Baldwin City, KS - The June 6, 2016 city council meeting was called to order by Mayor Marilyn Pearse. The council introduced the new Community Development Director Ed Courton, who is into his second week on the job, attending his first council meeting.
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new Community Development
Director Ed Courton
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh |
After discussion at previous meetings about being the only city in Kansas that still requires two readings of an ordinance, before being approved, ordinance 1093 was introduced. The ordinance would change that practice by striking the word final from the original ordinance. If approved the new wording would read, "The vote on the
final passage of an ordinance shall be taken by yeas and Nays." Councilman David Simmons, as in the previous two discussions, expressed his concerns about the transparency to the public, if we eliminate the second reading of an ordinance.
The suggestion was made that the language should include a reading with the vote at a subsequent meeting. Eliminating only the vote after the first reading, which moves an ordinance to the second reading. The discussion was tabled, to hammer out the verbiage suggested by Simmons.
Next on the agenda was ordinance 1335, to clarify the cities regulations regarding chickens. The new ordinance eliminates the minimum square footage required per chicken.
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Council members discuss chickens.
Photographer Kevin Surbaugh |
However,
it would limit the number of chickens and ducks to no more then 20, which is similar to an ordinance in Lawrence. The ordinance does specifically ban roosters, meaning no chicken breeders inside the city limits. Only those wanting chickens and ducks for fresh eggs will be allowed. The chicken ordinance was unanimously moved to a second reading.
To come into compliance with a new state law regarding elections, charter ordinance 24 to repeal charter ordinance 2. The new ordinance will move the spring elections of the odd election years, to November of the odd election years. Meaning new city and school elected officials will take office the following January.
In other business:
The council discussed and approved ordinance 1343, the annexation of real property which adjoins the city along Washington Street.
Approved the School Resource Officer (SRO) contract with the Baldwin City School District.
Approved the special event application for the car show, but expressed extreme concern about the pinup name and promotion of the event. Councilwoman Kathy Gerstner felt the pinup contest was derogatory to women as a whole. The application was approved with two yeas, two nays and two abstentions.
Unanimously approved the special event application for the 52nd annual Maple Leaf Festival.
Shirley grew up in a very patriotic family and always held the belief that everyone should "serve our country." Upon graduating from high school with the class of 1950, she immediately followed in the footsteps of her six uncles and enlisted in the United States Army. She completed her basic training at Fort Lee, Virginia. Her next stop was Fort Riley, KS where she became a member of the first group of all women to go through training at Fort Riley, KS. She was assigned to Fort Belvoir, VA when the Korean War erupted. There, she did requisitions for supplies for the war, which "included men, tanks, jeeps, guns, artillery just everything needed to the fight the war was my job." Shirley was honorably discharged in 1952 at Fort Belvoir, VA with the rank of Private First Class. 
For over 20 years, June wrote her column, "Musings from the Hill", for the Baldwin City Signal newspaper. Each column was filled with historical facts and personal stories from the past and present. She loved the town of Baldwin City, her many friends, the Baldwin Public library, where she conducted much of her research, and Baker University. For over 20 years, she lived in her beloved "house on the hill", overlooking Douglas State Lake, surrounded by flower gardens, birds and wildlife. One of her favorite pastimes was sitting on her upper deck, enjoying the peace and quiet and beauty of nature. A few of her notable achievements include being interviewed by National Public Radio, at the age of 95, as one of the oldest and continuing published columnists in the United States as well as being featured in the Sunday edition of the Kansas City Star, for her long running column. She also was interviewed by the Smithsonian Institute for one of their Projects, "The Way We Worked".
Mateer now joins the elite group of fellow Wildcats named to the list, which includes Aaron Caldwell (Men’s Track & Field), Katie Thurbon (Women’s Track & Field), Jordan Dolbin (Women’s Soccer) and Josh Rydberg (Men’s Soccer).
