KANOPOLIS — The Kanopolis City Council approved a motion at the Dec. 10 meeting to wait until next November to have the voters decide whether or not to adopt the proposed chicken ordinance.

In a related matter, the council instructed city clerk Debbie Kralik to get the voter rolls from the last election. Mayor Anthony Hopkins suggested the city could establish a one week open voting period during which registered voters could come to city hall and vote on the ordinance.

Kralik began the discussion of voting on the proposed ordinance by noting she talked to Ellsworth County Clerk and Elections Officer Shelly Vopat. Vopat told her the question could not be placed on the general ballot in November.

“I guess she should know if anyone would know,” Mayor Anthony Hopkins said.

During a telephone interview with the Independent-Reporter, Vopat said to do so would require a statute and she knows of no statute.

“I just feel that as heated a topic as it is, it’s something the citizens need to decide,” said council member Michelle Schwerdtfeger.

“I do too,” said council president Gerry Gebhardt.

In other business:

• Thaniel Monaco, an engineer with BG Consultants, said everything on the recently completed city water project looks good. To that end, Change Order No. 2 was approved in the amount of $39,216.32 for curb and guttering which was left off of the bid form, several additional abandonments and new meters, a meter tap, etc. The final contract value is $891,855.32.

• Final pay request No. 6 was approved for $80,793.77. That includes the five percent hold back from previous pay requests.

• Monaco said drilling of the new water well should begin the second or third week in January.

• Kanopolis resident Robert Spears said he received a water bill stating he used 16,000 gallons of water.

“I don’t know if I can do anything about it,” he said. “It’s never been that high.”

Hopkins said he felt for Spears but noted in the past, the council has allowed the patron with a huge water bill to pay it in three monthly payments.

The council approved allowing Spears to pay his bill in three monthly payments.

• An expenditure of $5,000 to the Kanopolis Fire Department to upgrade its bunker gear was approved.

• It was noted the new trash collection contract with Slechta Enterprises of Ellsworth begins Jan. 1.

• Kralik will resend certified letters to the owners of dilapidated property. She said the first batch was mailed Oct. 8 but were lost in the mail.

• Mike Bunch of the city crew said the Christmas lights are up.

• Approval was given to purchase an 84 inch snow plow for the city’s skid steer for $1,500 from Carrico Implement. Bunch noted the snow plow had been previously purchased, but traded in for another purchased and never used.

• Approval was given to spend up to $10,000 on a new city truck to replace the old one.

• Approval was given to give fulltime city employees each a $175 Christmas bonus, with part-time city employees each getting a $75 Christmas bonus.

• Approval was given to the list of 2020 holidays for city employees.

• Approval was given to have city attorney Patrick Hoffman draw up an ordinance establishing the height of fences in Kanopolis. They shall be a maximum of four feet tall in the front yard and eight feet tall maximum in the back yard.

• Approval was given to have Hopkins sign a letter of support for the rental home building project in Kanopolis proposed by Pete Ramsell.