Greenly Named City Commissioner

Atchison’s Jesse Greenly was selected to serve on the city commission during Monday’s special commission meeting.

Greenly was unanimously chosen from a field of four candidates to fill the unexpired term of former Mayor Shawn Rizza, who resigned earlier this month when his family relocated to Colorado.

“I just want to say this is an honor to be chosen to serve as a commissioner for the City of Atchison,” Greenly said during commissioner comments at the end of the meeting.

After Greenly was sworn in, the commissioners reorganized. Vice Mayor Allen Reavis was selected to serve as mayor moving forward, with Commissioner Abby Bartlett chosen as vice mayor.

Greenly’s term will run through most of 2021, when there will be a new round of elections with the winners seated in Dec. 2021.

In other action Monday, commissioners adopted the 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report that was prepared as part of the annual audit by BT & Co. Certified Public Accountants. The audit received an unmodified opinion, the best result the city could receive – it means that the organization is following recognized best practices by the Government Finance Officers Association. Atchison has received the Certificate of Achievement from the GFOA for 23 consecutive years, and BT & Co. partner Stacey Hammond told commissioners that they believed the city would be eligible for the award again for the 2019 CAFR.

There were also four presentations during Monday’s meeting. The first was a late draft of the 2020 Strategic Plan, which should be ready for adoption when the commission votes on the 2021 budget in early August.

The second presentation was a proposed change in city codes that would create a due process for weed notification letters. The current code does not have a built-in hearing process for contested weed notices, and the proposed new code would create one – as well as clarifying the perimeter mowing exception for areas of land 2 acres or more in size. The changes will likely be brought back to commissioners in the form of an ordinance during the July 20 meeting.

Commissioners also heard a proposed update to city zoning regulations that would allow for easier development of infill housing. The city planning commission will have to go through the formal adoption process before commissioner could vote on updated zoning regulations – perhaps as early as August.

The final presentation was an overview of the city’s sidewalk replacement plan using grant funding the past seven years – with ideas for future grant applications utilizing the 2022 KDOT Transportation Alternatives program.

Commissioners will meet again in another special meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7 – changed from the regular meeting date of Monday, July 6. The July 7 meeting will have a very short agenda with a budget workshop to follow.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 20, in the commission room.