So, very much

[46:26] >> not quite sure about the ins and outs of

[46:28] that, but glad to see it back.

[46:30] >> Y Thank you.

[46:33] >> Okay, all those in favor?

[46:36] Motion passes 5 Z. Thank you, Keely.

[46:39] Item number eight, ordinance number

[46:41] 4659, a special use permit 401 and 441

[46:46] Industrial Avenue.

[46:47] >> Mr. Mayor, commissioners, um, this

[46:51] matter was taken before the planning and

[46:53] zoning board August 13th. Uh, they voted

[46:56] unanimously to forward a recommendation

[46:58] on you on to you to approve this. The

[47:01] application is to utilize 441 and 401

[47:05] industrial which was formerly the Mosaic

[47:08] building and it currently sits empty. Uh

[47:11] utilize it as a religious place of

[47:13] worship which is allowed by the special

[47:16] use permit. Um, I received no negative

[47:20] comments about this use and uh, they did

[47:25] recommend that you guys approve

[47:28] ordinance 4659

[47:30] authorizing the special use

[47:34] of a religious place of worship for 401

[47:36] and 441 Industrial Avenue.

[47:38] >> So, just more of a curiosity question

[47:41] than anything. This would be

[47:46] like a new church that's occupying it or

[47:48] a church that's already in liberal

[47:50] that's also going to use it if you know.

[47:54] >> Mhm.

[48:03] » Yeah. Come forward.

[48:05] >> Just uh state your name if you would.

[48:07] >> Sure. My name is Jose Eopa, pastor. for

[48:11] a reason glory church here in liberal

[48:13] Kansas.

[48:14] We uh are part of us are here. We are

[48:18] the one trying to purchase that building

[48:22] depending on the permit uh to use it as

[48:25] a place of worship. It's not an it's not

[48:28] a new church. We are we've been here for

[48:29] 30 years.

[48:30] >> Okay. I was just curious. Okay. Thank

[48:33] you for that.

[48:40] Well, I'll make a motion that we adopt

[48:42] ordinance number 4659

[48:46] allowing the special use of a religious

[48:48] place of worship on 401 and 441

[48:50] Industrial Avenue.

[48:53] >> Second.

[48:55] >> Okay, we have a motion and a second.

[48:59] Any questions or further discussion?

[49:04] All right, all those in favor?

[49:06] Okay, motion passes 5 to zero.

[49:08] >> Congratulations.

[49:10] >> Thank you.

[49:10] >> Appreciate it.

[49:11] >> Thank you.

[49:14] >> Item number nine, resolution 2466,

[49:17] authorization of Kansas Commerce Grant

[49:19] application.

[49:21] >> Mayor, vice mayor, and commissioners,

[49:22] we're really excited to bring this to

[49:24] you. Um, you may have heard that Kansas

[49:27] Commerce launched a very special

[49:30] one-time half a million dollar program

[49:34] to help transform a downtown block. Um,

[49:37] this is again one time only one

[49:41] community is going to win this. It's an

[49:43] extremely aggressive grant application

[49:45] timeline as well as a two week extreme

[49:49] makeover transformation time frame. So,

[49:52] um, just to kind of give you an update

[49:54] on where we're at, this grant, if, uh,

[49:56] we approve this resolution, is due at

[49:58] the end of the month, and we would know

[50:00] by October 9th or 10th whether or not we

[50:03] received the grants so that we can move

[50:06] forward with some very quick material

[50:09] acquisition and lining up contractors

[50:11] and um, you know, making some other

[50:13] decisions based around this project. Um,

[50:16] this resolution is a little different

[50:18] because we were in our calls with

[50:20] commerce, they recommended just because

[50:22] of the aggressive timeline that we apply

[50:26] as Seward County Development Corporation

[50:28] because they are able to make those

[50:29] purchases faster without having to go

[50:31] back through a governing body to do so.

[50:33] Um, and so we are assisting with this.

[50:36] Um and we would be uh providing the

[50:39] matching funds, some of which have

[50:42] already been expended and are able

[50:44] actually from prior investments made by

[50:46] property owners, private individuals in

[50:49] that block to be used as account towards

[50:50] our grant. Um so it's there's a lot of

[50:54] moving pieces to this thing. Um, but

[50:56] essentially we are looking to be able to

[50:58] do three facade updates to a series of

[51:02] buildings in the middle of the 200 block

[51:04] on the west side of Kansas Avenue. Um,

[51:07] among those um, one of those buildings

[51:10] we would look to demo and be able to

[51:13] turn into a very um, much needed

[51:15] courtyard area to be able to host

[51:17] downtown events um, and bring the

[51:18] community together and activate those

[51:20] spaces. Um this was an idea brought to

[51:23] us by the property owners and then this

[51:24] grant launched. So we feel it was kind

[51:27] of just

[51:28] timing that all fell together in the

[51:30] right place. So um again it's a very

[51:32] competitive grant but we are hopeful

[51:34] that we'll be able to get this put

[51:35] together and be selected. Um Eli and I

[51:38] have been working on the grant itself.

[51:40] Um we've got great participation from

[51:42] contractors who are ready to see us

[51:44] through as well. So, um, with that, um,

[51:47] our recommendation would be to approve

[51:48] the resolution authorizing us to help

[51:51] prepare and submit this through the

[51:54] Sierra County Development Corporation as

[51:55] a grant applicant and we would be

[51:57] providing the matching funds behind the

[51:59] project if awarded.

[52:00] >> And when you describe it as very

[52:02] competitive,

[52:03] >> only one award will be made in the

[52:06] entire state of Kansas.

[52:07] >> Yes.

[52:08] >> So, with that, I really want to win.

[52:11] >> Yes. Is there anything we can do? we

[52:14] >> to allow us to be more competitive.

[52:16] >> Yeah, we're looking for everything we

[52:18] can possibly do. Um and

[52:20] >> like in the community,

[52:22] >> um we are actually reaching out and have

[52:24] already received back some letters of

[52:26] support and so we are definitely I

[52:28] talked with a couple that owned a

[52:29] business just they saw me out taking

[52:31] pictures this afternoon, talk to them

[52:32] about the grant. They're like, "Oh,

[52:33] that's awesome. How can we?" And so

[52:35] we'll approach them about doing a um

[52:37] letter of support. Um that's very

[52:39] helpful. They want to see the buyin of

[52:41] the community, of the property owners,

[52:43] of the contractors working on the

[52:44] project because this is a big thing for

[52:46] them too. They want to be able to highly

[52:47] publicize this project and so it's

[52:49] really important for them that things go

[52:51] through the way they need to on the time

[52:54] >> the time frame.

[52:55] >> Yes. So the project has to be completed,

[52:58] the twoe transformation portion has to

[53:00] be completed by December the 15th. They

[53:03] want all of the facade improvements and

[53:05] those types of changes to be made in

[53:07] that two week time frame prior to

[53:09] December the 15th in terms of that

[53:11] courtyard we talked about.

[53:13] >> That would be that would be

[53:15] >> so that's after you would be

[53:17] >> that would be after.

[53:18] >> What's the approval process timeline?

[53:20] >> Uh so October 9th or 10th is when we

[53:22] think we'll have that done. So our goal

[53:24] is to have that completely demolished.

[53:26] we would then use that site to be able

[53:28] to stage for that two-week construction

[53:31] time frame because that's going to be a

[53:32] lot of moving pieces and and people

[53:34] working on those improvements. Um so

[53:37] that is our plan for that. Um we did uh

[53:40] have calls of course with PEC with

[53:42] Hutton Design Build as well about our

[53:44] concept because we want to be able to

[53:46] show visually what some early concept

[53:48] ideas of that courtyard would look like.

[53:50] Um and we feel commerce told us that

[53:53] would be a very important piece of this.

[53:54] We understand that would have to be done

[53:55] in stages. Um even though the demolition

[53:58] would happen before the two week

[54:00] opening, that demolition cost would

[54:02] count towards our match. So, um we're

[54:06] hopeful, we're excited about this. Um

[54:10] >> I can tell

[54:11] >> like I'm so this will just completely

[54:13] transform downtown.

[54:14] >> We'll be able to do a lot of more events

[54:17] and farmers market. And

[54:18] >> they did say they're not looking for a

[54:20] downtown that's already great. They're

[54:22] looking for a downtown that's in

[54:24] transition right now.

[54:25] >> We have one of those.

[54:26] We're we're right

[54:28] in the middle of the downtown

[54:30] redevelopment plan and they love to see

[54:32] that. They're like, "Highlight that, you

[54:33] know, tell us what you know already and

[54:35] your, you know, and what you found out

[54:36] from people um because of course we

[54:39] identified this as a huge need through

[54:40] the comprehensive plan." So, the pieces

[54:43] are just kind of falling into place and

[54:44] we're very hopeful we can make it work.

[54:45] >> Do we know who at the Kansas Department

[54:47] of Commerce is reviewing these and

[54:48] making a decision?

[54:50] Yes, we've had calls. We've had multiple

[54:52] calls.

[54:53] >> Is it just like the secretary or is it

[54:55] >> um the secretary is involved? There's a

[54:57] couple of other key staff members in

[54:58] their quality places division. So, um

[55:00] Eli and I are pretty familiar with that

[55:03] team. So,

[55:07] » this has been just an absolute fullcourt

[55:09] press. I mean, when this happened,

[55:11] everybody just sort of into action.

[55:13] >> Yeah.

[55:14] >> And

[55:15] >> well, Commissioner Vasquez, you're the

[55:16] most excited, so do you want to make the

[55:18] motion? Yes, please. I I can't wait. So,

[55:22] I will approve resolution 2466

[55:26] authorizing the city of Liberal to

[55:28] prepare and submit a block program grant

[55:30] application to the Kansas Department of

[55:32] Commerce on behalf of the Seward County

[55:34] Development Corporation as the grant

[55:37] applicant and allowing the mayor, city

[55:39] manager, Seward County Development

[55:41] Corporation Executive Director and Grant

[55:43] Administrator to execute grant

[55:45] documents.

[55:46] >> Second.

[55:51] Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any

[55:53] further discussion or questions for

[55:54] staff?

[55:55] >> All I'm going to say is if this gets

[55:57] approved and gets done, you have to

[55:58] throw away your shirt that nothing good

[56:00] happens fast.

[56:01] >> This is very true.

[56:04] I'll have to scratch out and say most

[56:06] things. So there

[56:10] was

[56:10] >> in favor.

[56:11] >> Yeah. You'll have to make new PR shirts.

[56:14] Yeah.

[56:15] >> Motion passes five to zero. Thank you,

[56:18] Keely.

[56:19] >> Item number 10, planning and zoning

[56:21] board appointment.

[56:23] >> Mr. Mayor, commissioners, um, with

[56:27] Hierro Vasquez moving to the county

[56:29] commission and being forced to step down

[56:31] from the planning and zoning board. Um,

[56:34] Edgar Ortunio then had to move because

[56:36] he had moved into town, moved to the

[56:38] city seat that Hiro had been occupying,

[56:41] leaving a vacant county seat, which is

[56:44] somebody who has to live within the

[56:46] three outside the city limits, but

[56:48] within the three mile extra territorial.

[56:50] Um, we did receive a uh board

[56:53] application from Mr. Ryan Martin. He did

[56:56] attend the August 13th meeting of the

[56:59] planning and zoning board and discuss

[57:01] with them. They have uh

[57:06] recommended that you appoint Mr. Ryan

[57:09] Martin to the planning and zoning board

[57:12] uh for a term to end January of 2029.

[57:17] Mr. Martin was not able to be here

[57:18] tonight. I believe he's out of the

[57:20] country.

[57:22] >> Is he then replacing

[57:26] Edgar? Yes, he would be filling the seat

[57:29] that Edgar vacated by moving to a city

[57:31] seat. We have we have

[57:33] >> there's seven people on the board. Five

[57:35] of them have to live within the

[57:36] corporate city limits. The other two

[57:39] have to live outside the corporate city

[57:40] limits but inside the three mileage

[57:42] territorial and that those two county

[57:44] seats are hard to fill when they become

[57:47] empty.

[57:49] >> Yes,

[57:52] that's what I was asking.

[57:54] >> And his vote um was it unanimous? I

[57:56] believe so.

[57:57] >> Okay.

[57:59] >> And then would that bring it to seven?

[58:01] >> That will bring the board back to a full

[58:04] seven. Yes.

[58:05] >> Okay.

[58:07] >> Well, in that case, I recommend um

[58:10] commission appoint Ryan Martin to the

[58:12] planning and zoning board for the term

[58:14] ending January 2029.

[58:17] >> Second.

[58:21] » We have a motion and a second. Any

[58:23] further discussion, questions?

[58:26] Right. All those in favor?

[58:29] Motion passes 5-0. Thank you, Keith.

[58:32] Item number 11, innovative technology

[58:34] grant, smart signals project,

[58:41] » mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, city

[58:43] staff. Um, so pretty much um this is

[58:46] regarding the innovation technology

[58:47] grant. It's very exciting. Maybe not

[58:49] exciting as Janet was with the other

[58:51] projects, but you know, it's a very good

[58:53] point.

[58:54] >> Thank you.

[58:55] >> So, it it kind of involves a um uh uh

[58:59] Liberal received a notice of award for

[59:01] 2027 innovation technology um uh for the

[59:05] Kansas Department of Transportation. Um,

[59:08] this grant was provided up to $140,944

[59:12] uh and funds for eligible technology um

[59:15] deployment improvement and safety

[59:17] accessibility and effectiveness mobility

[59:19] for transportation users around town. Uh

[59:21] three intersections will be uh we're

[59:23] trying to do three intersections. The

[59:25] intersections will be uh 11th Street and

[59:27] Kansas Avenue, uh Pine Street and Kansas

[59:29] Avenue, and Persian Avenue and Pancake

[59:31] Boulevard. um they're much needed uh uh

[59:35] to be updated as well. Uh really

[59:38] outdated uh information. So in addition

[59:41] to purchasing equipment uh throughout

[59:43] our standard traffic signal equipment

[59:45] vendor, we also need implementation of

[59:47] also requirement of some upgrades in the uh intersection which will be

[59:52] installing new wiring uh uh and

[59:55] infrastructure equipment as well. Uh so

[59:57] pretty much the total cost uh for this

[1:00:00] project uh which will be divided in two

[1:00:02] different sections uh will be a total of

[1:00:03] 226,271

[1:00:06] which of $137,89

[1:00:10] uh6 will be reimbur reimburseable

[1:00:12] through the K dot grant. Um so uh so

[1:00:16] that'd be a big help you know through to

[1:00:17] the city as well and the uh and the

[1:00:20] taxpayers uh here in in uh in the city

[1:00:24] of Liberal. Uh first it came with the uh

[1:00:27] agenda item number 11A which is the uh equipment purchase. Uh this will be

[1:00:34] purchased through um through gadies. Uh

[1:00:37] this new equipment purchases will

[1:00:39] replace 30-year uh antiquated signal

[1:00:41] equipment which is also improving uh

[1:00:44] pedestrian protector crosswalking. Um

[1:00:47] also the equipment will includes traffic

[1:00:49] cabinets, blade controllers, uh fisheye

[1:00:52] cameras, audible pedestrian push buttons

[1:00:55] and uh countdown timers uh interrupted

[1:00:58] power supply systems and the curvision

[1:01:01] smart city intelligent transportation

[1:01:03] system platform is just pretty much just

[1:01:05] to kind of take count of traffic. So,

[1:01:07] it's kind of fancy word to say it. Um,

[1:01:09] the smart signals will be installed will

[1:01:12] use real-time sensitive technology and

[1:01:14] data analytic to automatically detect

[1:01:17] and report vehicles stopped um on the

[1:01:19] shoulder. A vehicle stopped uh in a lane

[1:01:22] or slow traffic. Um also stop traffic,

[1:01:25] uh vehicles moving in the wrong

[1:01:26] direction, crosswalk violations, double

[1:01:28] yell, yellow line crossings, uh

[1:01:31] commercial vehicle speeding, uh near

[1:01:33] miss incidents, and red light

[1:01:34] violations. uh traffic also flow would

[1:01:37] be uh enhanced through implementation of

[1:01:39] a traffic control platform which uses

[1:01:41] real-time data feeds to adjust signal

[1:01:43] timing and optical uh traffic movement

[1:01:46] during periods of heavy traffic. Like I

[1:01:48] said, sometimes we sit in the in the

[1:01:49] stop sign or in the traffic sign, you

[1:01:51] know, then the other lanes are empty.

[1:01:53] So, this will help out with the new

[1:01:54] technology being the new radar and um

[1:01:56] help out with that. So, so traffic will

[1:01:58] flow faster and evenly. Also, these

[1:02:00] signals do not uh do not read license

[1:02:02] plates or perform any facial

[1:02:04] recognition. Um, key reached out to uh

[1:02:07] James with Katies and asked him directly

[1:02:09] about that and he assured us that it

[1:02:11] does not take a facial recognition or

[1:02:13] license plate. So I know right now it's

[1:02:15] a big concern in Liberal. So that'd be

[1:02:17] something um as well to take

[1:02:19] implementation. Uh so there are not

[1:02:21] built or sold as surveillance

[1:02:23] enforcement tools. The system does not

[1:02:25] require a stable internet connection to

[1:02:27] run signal programming. So traffic

[1:02:28] counts can be uh tabulated and pulled

[1:02:31] from the system records. Also the video

[1:02:33] feed for our system will be configured

[1:02:35] strictly for vehicle detection purposes

[1:02:37] and will not be able to capture and

[1:02:39] store video for later retrieval of this

[1:02:42] uh um of the uh vehicles and pedestrians

[1:02:45] as well. So um with this right here

[1:02:47] recommendation staff recommends approval

[1:02:50] of the equipment purchase for the smart

[1:02:51] signal project from Gaty Sales uh

[1:02:54] company Inc. in the amount of $137,896

[1:02:58] from the streets, drains, and cap

[1:03:00] improvement portion of the 1 cent sales

[1:03:02] tax, which uh like I said, will be fully

[1:03:05] uh reimbursed from the Kansas Department

[1:03:07] of Transportation, Innovation,

[1:03:08] Technology um fund. So, we pay right

[1:03:11] now, but we we'll be refunded uh for the

[1:03:13] actual equipment purchase. So, um

[1:03:17] that'll be the first part of the of this

[1:03:19] grant.

[1:03:21] >> We have any questions? I know it's a lot

[1:03:22] of information. We try to kind of you

[1:03:24] should have seen the list. We just kind

[1:03:26] try to minimize it to keep it a little

[1:03:27] more simple. So,

[1:03:29] >> and this question may be for you or for

[1:03:32] Keely and we may not even know the

[1:03:34] answer on this one. This technology will

[1:03:37] and only the one on Pancake Boulevard.

[1:03:40] Um will it work with the technology

[1:03:43] they're trying to install for their

[1:03:44] technology corridor on 83? No, that 83

[1:03:49] has more to do with um

[1:03:51] >> I know that's for semi

[1:03:52] >> remote sensors and moving yeah targets

[1:03:55] through different geographic areas. This

[1:03:57] is simply it uses an AI processor to be

[1:04:01] able to intake the information it's

[1:04:03] seeing visually and make real-time

[1:04:06] adjustments. Some of its historic

[1:04:08] adjustments it'll kind of learn from

[1:04:09] itself basically. We know especially at

[1:04:12] 11th in Kansas and Pine in Kansas that

[1:04:15] school zone changing times have a lot to

[1:04:18] do with the traffic flow there.

[1:04:20] >> Um so it

[1:04:22] uh yeah it's it's one of those that it

[1:04:25] learns from itself, it learns about and

[1:04:27] gives us some really good insights. The

[1:04:29] reason that it does the double yellow

[1:04:32] line crossing, the red light violations,

[1:04:34] those types of measurements and counts

[1:04:36] is so we can pull the data and be able

[1:04:38] to say, is do we need to be enforcing

[1:04:40] this? Is this a really dangerous

[1:04:42] intersection? Are people, you know,

[1:04:44] disobeying traffic signals and and

[1:04:46] driving in ways they shouldn't be. Um,

[1:04:49] it also does do traffic counts for us,

[1:04:50] which is always something that's very

[1:04:52] helpful when we're looking at road

[1:04:53] utilization um and making repairs and that type of a thing. So, And we

[1:04:59] kind of do like a we have to do like

[1:05:00] pull data or you know just kind of see

[1:05:03] to adjust speed limits and so this data

[1:05:05] will help out with that because we know

[1:05:06] how much traffic flows to those areas

[1:05:08] and you know just help out with with

[1:05:10] future studies as well. So it's really awesome. Like I said the new the new cameras that we be using in this

[1:05:16] are different than the ones we use right

[1:05:17] now. Right now we have a lot of issues.

[1:05:19] You know I know like six points and um

[1:05:21] this morning on 15th and in Kansas you

[1:05:24] know the sun hits it and just you know

[1:05:25] it just messes up with the system. With

[1:05:27] this newer one, it'll be just be two

[1:05:28] cameras, you know, bird eye, so it'll be

[1:05:31] um kind of backing up each other up. So,

[1:05:33] we won't need as much cameras in the

[1:05:34] interstation as well, which is helps out

[1:05:36] as well. So, it's going to be, like I

[1:05:38] said, I mean, this is a um

[1:05:41] >> you know, nice nice technology upgrade

[1:05:42] that we're going to be doing.

[1:05:43] >> So, I know you definitely address it. I

[1:05:46] will give you credit for that. But

[1:05:50] you know when we say that it

[1:05:58] » is not used for surveillance.

[1:06:00] >> It's not used for surveillance. But then

[1:06:01] we talked about pulling reports and

[1:06:03] data.

[1:06:04] >> It just

[1:06:04] >> How do you mesh those two things?

[1:06:06] >> It only pulls data about an incident

[1:06:09] >> by what?

[1:06:09] >> It it only pulls data about an incident

[1:06:11] as a count. So if someone ran a red

[1:06:13] light, we just know a person ran a red

[1:06:16] light and we don't know anything more

[1:06:18] about it. It does our system will be set

[1:06:20] up so that it is not recording any data

[1:06:23] that can be or any video feed that can

[1:06:25] be revisited. If someone wants to file

[1:06:27] an insurance claim, our camera didn't

[1:06:29] pick it up enough. I mean, there's not

[1:06:31] enough information there to say what

[1:06:33] happened or who was involved, period.

[1:06:35] And so then just kind of along those

[1:06:37] same lines just to make sure that

[1:06:39] >> I guess we're covering any possible

[1:06:41] loopholes that you may or may not even

[1:06:43] be aware of.

[1:06:44] >> Um and I'll have one more question I

[1:06:46] think after this but you know it says

[1:06:48] we'll use real time safety sensing

[1:06:50] technology and data analytics to

[1:06:52] automatically detect and report a

[1:06:55] vehicle stopped on the shoulder. So how

[1:06:57] does that work? What does that look

[1:06:58] like? Where is the report going to? It

[1:07:01] feeds to the traffic signal itself. So

[1:07:04] that if you have if there's been a

[1:07:06] collision near the intersection or in

[1:07:08] the middle of the intersection,

[1:07:10] >> the lights all go red.

[1:07:12] >> I mean, it's not going to continue

[1:07:13] running traffic light signals because it

[1:07:15] knows there's been something wrong. It

[1:07:17] does not report to emergency response

[1:07:20] agencies that something has occurred.

[1:07:22] >> Yeah. And I guess that's really what I

[1:07:24] was getting at and should asked more

[1:07:25] directly, although your explanation was

[1:07:27] helpful. I mean, it's not sending alerts

[1:07:29] to emergency response or law enforcement

[1:07:31] or anything like that.

[1:07:33] >> No, just allows it to be able to say,

[1:07:34] "Wait, something's wrong here. I need to

[1:07:37] stop the signals," basically.

[1:07:38] >> And then what happens?

[1:07:41] >> It's from there. I mean, obviously, you

[1:07:43] kind of just respond to the incident as

[1:07:45] that scene clears and the camera is able

[1:07:47] to see, okay, things are operating

[1:07:49] normally again, it just goes back to

[1:07:50] normal function.

[1:07:51] >> Okay. And so then kind of again along

[1:07:53] the same lines

[1:07:55] again, I think you addressed it here,

[1:07:57] but just to kind of double down on it,

[1:07:59] there's not any type of video, whether

[1:08:02] it's recorded or stored or not, that's

[1:08:04] being transmitted anywhere. Like we

[1:08:06] don't have a person with our Department

[1:08:08] of Transportation.

[1:08:09] >> No.

[1:08:10] >> Sitting somewhere who can watch a live

[1:08:12] feed or anything like that?

[1:08:13] >> No.

[1:08:14] >> Since like I said, it's not it doesn't

[1:08:15] require the Wi-Fi connection. We're not

[1:08:17] going to have Wi-Fi connections on it.

[1:08:19] So like say just it's just just to

[1:08:20] modify the circumstances around it.

[1:08:22] Usually when they have like um when our

[1:08:25] signals go, you know, start blinking

[1:08:26] red, we usually get a call from the um

[1:08:29] from uh

[1:08:32] >> Man, that's the

[1:08:35] dispatch. They they give us a call and

[1:08:36] we'll show up on scene.

[1:08:37] >> Yeah. Are they going to be like

[1:08:38] automatically new traffic lights or is

[1:08:40] this a little thing that's going to look

[1:08:42] like a camera that

[1:08:43] >> or do you know

[1:08:45] >> it's more like it's just a Yeah, just

[1:08:48] it'll just be a next to the traffic, you

[1:08:50] know, the it'll just be up top on the

[1:08:52] pole and then it'll just it just to

[1:08:53] detect. It's just what it is just like a

[1:08:56] more and more advanced detection.

[1:08:57] >> As we sat here, obviously I'm kind of

[1:08:58] comfortable with that. But

[1:08:59] >> yeah,

[1:09:00] >> I think we all know how that's going to

[1:09:01] be perceived once those start going up.

[1:09:03] So that's the reason for these

[1:09:05] questions. We currently have cameras

[1:09:11] » and all is in that zone

[1:09:14] >> and it's going to it's going to rotate

[1:09:16] the lights.

[1:09:17] >> Mhm.

[1:09:18] >> Which I certainly appreciate. I like

[1:09:22] >> Okay.

[1:09:24] >> Yeah.

[1:09:26] >> Like we set up the detections. It would

[1:09:27] be like 30 seconds for each slide, you

[1:09:29] know. But if if there's this if you pull

[1:09:32] up to your signal and then it's their

[1:09:35] turn to go, it'll detect it and you have

[1:09:36] to do the full cycle 30 seconds to

[1:09:38] automatically change to the the VAS that

[1:09:40] actually being used. So So it helps out

[1:09:43] like that's it helps out with the flow

[1:09:44] of traffic as well. So

[1:09:45] >> does this replace the conflict monitor

[1:09:47] or

[1:09:48] >> No, it still be with it. It's just like

[1:09:50] I said, it'll be just newer newer

[1:09:52] equipment that is done.

[1:09:53] >> Yeah, it's just because

[1:09:54] >> just a sensor then?

[1:09:55] >> Yes. Yeah, pretty much. just like a

[1:09:56] detection sensor. That'll be that's

[1:09:58] pretty much

[1:09:58] >> there's a full cabinet and everything

[1:09:59] that's

[1:10:00] >> Yeah, everything's cabinet. We got the

[1:10:02] >> to store the housing for everything.

[1:10:04] >> Yeah, the control and everything. It'll

[1:10:05] be the exact same thing. It's just like

[1:10:06] I said, just a newer version. Um the

[1:10:08] cameras that we actually have right now

[1:10:10] um uh

[1:10:13] I think eventually we're going to have

[1:10:14] to update them as well because they

[1:10:16] don't uh gives deal with them anymore.

[1:10:19] So, it's kind of we kind of have to look

[1:10:21] start looking into is what may replacing

[1:10:22] some of them as well just because

[1:10:23] they're

[1:10:23] >> sensor is probably the better word

[1:10:26] >> as opposed to camera because

[1:10:29] >> that carries some different type of

[1:10:32] >> sureation with it. So,

[1:10:34] >> only this one will probably look like a

[1:10:37] camera cuz it's a little bold.

[1:10:38] >> Yeah.

[1:10:39] >> Where the other ones are sensors cuz it

[1:10:40] has that white face that points at. We

[1:10:43] would definitely be highlighting and

[1:10:45] giving Kot a shout out to thank them for

[1:10:48] what these actually do. And so that's

[1:10:50] where we would be able to do that public

[1:10:52] education about what they actually do.

[1:10:54] So

[1:10:55] >> we definitely understand that. And yeah,

[1:10:57] >> we grilled them.

[1:10:58] >> Yeah.

[1:10:59] >> Very well.

[1:10:59] >> We're cautious on on the equipment that

[1:11:01] we're using as well. So

[1:11:03] >> people have taken that there's been an

[1:11:06] accident. You got it on camera.

[1:11:13] The other great thing this does is it

[1:11:15] does have that uninterrupted power

[1:11:17] supply to it. And so there have been a

[1:11:19] lot of outages, especially on Pine,

[1:11:22] Kansas.

[1:11:22] >> I remember last year we were going out,

[1:11:24] you know, a couple times that all the

[1:11:26] power went out. So we're over there

[1:11:27] scrambling trying to get four-way stop

[1:11:28] signs and blinkers and sandbags and

[1:11:31] everything. With this one right here, it

[1:11:33] has that backup camera um I mean backup

[1:11:35] power source that we don't have to go to

[1:11:37] as many intersections as we usually do.

[1:11:39] So, it's kind of like the six points

[1:11:41] once power goes out that the backup

[1:11:42] power source kicks in, which makes it

[1:11:46] really nice. Um, we don't have to worry

[1:11:47] about, you know, with that. I mean, I

[1:11:49] know I know has a t a limit time, but I

[1:11:51] mean, it just super helpful. I mean, we

[1:11:52] just have outages out here and then

[1:11:54] power comes back on. So, and with that,

[1:11:56] it just keep everything going smoothly.

[1:11:58] Um, so we don't have to go to that many

[1:12:00] intersections and running out of stop

[1:12:02] signs around Lville.

[1:12:07] Well, I move that we approve the

[1:12:09] equipment purchase for the Smart Signals

[1:12:11] project from Gates Sales in the amount

[1:12:15] of $137,896

[1:12:19] from the street streets drainage and

[1:12:21] capital improvement portion of the 1%

[1:12:24] sales tax with full reimbursement from

[1:12:27] the Kansas Department of

[1:12:28] Transportation's Innovative Technology

[1:12:31] Grant Fund Award.

[1:12:34] Second.

[1:12:37] >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any

[1:12:39] further discussion,

[1:12:40] comments, questions?

[1:12:43] Okay, all those in favor?

[1:12:45] Motion passes five to zero. All right.

[1:12:48] Item, the section B of this innovation

[1:12:51] technology grant, the service contract.

[1:12:54] So with this one right here um prior to

[1:12:57] installation of the equipment um uh

[1:12:59] staff recommended underground utility

[1:13:01] rewiring to prevent outages causes by

[1:13:03] aging uh infrastructure removal

[1:13:05] installation and calibration of the new

[1:13:08] smart signal equipment and cameras will

[1:13:10] be um uh required to perform by

[1:13:13] contractors especially in the work. So

[1:13:15] with this right here we have a lot of u

[1:13:17] underground wiring um they're getting

[1:13:19] old and um all the insulation around are

[1:13:22] kind of deteriorating. So, we were

[1:13:23] having an issue on 11th in Kansas a

[1:13:26] while back that just due to the uh to

[1:13:28] the wiring being exposed, they were

[1:13:29] contacting each other and they were

[1:13:31] making the signals going to fault. So,

[1:13:33] um it took us a while to um change that

[1:13:35] out. So, with this one right here, it'll

[1:13:36] be uh same thing, doing new underground

[1:13:39] wiring and then running the um the uh

[1:13:43] all the uh wiring for the cameras as

[1:13:45] well. That'll be part of the uh for the

[1:13:49] with the contractors doing the work. We

[1:13:51] had two uh different um bids. One was

[1:13:54] from Phillips Southern Electric Company

[1:13:57] and the other one uh in the total of

[1:13:59] 80,000 $87,47780.

[1:14:03] And we had another bid from LNS Electric

[1:14:06] LLC from Salina, Kansas in the amount of

[1:14:09] 88,375.

[1:14:11] Um utility work and installation are not

[1:14:14] eligible for for reimbursement from the

[1:14:16] KOT. So this one will be would have to

[1:14:18] the city would have to pay for uh with

[1:14:20] the funds you know however payment for

[1:14:23] these contract services are part of the

[1:14:25] project counts towards our required

[1:14:27] local match. So, um, with this one, we

[1:14:30] recommend staff recommends approval of

[1:14:33] the service contract for the smart

[1:14:34] signal project from LNS Electric LLC in

[1:14:38] the amount of88,375

[1:14:42] from the streets, drainage, and capital

[1:14:43] improvement portion of 1 cent sales tax.

[1:14:46] Uh, myself and my staff felt more

[1:14:48] comfortable going with the with the LNS

[1:14:50] Electric Company. I know it's a little

[1:14:51] bit more uh a little bit more small

[1:14:53] more. It's like $875,

[1:14:56] I think, around.

[1:14:58] So more than the than the other one, but

[1:15:00] they were um with LNS, Jeremy, you know,

[1:15:03] he came out here, checked out our sites.

[1:15:06] Uh we all, you know, worked together to

[1:15:07] kind of figure out the solution for

[1:15:09] this. And so he was more, like I said,

[1:15:11] more on hands. He was personal. He he

[1:15:13] came down, visited with us. Uh we went

[1:15:15] through every single site and checked

[1:15:17] out, uh the better solutions for this work. So we felt, you know,

[1:15:20] with him it's more we felt more

[1:15:22] comfortable with him because just

[1:15:23] because um of the time and effort he put

[1:15:25] into to helping us out with this with

[1:15:27] this project.

[1:15:29] >> Did the other company send anybody down

[1:15:31] to take a look?

[1:15:32] >> No.

[1:15:33] >> Okay.

[1:15:33] >> And have we done any work with either

[1:15:35] company in the past?

[1:15:37] >> I think with Phillips I think we might

[1:15:39] have used them at six points um uh at

[1:15:43] one time. uh with LNS electric um we

[1:15:47] consulted with the with Gatis and they

[1:15:48] recommended him uh who was the first

[1:15:51] recommendation for us uh for for hearing

[1:15:53] for liberal so so right now we're just

[1:15:56] um like I said it was a highly

[1:15:57] recommended by by them so so we

[1:16:00] contacted Jeremy from LNS and he came

[1:16:02] down and and we met with Gatis both gats

[1:16:05] and and Jeremy as well um regarding this

[1:16:15] Policywise, is there anything that says

[1:16:17] we have to accept the lower bid or if we

[1:16:19] accept a higher bid, we have to do

[1:16:21] something special? No,

[1:16:22] >> it's within the

[1:16:25] >> and only within um local. I don't think

[1:16:28] there

[1:16:29] >> I knew there was the local one, but I

[1:16:30] didn't know

[1:16:31] >> I didn't know how that applied to two

[1:16:33] competing ones outside. Take the higher

[1:16:35] one.

[1:16:52] Go ahead and move that we approve the

[1:16:54] service contract for the Smart Signals

[1:16:56] project from LNS Electric LLC in the

[1:16:59] amount in the amount of $88,375

[1:17:04] from street drainage and capital

[1:17:06] improvement portion of the 1centent

[1:17:07] sales tax.

[1:17:09] >> Second.

[1:17:12] » Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any

[1:17:15] further discussion or questions?

[1:17:18] Okay. All those in favor?

[1:17:21] Motion passes. 5 Z. Thank you.

[1:17:23] >> Thank you.

[1:17:25] >> Item number 12, solar energy credit

[1:17:28] transfer. So, mayor, vice mayor,

[1:17:30] commissioners, as you remember, in

[1:17:32] December of 2025, the city of Liberal

[1:17:35] received a federal green energy tax

[1:17:37] credit in the amount of 1,61,18961

[1:17:42] after a successful application that

[1:17:44] stemmed from the solar energy project

[1:17:46] that we had a couple years prior. Um,

[1:17:48] the check was deposited at that time

[1:17:50] into fund 301 for construction. This

[1:17:53] resulted in a positive cash balance of

[1:17:55] 746,61061.

[1:17:59] You might ask why the cash balance in

[1:18:01] construction is less than the check

[1:18:03] amount. Well, it's like any other

[1:18:04] project that we have. Sometimes it's

[1:18:06] just not about solar panels, but you

[1:18:08] have additional costs that go into that.

[1:18:10] So, in the case of the solar project, we

[1:18:12] had fencing. We had to pay accountants

[1:18:14] to help us with the green energy credit,

[1:18:16] bond council, financial planning, and

[1:18:19] any other materials that went into that.

[1:18:20] So, we've been sitting on this 746,61061

[1:18:24] for almost a year trying to decide what

[1:18:26] we wanted to do with it. Originally, we

[1:18:29] wanted to pay down the temp note and

[1:18:31] then permanently bond it. But we do have

[1:18:33] flexibility with this money because it's

[1:18:35] not very often that you receive or that

[1:18:37] a government receives um a tax credit

[1:18:39] like this. So, we have discussed it with

[1:18:42] auditors and they are okay with the

[1:18:45] flexibility. So, we are asking that we

[1:18:48] transfer it from fund 301 construction

[1:18:50] to the general fund to assist with

[1:18:52] regular operations and that rollover

[1:18:54] shortage. That will help it greatly as

[1:18:56] we move into the new year. Um, we'll

[1:18:58] probably have to do a water transfer at

[1:19:00] end of year just to get it balanced out.

[1:19:02] But after that point, I feel very

[1:19:04] certain that we are on the right track

[1:19:06] in the general fund. I feel comfortable

[1:19:08] with this transaction and if approved,

[1:19:10] we will make sure that it is in the

[1:19:12] accounting system tomorrow so that we

[1:19:14] can handle everything we need to before

[1:19:16] the next distribution from the county

[1:19:17] for the final property tax.

[1:19:28] » I'm 100% okay with this. Okay.

[1:19:30] >> Yeah.

[1:19:32] >> Something like this when I was here, so

[1:19:33] I'll kind of

[1:19:35] >> let you guys take the lead on

[1:19:38] what you may have talked about or

[1:19:39] thought about when you did that.

[1:19:40] >> We have done the due diligence on the

[1:19:42] transfer and the capability to do that

[1:19:44] and the compliance that's involved in

[1:19:46] that. And we feel comfortable with it.

[1:19:48] Again, we've sat on it for a while

[1:19:50] trying to figure out exactly how we

[1:19:51] wanted to handle it and I'm kind of glad

[1:19:53] that we did. So, we ask that you go

[1:19:55] ahead and approve that. will take care

[1:19:57] of it and that will set us on a very

[1:19:59] solid path. I feel in the general

[1:20:09] I'll make a motion that we allow the

[1:20:11] transfer of the positive cash balance of

[1:20:13] $746,61061

[1:20:17] from the solar energy project within the

[1:20:19] construction fund to the general fund

[1:20:21] effective September 23rd, 2026. Second.

[1:20:27] Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any

[1:20:29] discussion, questions?

[1:20:32] Okay, all those in favor?

[1:20:35] Motion passes five to zero.

[1:20:38] Item number 13, city staff.

[1:20:43] » Uh, just real quickly, we will be at the

[1:20:45] Duck Festival on Saturday from 10 to 2.

[1:20:47] So, come over and say hi. Um, this will

[1:20:50] be another opportunity for us to do our

[1:20:52] public outreach for the downtown

[1:20:54] project. And so I'll have a full-size

[1:20:56] map on the table itself. Uh, so people

[1:20:59] can scribble all over and add their

[1:21:00] ideas.

[1:21:01] >> Ask me anything.

[1:21:02] Yes. My sign will be

[1:21:05] there.

[1:21:09] » Anybody else? Kristen.

[1:21:10] >> Yes. Um, at one of the previous

[1:21:12] commission meetings, we had Tara,

[1:21:14] Nicole, and Bro here presenting upcoming

[1:21:17] projects at the animal shelter,

[1:21:19] including sound reduction and shade for

[1:21:21] their play area. And so, we are very

[1:21:23] happy to announce that we've received

[1:21:25] grant funding for both of those

[1:21:26] projects. And so, the next commission

[1:21:28] meeting, we will be bringing those items

[1:21:30] here for your consideration.

[1:21:33] Right.

[1:21:34] >> Just a reminder, we'll have a special

[1:21:36] meeting on Wednesday, September 30th at

[1:21:38] 3:30 here in chambers. Um, also wanted

[1:21:41] to announce to the public that we will

[1:21:44] have all five city commissioners attend

[1:21:46] the annual League of Kansas

[1:21:48] Municipalities Conference

[1:21:50] um, in Witchah on October 8th through

[1:21:52] the 10th. There will be no city

[1:21:54] business. It's training conference.

[1:21:56] Thank you.

[1:22:01] » Good evening. I would love to share some

[1:22:05] information and invitation concerning

[1:22:07] the local air tour that's coming up.

[1:22:12] Thank you. Thank you.

[1:22:18] » Fly Kansas Air Tour begins a week from

[1:22:20] today, next Tuesday. This tour visits

[1:22:24] eight airports across western Kansas

[1:22:26] over three days. At each stop, uh pilots

[1:22:29] who are in the tour will present STEM

[1:22:31] activities to children and generally

[1:22:34] promote the aviation industry across our

[1:22:36] state. Uh last year pilots from Nebraska

[1:22:39] and Texas and several other states

[1:22:42] participated. Uh just last week I

[1:22:44] received a phone call from a pilot who

[1:22:45] lives south of Del Dallas who told me

[1:22:48] how excited he was for the event, what a

[1:22:50] great event it is. He's looking forward

[1:22:51] to starting uh here in Liberal and doing

[1:22:53] the whole Kansas Air Tour. Like I said,

[1:22:55] he lives well south of Dallas. Um and

[1:22:58] we're going to uh give him a great

[1:22:59] welcome. So pilots from a large region

[1:23:02] are expected to visit us. What makes our

[1:23:05] portion of the tour really special is

[1:23:06] that we're very first, so we get a

[1:23:08] little bit of extra time to make a good

[1:23:10] impression on the pilots and on the

[1:23:12] visitors. We've been working pretty hard

[1:23:14] with several groups to plan a really

[1:23:16] quality event. Uh the tourism and

[1:23:18] transportation departments, Lyden

[1:23:20] Aerosenter, our hotel partner, uh the

[1:23:23] air museum are all contributing.

[1:23:26] This event really wouldn't be possible

[1:23:27] without our worldclass air museum. So I

[1:23:29] want to thank Bob and his team uh for

[1:23:31] their contributions. It takes a big

[1:23:33] effort to host pilots, to host meals,

[1:23:36] and potentially hundreds of students

[1:23:38] across two days. The flyer that you see

[1:23:40] in front of you there, tourism

[1:23:42] department designed that beautiful

[1:23:43] flyer. So, thank you, Mandy, for doing

[1:23:45] that. Um, it really is a citywide effort

[1:23:48] propelling the event, and I'm grateful

[1:23:49] for all the cooperation that we've got

[1:23:51] as we plan this. The schedule of events

[1:23:54] should be on the second page that I

[1:23:55] provided there to you. So, we invite you

[1:23:57] to visit the airport. We invite you to

[1:23:59] visit the air museum. And perhaps you

[1:24:02] might see that really incredible spark

[1:24:04] that happens in a student's mind, you

[1:24:06] know, when they see an airplane up close

[1:24:08] for the first time or when they see an

[1:24:09] aircraft fly for the first time. So,

[1:24:12] please come see us next Tuesday if

[1:24:14] you're able. Thank you for allowing me

[1:24:15] to speak and most of all, thank you for

[1:24:17] supporting the airport and for making me

[1:24:19] so welcome since I joined the team in

[1:24:21] August.

[1:24:23] >> Thank you.

[1:24:28] » Any other city staff, Steve?

[1:24:33] Mayor, vice mayor, uh commissioners. Um

[1:24:35] just want to give you a update on our

[1:24:38] bus shelter project. Um as you know that

[1:24:43] uh this project has been around for a

[1:24:45] couple years. Um it was funded uh for

[1:24:49] total project around $50,000 for uh 10

[1:24:52] bus shelters

[1:24:54] um solar lighting benches concrete and

[1:24:58] all the work being done in house. So um

[1:25:02] over the years we ran into the problem

[1:25:03] of uh environmental studies and um which

[1:25:07] delayed the project. uh we were

[1:25:10] fortunate to collaborate with PEC uh to

[1:25:13] come up with a solution which was to

[1:25:16] eliminate the uh the part of the project

[1:25:19] where we do all the ground work and

[1:25:21] strictly go uh to a procurement style um

[1:25:25] process. So um we collected um quotes

[1:25:31] for just the material that we need

[1:25:33] excluding the concrete uh work. Um so

[1:25:36] that would be the shelters, the solar

[1:25:39] and the benches. Um from three different

[1:25:42] vendors um that was cost averages

[1:25:45] average. So long and short of it is uh

[1:25:48] we went back to uh KOT and proposed a

[1:25:52] change of uh of scope in the total

[1:25:55] amount of the project $99,461.

[1:25:59] Um, and original that was $40,000 that

[1:26:03] we were getting from them and we were

[1:26:04] going to supply the $10,000 for that

[1:26:06] 50,000. Um, so they they uh we requested

[1:26:12] an an additional amount for the total

[1:26:14] grant to be uh $79,569

[1:26:19] which puts the city at uh 19,892.

[1:26:23] So we um I think that's a win. Um and we

[1:26:28] are looking at doing seven um shelters.

[1:26:32] Um and then on top of that, we'd also

[1:26:34] have to do the concrete and the working

[1:26:35] house. So we're looking probably

[1:26:37] estimate around another $20,000 on that.

[1:26:40] But we received that information late

[1:26:42] this afternoon and just wanted to share

[1:26:44] that with you.

[1:26:46] >> Thank you.

[1:26:46] Steve. That's great.

[1:26:48] >> Excited for them, too.

[1:26:54] » Keep the parade coming. Jennifer, you're

[1:26:56] next.

[1:26:57] >> Mr. Mayor, commissioners,

[1:27:01] lately there have been several online

[1:27:05] attacks against code enforcement from

[1:27:08] different directions. I wanted to get up

[1:27:11] here and just reassure you that our code

[1:27:16] enforcement staff are good,

[1:27:19] hard-working,

[1:27:21] valued, wonderful members of our

[1:27:24] community. They are doing probably the

[1:27:26] most thankless job in the community. And

[1:27:30] I'm here to guarantee you that they do

[1:27:33] not target anyone. They apply rules

[1:27:36] fairly across the board. They've been

[1:27:39] told once they find a violation, I don't

[1:27:41] care if it's Scarlet's house, write the

[1:27:43] violation up and start the case. But

[1:27:46] with the negative stuff that has been

[1:27:51] spewed across social media like

[1:27:55] ignorant, wrong, keyboard warrior

[1:27:58] attacks that have gone to personal

[1:28:00] levels against my staff, my fellow

[1:28:03] co-workers, my fellow members of the

[1:28:05] community. I wanted to just get up here

[1:28:06] and reassure you that you have good code

[1:28:10] enforcement working for this city. And

[1:28:12] they're doing the best job they can to

[1:28:14] try and enforce rules that the majority

[1:28:16] of the community does support. Nobody

[1:28:19] wants free rain. Let your weeds grow as

[1:28:22] tall as they want.

[1:28:24] So, I just thought I would get up and

[1:28:26] say that to you.

[1:28:27] >> So, I go ahead.

[1:28:29] >> I do want to thank you for taking the

[1:28:31] time to come up here and to defend your

[1:28:33] staff. I think that's very brave of you

[1:28:35] to to do so. And to I mean, you are the

[1:28:38] one that has the most experience dealing

[1:28:40] with them every single day. You know

[1:28:42] what the product of their work is like.

[1:28:44] Um, to the negative comments, I will say

[1:28:47] we have people in our community who

[1:28:49] we're never going to make happy. Um,

[1:28:51] unfortunately those individuals tend to

[1:28:53] complain about everything. So sometimes

[1:28:56] they're just nitpicking at things. Uh,

[1:28:59] but we are extremely proud of all of the

[1:29:01] work that they say. So just because

[1:29:03] sometimes there are voices that are the

[1:29:05] loudest in the room doesn't mean that's

[1:29:07] how the majority of the people feel. So

[1:29:09] we thank them for their work.

[1:29:11] >> Yeah. And you know, just to echo that, I

[1:29:15] you know, I mean, uh, these guys do good

[1:29:17] hard work. Uh and and I've seen it in

[1:29:20] action. You know, we see those reports.

[1:29:22] We we hear from people and and uh you

[1:29:25] know, I'll say it for myself. I they

[1:29:26] have my 100% support uh in what they do.

[1:29:31] It's tough job. Terrible job. Honestly,

[1:29:34] I wouldn't want that. Uh but they have

[1:29:37] at least my support. I think I could

[1:29:39] speak pretty much everybody else.

[1:29:41] >> Absolutely.

[1:29:42] >> Thank you.

[1:29:43] >> Yeah. Appreciate that. Thank you.

[1:29:44] >> Thank you.

[1:29:44] Keith. Anybody

[1:29:48] else?

[1:29:50] >> All right. Item number 14, city manager

[1:29:53] report.

[1:29:54] >> Mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, this

[1:29:56] was a great meeting tonight. I mean, we

[1:29:58] got it in in an hour. We covered a lot

[1:30:00] of different subject matters and asked a

[1:30:02] lot of questions. So, thank you for your

[1:30:04] attentiveness to that. First up, I need

[1:30:06] to report the bus ridership numbers for

[1:30:08] August. Uh, they were at 2250. So, we

[1:30:11] continue to hold steady above 2,000. and

[1:30:13] I like to continue to give those to you

[1:30:15] so you can see the work that they're

[1:30:17] doing and that nothing's really dipping

[1:30:19] over time and this new facility is going

[1:30:22] to be very supportive of their endeavors

[1:30:23] and create a great space for them. So,

[1:30:25] we look forward to that ribbon cutting

[1:30:27] that's coming up. Thank you so much to

[1:30:29] Kelly and the fire department for the

[1:30:31] commendations to the police department

[1:30:32] over the West Haven fire. Um, I have

[1:30:35] requested repeatedly over the last two

[1:30:37] years that I wanted fire and PD to work

[1:30:39] together and create a lot of camaraderie

[1:30:41] and I'm starting to see that and it

[1:30:43] makes me very happy. So, uh, this was an

[1:30:45] outward display of that. So, thank you

[1:30:47] to Chad and Chris and Kelly and Cody and

[1:30:50] everybody who contributes uh, to those

[1:30:52] first responder groups. Also, on the

[1:30:55] subject of fire, I did not say this last

[1:30:56] week because I wanted to hold it for

[1:30:58] tonight, but thank you to Aaron Lumen

[1:30:59] especially and everyone in that

[1:31:01] department. They partake in a muscular

[1:31:03] distrophe initiative every year. It's

[1:31:05] called fill the boot. You're probably

[1:31:07] used to seeing that around, but they

[1:31:09] raised over $6,500

[1:31:11] this year. And those funds stay within

[1:31:13] Sewer County, if I'm correct, and

[1:31:15] there's local families that benefit from

[1:31:17] that. And so, we thank them for being

[1:31:20] out there and visible within the

[1:31:22] community and doing these types of

[1:31:24] things. I mean, this is why Aaron won, I

[1:31:26] think, the service award last year. He's

[1:31:28] excellent at that. He does not do that

[1:31:30] by himself. And so thank you to them

[1:31:32] because I do ask departments to be out

[1:31:34] there visible and supporting liberal um

[1:31:37] because we have to do a lot of hard

[1:31:38] work. I mean Keith just talked about

[1:31:39] that. So then we like to do things on

[1:31:41] the other side that display a bit of a

[1:31:43] softer side because we have to be amped

[1:31:45] up quite a bit it feels. So thank you to

[1:31:48] them. Um excited about the Fly Kansas

[1:31:50] tour coming up. I want to thank Chance

[1:31:52] for coming tonight to present. I asked

[1:31:53] him to be here. He does a great job. And

[1:31:55] then Bob and Sally for their efforts in

[1:31:57] putting that together along with Keley

[1:31:58] and several other people. I know that

[1:32:00] our little dancers from down the hall

[1:32:02] here at the wreck are going to invite

[1:32:04] them in in their little outfits and so

[1:32:07] they won't pass up an opportunity to do

[1:32:09] that and we want Liberal to look the

[1:32:10] best out of all the cities that they're

[1:32:12] visiting. So we're going to go all out

[1:32:14] for that and I look forward to showing

[1:32:16] off the air museum and everything we

[1:32:17] have to offer here in Liberal. And then

[1:32:20] finally, we continue to be hopeful about

[1:32:21] this block grant. I have these weird

[1:32:24] premonitions and and we've been working

[1:32:26] towards this without knowing it existed

[1:32:27] for a while and and I think maybe this

[1:32:29] has our name written all over it and we

[1:32:31] have Keley helping with that

[1:32:32] application. So, we're so very lucky for

[1:32:34] that. We've been building these

[1:32:36] relationships. Um, Eli, Keely, all of us

[1:32:38] and hopefully that will put us in a

[1:32:40] great position and and Liberal will will

[1:32:43] be a very new and exciting place if we

[1:32:45] can get this approved. So, can't wait

[1:32:48] for that and I hope that we're the name

[1:32:50] that's called. Um, I know that meeting

[1:32:52] on Friday was hectic. When we left, Eli

[1:32:54] said, "Oh my gosh, was that disorganized

[1:32:55] and crazy?" I'm like, "No, I expected

[1:32:57] that." But, um, I always said when I was

[1:32:59] coaching is that the craziest practices

[1:33:01] resulted in the best performances. And

[1:33:03] so, I hope that we have a great outcome

[1:33:05] after all of that. We have great people

[1:33:06] surrounding us and those relationships

[1:33:08] that we have built. And I think it's

[1:33:10] going to push us over the edge um, with

[1:33:12] that application. We should be in the

[1:33:14] top tier, I think. So, hopefully it'll

[1:33:16] be good news. And that's all I have.

[1:33:19] >> Okay. Thank you, Scarlet. Uh, number 15,

[1:33:24] items from commissioners. Who wants to

[1:33:26] start?

[1:33:28] I

[1:33:28] >> think I'll start this time.

[1:33:31] >> We always

[1:33:32] >> let you guys go.

[1:33:34] >> Um,

[1:33:35] >> we've been doing it lately, so we'll let

[1:33:36] you do it.

[1:33:37] >> Yeah. Yeah. Now, as always, thank you to

[1:33:39] all the staff. I think I mentioned this

[1:33:41] in the last meeting. Um, thank you to

[1:33:43] the PD uh for your officers and your

[1:33:46] their quick response time. Um, I I can't

[1:33:50] stress enough seeing that fire.

[1:33:53] Um, if the call went out at 3:59,

[1:33:57] at 4:04 when I walked out there, the

[1:34:00] entire porch had caught. And can't

[1:34:04] stress enough, we had just got an inch

[1:34:06] and a half of rain and it was still

[1:34:08] misting when that fire started. So, it

[1:34:12] didn't matter how moist that was, that

[1:34:14] porch caught. And by the time I got my

[1:34:16] kids dressed and out of the house within

[1:34:18] six minutes,

[1:34:21] um, that fire was in the roof and was

[1:34:23] trying to trying to spread. And I was

[1:34:26] also worried for the house to the north

[1:34:27] because they had spread into the garage.

[1:34:29] And all they have is about 10 ft and a

[1:34:32] fence that had a vine covering it. And I

[1:34:35] think that vine is what saved the

[1:34:37] neighbor's house because it was fried.

[1:34:40] But um again, working in insurance, I've

[1:34:44] seen it that distance. And again, I

[1:34:46] could feel the fire 50 ft away from my

[1:34:48] front yard. Um it was pretty warm on a

[1:34:52] cold night.

[1:34:54] Um that house would have caught in any

[1:34:57] other conditions. But our officers were

[1:34:59] there, the firefighters were there. They

[1:35:02] addressed that as quickly as they could.

[1:35:04] They tried to get the cars. I watched it

[1:35:06] and it was amazing watching them get

[1:35:08] that done. So huge thank you. Um seeing

[1:35:12] it in person always uh is amazing and uh

[1:35:16] extremely impressive. So thank you to

[1:35:18] both your departments.

[1:35:20] Um for code enforcement, I have not seen

[1:35:23] what's going on in the last two months.

[1:35:25] I'm not sure what's going on there,

[1:35:27] >> but I will say that your staff has been

[1:35:29] some of the best to work with. Um, I

[1:35:32] usually hear good comments along with

[1:35:34] the bad in the past that your staff

[1:35:37] doesn't show up and just say you have to

[1:35:39] do this. A lot of the times they also

[1:35:41] bring information on how to get it done

[1:35:43] and that was always the goal that we've

[1:35:45] tried to do with city staff and code

[1:35:47] enforcement over the last couple years.

[1:35:49] So, thank you for your staff and

[1:35:50] everything you guys have worked toward.

[1:35:52] Um, also just in case again, I do not

[1:35:55] know what's going on, but if there's

[1:35:57] ever an issue, and let's use the u the

[1:36:00] pink building where we have an old code

[1:36:05] that we are enforcing because you had to

[1:36:07] do it as code said, I mean, don't

[1:36:10] hesitate to bring it to the commission

[1:36:12] so that we can address maybe codes that

[1:36:14] no longer uh fit the community or the

[1:36:18] need. But I just want to put that out

[1:36:21] there that we're always open to hear

[1:36:23] some of the changes if you believe

[1:36:24] there's changes that are that are

[1:36:26] needed. But uh we definitely support you

[1:36:28] and your staff and we support all the

[1:36:30] staff of the city. Um city I still think

[1:36:34] remains one of the top entities right

[1:36:36] now that does not have any problems or

[1:36:38] huge problems. Um when once again

[1:36:42] potholes in your alley uh because it

[1:36:45] rained is the biggest issues. I think

[1:36:48] we're in good shape.

[1:36:50] >> That's all I got for now.

[1:36:51] >> Thank you, Jose.

[1:36:52] >> All right. Uh, just a few things. When

[1:36:54] is the ribbon cutting for the

[1:36:57] >> bus?

[1:36:58] >> Well, we need windows.

[1:37:00] >> Okay.

[1:37:01] >> So, it's not set.

[1:37:02] >> The biggest thing we're waiting for.

[1:37:03] >> I mean, it's not set yet, I guess, would

[1:37:05] be the answer.

[1:37:05] >> No, it'll be in October. And we also

[1:37:07] want the furniture to be delivered. So,

[1:37:09] if people want to take a tour, they're

[1:37:10] not looking at empty office spaces.

[1:37:12] >> Yeah, that's fine. I just didn't know if

[1:37:13] it

[1:37:14] >> later in October. We're a little bit

[1:37:15] behind on that. Um, I don't know what

[1:37:17] the reasoning is for the glass, the

[1:37:20] windows, but

[1:37:21] >> the windows got

[1:37:22] >> Okay, great.

[1:37:28] » They went to Southwest last week.

[1:37:31] >> Okay.

[1:37:35] » Most of the D has been installed. All

[1:37:36] the

[1:37:39] fence has been put up.

[1:37:42] I'm thinking we're going to get to

[1:37:45] >> cool.

[1:37:45] >> So, we just need furniture then. I'm

[1:37:47] glad to hear about the local business

[1:37:49] that helped with the window.

[1:37:52] >> Okay.

[1:37:53] >> Yeah. I just thought the date may have

[1:37:54] been set and I missed.

[1:37:55] >> Not yet. Okay.

[1:37:55] >> And I'm glad we didn't because we had a

[1:37:57] few little touch-ups to do, but

[1:37:59] >> it's a fantastic facility.

[1:38:01] >> All right. Awesome. Um, also again, um,

[1:38:03] to echo

[1:38:05] Scarlet's comments, it is very, very, I

[1:38:09] always say, heartwarming to see the

[1:38:10] cooperation between, you know,

[1:38:12] departments here in Liberal, especially,

[1:38:14] you know, fire and police, which at

[1:38:16] times

[1:38:18] could get territorial for different

[1:38:20] reasons. So, I'm glad we don't have that

[1:38:22] issue here. Um, so congratulations to

[1:38:25] both of you gentlemen on being able to

[1:38:27] work like that. uh to the four officers,

[1:38:29] I think I got their names, Martinez,

[1:38:31] Bryant, Lopez, and Ramos, and then

[1:38:34] Corporal Brennan on their um awards and

[1:38:39] efforts to fight that fire. Um that is

[1:38:42] just again one of those very nice things

[1:38:44] to see and like you said, mayor, once we

[1:38:46] do that, the rest of the meeting's kind

[1:38:48] of downhill.

[1:38:48] >> Yeah.

[1:38:49] >> From there. So, I I do appreciate that's

[1:38:51] very nice to see. Um also, on the code

[1:38:54] enforcement front, Facebook, I mean,

[1:38:55] I've kind of been following that. Um, I

[1:38:58] just follow that stuff. So, I'm aware of

[1:39:00] those comments. I mean, I'm not

[1:39:01] concerned about it. Um, it does seem to

[1:39:04] be a keyboard warrior. To the extent

[1:39:06] that I read the comments underneath it,

[1:39:07] the community does not seem to have his

[1:39:09] back or be behind him on that. So, I

[1:39:13] think in large part he's kind of on an

[1:39:14] island. So, uh, just stay the course,

[1:39:17] keep doing what you're doing and and

[1:39:19] we'll have your back. So, um, I do

[1:39:21] appreciate you being here though,

[1:39:22] recognizing that that's what's going on

[1:39:24] and addressing the commission. And also

[1:39:26] along those lines, and I know it's been

[1:39:27] pointed out before, just generally for

[1:39:29] anybody who I mean, we don't have a lot

[1:39:31] of people personally here, but who is

[1:39:33] watching now or watches later, I mean,

[1:39:36] you can complain on Facebook and we'll

[1:39:38] probably see it. You're a lot more

[1:39:40] likely to get a positive and quick

[1:39:42] response if you actually contact

[1:39:44] somebody at city hall and let them know

[1:39:47] about your complaint. So, you're of

[1:39:48] course free to voice it on Facebook. I'm

[1:39:51] not telling you not to do that. But if

[1:39:53] you're actually looking to probably be

[1:39:54] productive and get a solution to your

[1:39:57] problem quicker rather than later, if at

[1:39:59] all, uh, inerson contacts to the right

[1:40:02] departments at city hall um is the way

[1:40:04] to approach that situation. Um, and then

[1:40:08] finally for the special meeting, do we

[1:40:11] have topics for that or are we

[1:40:13] >> right now will just be the pool project?

[1:40:17] >> and then I believe you wanted to talk

[1:40:18] about salaries and that 3%

[1:40:20] >> we had talked about using that using

[1:40:24] session okay

[1:40:25] >> for that

[1:40:26] >> true so this will be just for the

[1:40:28] special meeting and it's just water park

[1:40:29] >> okay I think that'll be meaty enough

[1:40:32] >> that we can have

[1:40:33] >> and we will give you financial options

[1:40:36] we had a call with ransom financial

[1:40:37] today they'll have a lot of good data

[1:40:39] for us to supply to you to help you make

[1:40:41] >> yeah we we did talk about the solar one

[1:40:42] and that's important but I was hoping

[1:40:44] >> sorry I mix them up so

[1:40:45] >> yeah put that one on another one. Um

[1:40:46] because I think that deserves

[1:40:48] >> it

[1:40:51] for our regular meeting

[1:40:53] >> 4:00 or 3:30.

[1:40:54] >> Well, the work session this is special

[1:40:56] meeting

[1:40:57] >> the special meeting

[1:40:58] >> if we need to move

[1:41:00] >> pool project. Okay.

[1:41:02] >> Work session is four on our first

[1:41:04] meeting.

[1:41:04] >> Four on first meeting. Okay. Got it. All

[1:41:08] right. Thanks for clearing that up. Well

[1:41:09] done.

[1:41:10] >> Okay. I'll take my turn now. Uh thank

[1:41:13] you to staff. appreciate all you do. Uh

[1:41:17] um on to the citations tonight. When I

[1:41:21] saw those, I thought, well, Kelly's

[1:41:23] giving his his guys

[1:41:26] >> uh you know, commendations. And then uh

[1:41:28] I guess I just kind of breezed right

[1:41:30] past that in the uh in in the packet. Uh

[1:41:35] but when you when you came up and gave

[1:41:37] uh awards to those police officers and I

[1:41:40] couldn't be happier about the fact that you did that you recognized those

[1:41:45] guys um and and uh not guy

[1:41:50] uh for that. Um I just think that's

[1:41:53] great. Shows the fact that that are you

[1:41:55] know that that uh we're working together

[1:41:57] as a team. Uh, you know, I know that you know, Nathan mentioned, you

[1:42:02] know, there there's going to be a little

[1:42:03] bit of territorial uh a little bit of

[1:42:06] tribalism. Uh, but the fact that you

[1:42:09] guys can work together like that, I I

[1:42:11] think that's I think that's phenomenal.

[1:42:13] So, congratulations

[1:42:15] uh to both uh both organizations uh in

[1:42:19] working together because after all, it's

[1:42:22] about taking care of our citizens and that that shows that that works

[1:42:27] across the board. uh not just amongst

[1:42:30] the police and fire department, but it

[1:42:31] goes across the board uh in what staff

[1:42:34] always does. They take care of they take

[1:42:36] care of us and and appreciate that. Very

[1:42:38] excited about the block grant. Um you

[1:42:41] know, just the way it came about and and

[1:42:44] the way it fits handin glove with what

[1:42:47] we've been working on. I agree with you.

[1:42:49] It's like we've been working on this

[1:42:50] project even before we're working on the

[1:42:52] project. It's just uh it seems it seems

[1:42:55] like a great fit. I think we've got a

[1:42:58] good shot at that. And to keep this uh

[1:43:02] all going together, you know, I mean, I made a note here that uh development

[1:43:06] corp um and just a general

[1:43:11] uh number of things that we're working

[1:43:13] on across the city, across the board. Um

[1:43:16] I just made a comment here, general

[1:43:18] goodness of what of what seems to be

[1:43:20] going on. uh a lot of projects and and

[1:43:23] then I wrote down team liberal because

[1:43:26] it's not just city staff and development

[1:43:28] corp staff, but in this in the case of

[1:43:30] the block grant, we got contractors in

[1:43:34] uh everybody seems to be you and we just

[1:43:36] all seem to be pushing in the same

[1:43:37] direction and I think uh I think we've

[1:43:40] got a lot of good things going on. I'm

[1:43:42] very very excited about that. So anyway,

[1:43:44] that's all I got.

[1:43:49] » You go first. Okay. Well, there's

[1:43:52] already nothing left to talk about.

[1:43:53] They've already covered everything.

[1:43:55] That's why we've been going first, I

[1:43:57] guess. But

[1:43:57] >> yeah,

[1:43:58] >> but and we can't say it enough. The

[1:44:00] police department, fire department, code

[1:44:02] enforcement, all you people that are out

[1:44:04] there on the line. Uh, and it's it

[1:44:08] really is exciting for us to see

[1:44:12] and it's probably more exciting for you

[1:44:14] because you were actually I mean you

[1:44:16] actually see it happen that that your

[1:44:18] hard work trying to get your people

[1:44:20] prepared to for for when they have to go

[1:44:23] into action and to see it work is and we're excited how easy it makes our

[1:44:29] job when you guys do such a wonderful

[1:44:32] job. And same for the code enforcement.

[1:44:34] Uh, I was going to say that I I never

[1:44:38] hear anything. I I don't pay that much

[1:44:39] attention to

[1:44:41] social media, so I guess that's a good

[1:44:43] thing maybe, but I actually did get a

[1:44:46] call about something with code

[1:44:48] enforcement. I talked to Brad a little

[1:44:49] bit about today and and they weren't

[1:44:51] really complaining. They were asking

[1:44:53] questions is all. So, so we kind of

[1:44:55] handled it talked about it today, but I don't really hear a lot of

[1:44:59] complaints, which is good. So, either

[1:45:02] I'm out of out of reach or out of touch

[1:45:05] or or something. But, but and and maybe

[1:45:08] I'll keep up my my social media uh

[1:45:12] habits that I have because I don't I may be oblivious to what's going

[1:45:17] on. I guess maybe. But, but sometimes

[1:45:19] maybe that's good. But but uh I know

[1:45:22] that we have good people and I know that

[1:45:24] they care about what happens in liberal

[1:45:26] and they care about the people in

[1:45:28] liberal and they're trying to do their

[1:45:29] best job and and so I I just want to

[1:45:32] commend everybody in those departments

[1:45:33] that are out there on the line and then

[1:45:36] I want to get to the rest of the people.

[1:45:38] Look at all the grants that we we just

[1:45:41] keep talking about grants and talking

[1:45:42] about grants and and and all the all the

[1:45:46] departments in Liberal are are wanting

[1:45:48] to make Liberal better and and

[1:45:51] uh I want to thank you guys for all the

[1:45:54] hard work you guys do and all the time

[1:45:55] you put into it. All the city staff

[1:45:58] because uh it just makes our job easy.

[1:46:02] So uh thank you guys. That's all I have.

[1:46:06] >> I'm just kidding. I know you can find

[1:46:08] something else this.

[1:46:10] >> Yeah. Well, I want to thank the officers

[1:46:13] and the firefighters for all of their

[1:46:14] hard work. You guys are truly greatly

[1:46:17] appreciated. I think it looks easier or

[1:46:19] sounds easier when we hear about it, but

[1:46:21] actually doing like the physical hard

[1:46:23] labor being there can be pretty intense.

[1:46:26] Um, so thank you guys for all of your

[1:46:28] hard work. Um, I'm always excited about

[1:46:30] our meetings. I always feel like we

[1:46:31] accomplish a lot of great things along

[1:46:33] with what you guys said. I'm very

[1:46:35] excited that we always hear about the

[1:46:36] grants. I think that saves the city a

[1:46:39] lot of money. Uh but we're also able to

[1:46:42] accomplish a lot of great projects

[1:46:43] within that. Very excited for the block

[1:46:46] downtown grant. I'm very hopeful and I

[1:46:49] feel like we're going to get it. But

[1:46:50] that's just my opinion. And then for

[1:46:52] this for the Fly Kansas, I think we're

[1:46:54] setting the bar really high, especially

[1:46:56] with the cute little dancers. I think

[1:46:58] they're going to do an outstanding job.

[1:47:01] And then on another note, I do want to

[1:47:03] address something that is happening

[1:47:05] within our community. And I wrote a

[1:47:08] statement that I would like to read. So

[1:47:10] today is a difficult and heartbreaking

[1:47:12] day for many families in our community.

[1:47:15] We are aware of reports of federal

[1:47:17] immigration enforcements enforcement

[1:47:19] activity in Liberal, including agents

[1:47:22] taking individuals into custody from

[1:47:24] local businesses, gas stations, and from

[1:47:27] even their homes. A large portion of our

[1:47:30] community are scared and concerned,

[1:47:32] particularly those families that have

[1:47:34] been directly affected. As vice mayor, I

[1:47:37] want to reaffirm that our responsibility

[1:47:40] is to serve and protect everybody in our

[1:47:43] community. Liberal is home to families

[1:47:45] from many different backgrounds,

[1:47:47] including families with mixed

[1:47:48] immigration statuses. That is the

[1:47:51] reality of our community, whether people

[1:47:53] want to accept it or not. And every

[1:47:56] family, regardless of their status,

[1:47:58] deserves to be treated with dignity and

[1:48:00] with respect. No child should have to

[1:48:03] come home

[1:48:05] and suddenly discover that their parents

[1:48:08] are gone.

[1:48:10] No family should have to live in fear of

[1:48:12] being separated from their loved ones. I

[1:48:16] personally can tell you that I saw the

[1:48:18] detention of two large vans today. Each

[1:48:22] van had approximately 20 to 30 people.

[1:48:25] So I want to say approximately 40 to 60

[1:48:28] people have been detained from just here

[1:48:30] in liberal. And we also have reason and

[1:48:33] strong evidence to believe that ICE is

[1:48:36] going to continue and stay in our area

[1:48:38] for the next few days. So residents

[1:48:41] should rely on verified information and

[1:48:43] avoid spreading unconfirmed reports and

[1:48:46] rumors. So to our community, I want to

[1:48:49] let you know that you matter. Your

[1:48:51] families matter and like I said,

[1:48:52] everybody deserves to be treated with

[1:48:54] respect and dignity. We will continue

[1:48:56] working to make sure our community

[1:48:58] remains a place where people can seek

[1:49:00] help, raise families, and number one,

[1:49:02] feel safe. Let's look out for one

[1:49:04] another, check on our neighbors, and

[1:49:06] especially right now, show compassion

[1:49:08] for one another. Liberals are community.

[1:49:11] We serve all of it, and we serve

[1:49:13] everybody in it.

[1:49:19] Just want to add that we've spent the

[1:49:21] entire day um with different volunteers

[1:49:26] um and those volunteers have been

[1:49:29] focused on

[1:49:31] um

[1:49:34] the uh the different families that uh

[1:49:44] I probably won't be able to finish But

[1:49:47] just the different families and their uh

[1:49:50] the fear that they show

[1:49:53] and it's really uh

[1:49:57] not acceptable

[1:49:59] that we

[1:50:01] that this happens in our community to

[1:50:03] the uh hardworking members. So that's

[1:50:07] all I got to say.

[1:50:11] » Okay. Item number 16, the vouchers.

[1:50:14] I'll make a motion that we approve the

[1:50:16] vouchers in the amount of $1,26,9359.

[1:50:23] » Second.

[1:50:24] >> Okay, we have a motion and a second.

[1:50:28] Any discussion? Questions for staff? All

[1:50:31] right, all those in favor?

[1:50:34] Motion passes five to zero. We're

[1:50:37] journed.

City of Liberal Regular Commission Meeting - 09/22/2026

Transcript