At Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth City Council, authorization was given to Mayor Alan Stefek to issue the Airport Takeoff Directive to Brad Fritchett of Wayne’s Agricultural Aviation of Ellsworth.

The directive states that all future takeoffs for agricultural operations be northbound.

City administrator Scott Moore said the directive came from an Aug. 23 site visit at the Ellsworth Airport with Fritchett, representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration central office, and airport advisory board members.

Moore said the issue concerns the overall safety of ag spray planes taking off over the city with a full load of fertilizer. He noted the FAA representative suggested the city issue a directive as soon as possible directing that all ag spray operations takeoff northbound to avoid any mishaps flying over the city with a full load of fertilizer.

Currently, Fritchett and his hired ag sprayers do not take off with full loads southbound over the city due to safety concerns.

Moore said this directive, along with other information the city plans to supply to the FAA, will ultimately determine the length of the new airport runway, which supplemental discretionary funds would pay for at 100 percent.

Moore said the goal is to have this information submitted to the FAA by Sept. 6, with an update to the council at the Sept. 9 council meeting.

In other business:

• Approval was given to a request by the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce to allocate $6,000 in funding from the general fund for the 2019 Cowtown Days.

• Approval was given to submit a grant application to the Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation on behalf of the Smoky Hill Development Corporation for $8,500 in gateway entry signage for each community in Ellsworth County.

• Approval was given to initiate maintenance repairs with Suez Utility Service Company for the city’s pool water tower not to exceed $250,000. The work includes completely sandblasting and containing the interior and exterior of the water tower and repainting the tower.

• Approval was given to the $16,000 grant from the Dane G.

Hansen Foundation for the upgrade to the ballfield concession stand and restroom.

• Approval was given a bid from 2D Construction not to exceed $25,000 for rehabilitation of the concession stand.

• City attorney Patrick Hoffman, Ellsworth Fire Chief Bob Kepka and Ellsworth Police Chief Emil Halfhill will work together to develop a proclamation for the council to consider regarding burning in the city.

The current ordinance states that burning must be approved by the council. However, Kepka said residents regularly contact him for permission to burn. It was suggested the council give Kepka the authority to authorize the burning. It was also suggested those wanting to burn get an annual burn permit from the Ellsworth County clerk.

• Moore noted that Summers, Spencer and Company is consolidating and will no longer have an office in Ellsworth as of Friday, Sept. 20. It will continue to serve the area from Salina.

• Moore said a public hearing on the Eighth Street and K-156 Highway Intersection project is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, at the Ellsworth Golf Course meeting room.

The regular meeting of the city council will follow the public hearing at 5:30 p.m.