Mayor Abby Bartlett was voted in for a second year by fellow city commissioners during Monday’s regular meeting, which also included the swearing in of three commissioners for another term.
Bartlett is going into the third year of a four-year term, her second as the mayor. In Atchison the mayor is elected each year by commissioners from among their ranks. The mayor is responsible for setting the agenda, running the meetings and being the public face of the city, but has only one of five commission votes when it comes to setting policy. Commissioner J. David Farris was elected as vice-mayor.
Commissioners Allen Reavis and Jesse Greenly were sworn into new four-year terms after being the top two vote getters during November’s election. Commissioner Lisa Moody was sworn into a new two-year term, her second consecutive.
In other business Monday, commissioners approved new water and wastewater rates and updated the CSO fee for 2022. Residential water rates will remain unchanged, whereas commercial rates will undergo an average 5% rate hike. Wastewater rates were increased 1% for all users and the CSO fees were increased 2.5% for all users. The rate increases were in line with what the commissioners had already budgeted for 2022.
Commissioners also selected UMB Bank as the city’s official depository for city funds on a three-year contract and also chose Intact Insurance to provide property and casualty insurance. Commissioners also chose BCS Insurance Company for cyber liability insurance and Old Republic Insurance Company for airport operations liability insurance. Each of those were competitively bid.
Commissioners also approved $80,000 in curb and gutter repairs in the Westridge neighborhood to be performed by Bottorff Construction. The curb and gutter project is in advance of an upcoming special streets project that the city has budgeted in 2022, that is expected to include the Westridge neighborhood.
Mark Scholz, Seth Fox and Reed Berger were chosen by commissioners to serve four-year terms on the Airport Advisory Committee, and David Downing Jr. was appointed to serve on the Community Corrections Advisory Committee.
Commissioners also approved a resolution allow the city to participated in an opioid class action litigation settlement that is expected to bring between $50,000-$100,000 to the city for use in drug education and/or treatment programs. They also approved a number of occupational and cereal malt beverage licenses; a tow license; a trash hauler license; a FEMA grant application for a new fire truck; a Main Street corridor construction engineering contract; and $50,000 of work on curb and gutter along Main Street to be done by Bottorff Construction.
Following the regular meeting, the Land Bank Commission met to accept the house at 415 N. 9th St. into the Land Bank.
The next regular city commission meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 20, in the commission room, but there will be a special commission meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 13 where commissioners are scheduled to review city manager applications during an executive session.