Pittsburg City Commission meeting recap – June 9, 2020

PITTSBURG, KS – The following actions were taken during the Pittsburg City Commission meeting held on June 9, 2020:

PUBLIC INPUT:

• Pittsburg Flag Competition – Downtown Advisory Board (DAB) member Sydney Anselmi shared the final flag designs for the Pittsburg Flag Competition, a joint effort between the DAB and the Imagine Pittsburg 2030 Committee. Online voting is now open and community members are encouraged to vote for their favorite on the IP2030 website: https://www.imaginepittsburg2030.com/city-flag-contest.

Commissioners approved the following items under the consent agenda:

• The May 26, 2020, City Commission Meeting minutes.
• An application to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation’s (KHRC) Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program for a $100,000 grant to provide security deposit assistance to income eligible households.
• The recommendation of the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) to forgive the $16,000 loan to Dr. Chad Stewart, as Dr. Stewart has fully complied with the City’s requirement for loan forgiveness.
• The Appropriation Ordinance for the period ending June 9, 2020, subject to the release of HUD expenditures when funds are received.

Special presentations:

• Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) – Stacey Hammond of BT&Co. P.A., the City’s auditing firm, presented the City’s 2019 audit and Comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The City received an unqualified audit opinion, which means all financial statements are fairly and appropriately presented without exception.
• Economic Development Report – Director of Economic Development Blake Benson and Pittsburg State University Executive Director of Operations, Business Development, & Economic Engagement Darrell Pulliam, presented the quarterly Economic Development Report, outlining many projects and efforts to support the business community during the pandemic

Commissioners approved the following items on the agenda:

• GRANT REQUEST – Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHCSEK) –Commissioners approved the recommendation of the EDAC to provide a non-repayable grant to CHCSEK for 10 percent of the project value of expanding to create the new Family Medicine Rural Residency Program in Pittsburg, with the grant amount not to exceed $600,000.
• GRANT REQUEST – THF, LLC – Commissioners approved the recommendation of the EDAC to provide a nonrepayable grant to Colby Terlip, owner of THF, LLC, dba Sunflower Hemp Company, located at 3002 North Rotary Terrace, for 10 percent of the Sunflower Hemp Company project value, with the grant amount not to exceed $100,000. The funds will help Mr. Terlip establish his processing plant in the Northeast Industrial Park with an anticipated ten employees.
• GRANT REQUEST – Arck Construction, Consulting and Management – Commissioners approved the recommendation of the EDAC to provide a non-repayable grant to Dane Arck, on behalf of Arck Construction, Consulting and Management, for 10 percent of the redevelopment cost for the property located at 812 North Broadway, with the grant amount not to exceed $7,000. The funds will help Arck Construction in its rehabilitation of a downtown building.
• SPLASH PAD PROJECT AWARD – Commissioners approved staff recommendation to award the Schlanger Park Splash Pad project to Sunscape Pool & Backyard, a Division of Home Center Construction, Inc., of Pittsburg, Kansas, in the amount of $270,412.10. Fifty percent of the funding for the splash pad comes from a National Parks Service Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, and the rest of the funding comes from private dollars raised by the Everybody Plays Committee and other grant programs. The splash pad will replace Schlanger Park pool. Construction is expected to begin later this year.
• ORDINANCE NO. G-1312 – Commissioners voted to adopt Ordinance No. G-1312, amending Sections 6-141, 74-1 and 74-2 of the Pittsburg City Code, to permit restaurants to enter into a temporary license agreement authorizing the obstruction of a portion of the public sidewalks in order to permit the consumption of food and beverages there. This ordinance will allow restaurants in the downtown district to expand their footprint and add seating capacity outside.

Non-Agenda:

• City Manager Daron Hall addressed public feedback regarding the closure of the city pool and the cancellation of the city fireworks display. Hall recorded a video to explain the reasoning behind these decisions: https://youtu.be/IZzXjY01q_w

City Commission Meetings:

The Pittsburg City Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:30 pm, inside the Beard-Shanks Law Enforcement Center courtroom.

City commission meetings are broadcast live on the City’s local government access channels (Cox channel 6 and Craw-Kan channel 406) and on YouTube. To subscribe to the City’s YouTube channel, go to www.pittks.org/youtube. To learn more about the Pittsburg city government, city commissioners, or to view meeting agendas and minutes, visit pittks.org/city-government/city-commission.

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The mission of the City of Pittsburg is to provide exceptional services, facilities and activities with integrity, professionalism, excellent customer service and a commitment to economic vitality.