Council Meetings Officially to Change at First of the Year

by Kevin Surbaugh

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The December 5, 2016 council meeting was called to order by Mayor Marilyn Pearse. The consent agenda, consisting of cereal malt beverage and tobacco license renewals.

1. Pizza Hut, Cereal Malt Beverage on Premise
   
2. KWIK Shop, Cereal Malt Beverage off Premise and Tobacco
   
3. Baldwin City Market, Tobacco
4. Dollar General Store, Tobacco
5. Dance Cafe, Drinking Establishment

At the urging of Council Member David Simmons the Agreement between Baldwin City and the Douglas County Corrections Facility was moved from the consent agenda to new business.
Moving quickly through old business, the council also approved unanimously Ordinance 1357 amending the Ordinance 1247 zoning text and Ordinance 1356 which officially repealing Ordinance 1293. Ordinance 1247 changes the council meeting days from the first and third Monday to the first and third Tuesdays, and that was just the first five minutes.
The council then voted on the 2.9 million General Obligation Temporary Notes to finance the construction of the new Public Works Building. These temporary notes would be similar to a construction loan, which is then replaced with other financing when construction is complete.
Council Member Simmons moved that the council approve the financing and Council Member Tony Brown seconded. They both voted in favor of the financing, Council Members Kathy Gerstner dissented and Christi Darnell abstained. Council Member Steve Bauer was absent.
Simmons asked for some figures of what we are spending for prisoners in the Douglas County Corrections Facility. Finance Director, Brad Smith told the council that the 2016 agreement has been $73.45 per day per inmate. However, in 2017 it will be $77.12 per day per inmate.
So far in 2016, Smith said, Baldwin City has spent about $1,700. However, in 2015 the cost was a little more then $5,000 and in 2014 the total was over $7,000.
After getting those figures, Simmons moved the agreement be signed, with Gerstner seconding and the council approving unanimously.

In other business:

The council also heard about Resolution 2016-21 the Douglas County Regional Pedestrian Plan, which it approved unanimously.

Simmons said the Health and Safety Committee continues to look at a mobile home and campground ordinance and will continue looking at it at the January committee meeting.

The crowd at this past weekends Festival of Lights and Tree Lighting was between 350-400.

Gerstner congratulated the Baker Football team as they head to Daytona Beach for the NAIA National Championship game.