KANOPOLIS — Less than 10 minutes into the March 20 special meeting, the Kanopolis City Council entered executive session for 30 minutes to discuss nonelected personnel.

Upon exiting the session, employee payment was addressed.

“I move to pay Khrystal Serrien $2 per hour from March 8-April 1, her last day,” council member Theresa Kyler said.

Council member Levi Schneider seconded the motion.

Kyler then amended her motion to stipulate the $2 per hour is in addition to Serrien’s base pay. Schneider amended his second and the motion passed 3-0.

Council members Michelle Schwerdtfeger and Tim Bobbett were absent from the special meeting, which was called at 8:38 a.m. March 20.

The council also agreed to increase the pay for Justin Stroede, from the date of his water certification through his last day, March 25.

Maintenance Supervisor Mike Bunch’s final day was March 20.

During the special meeting, council discussed upcoming staffing needs. Serrien, Stroede and Bunch were the city’s only full-time employees.

Part-time office worker Cecila Handlin’s final day was March 23.

Previous city clerk Deb Kralik is set to retire April 1.

“We need a go forward plan for operation of water and sewer system,” Mayor Tom Wilkinson said. “We are losing both of our maintenance workers shortly. Does anyone have anything to throw out?”

Kyler said an application for a part-time position was dropped off.

“It’s somebody who has worked for the city before,” she said. “If that’s something we can go ahead and do, to help get us through while we’re navigating this, I think it would help us a little bit at least.”

Schneider pointed out chlorine levels in the water must be checked once a day.

“At least someone could catch those part of the time,” Kyler said.

Schneider said council should reach out to nearby cities to see if someone can assist on a temporary basis.

“I reached out to Geneseo. I was able to get ahold of the mayor right away,” Kyler said. “They said they absolutely would help us out.

“They could catch the samples and deliver to Salina with their own. They are able to go off their certifications.”

Schneider said the city needs to know how much the assistance will cost.

“(It is) $100 per sample,” Kyler said. “We have to do it twice a month I think. That would come here, get sample, deliver to Salina.”

Schneider pointed out there are additional requirements for water systems.

“There are additional samples we have to take throughout the year from each year,” he said.

“Daily samples for chlorine residuals — that’s at 12 locations?” Wilkinson asked.

“Those are at one location,” Schneider said. “You go to a different location each day. We have a sheet saying where samples need to be taken from.”

Wilkinson suggested conducting an interview the week of March 23.

“We have two other applications also in the drawer,” he said. “We’ll take a look at those.”

Kyler said there hasn’t been an ad in the newspaper yet.

Schneider made a motion, and Kyler seconded, to place an ad in the paper for at least two weeks for the city clerk and maintenance positions. Motion carried, 3-0.