WILSON — At Monday’s meeting of the Wilson City Council, Susan Kriley, city clerk and co-chairman of the Wilson After Harvest Czech Festival Committee, along with Kate Schiermeyer, had some surprising news for the council.

Kriley said the 2025 Czech Festival will be the last one for the current committee.

“It’s time for new, creative ideas,” she said.

Kriley said the Wilson Tourism Hub will be working with the committee for the 2025 Czech Fest and the Hub will be taking over responsibility for the Czech Fest after 2025.

“They (Wilson Tourism Hub) are a great organization,” Kriley said. “We’re so glad.”

In other business:

• The council approved Ordinance 888, which establishes various fees of the City of Wilson, that hereafter will be grouped together in one resolution which shall be amended hereafter by resolution of the city council.

Also approved was Ordinance 889, which defines properties who(se owners) shall be charged for sewer and water services in the City of Wilson.

Resolution 19-2024 was approved, establishing a comprehensive listing of fees, charges and services within the City of Wilson.

Mayor Dan Taylor said these two ordinances and the resolution won’t go into effect immediately, but in 30-60 days.

• Before the regular meeting, the council conducted a public hearing for the vehicles at 408 24th St./2411 Ave. E.

Taylor noted one of the two vehicles on the violation list is now gone.

Kristofer Ritchie, the owner of the vehicles, said he has an appointment in Salina Wednesday with the Tag Office to get the rest of the paperwork completed on the vehicle. He will then be able to get the tags and the matter will be taken care of by the end of the week.

The council then approved a resolution that gave a 10-day extension on the one vehicle that is still not in compliance.

• During the public forum portion of the regular meeting, Cathy Smith of the board of health said several false statements have been made against the board of health that need to be addressed.

Smith said at the Sept. 3 council meeting during the public forum, an individual stated that the board of health told him he needed to speak directly to the city council about the garage at 2508 Ave. E.

“No one on the board of health told this individual this,” she said, “so no, this individual is not an exception to the rule.” Smith said the board of health has also been accused of making a personal attack against an individual’s properties.

“This person stated to me with two witnesses that his properties were written up because of what he said about Mayor Taylor in public forum at the July 1 council meeting,” Smith said.

Smith pointed out a photo which has been attached to documentation each council member has, which has a time stamp on it.

“You can see the photos were taken June 30,” she said, “so no personal attacks were made against this individual by the board of health. I just wanted to make that very clear.”

Ritchie then spoke about Smith’s comments.

“I am not 100 percent sure what she is referring to, but I want to clarify that Dan Erdman and myself attended a board of health meeting,” he said. “I don’t know the exact date. We were treated very poorly. We were told, or Dan Erdman was told, that if he had anything to say to the board of health, that we’d have to come to the city, to the council. So basically we were told to not address them, and that is what it sounds like Cathy is referring to, because Dan Erdman has spoke about the garage over where the Otasco building used to be. So he may have not been told to address the council regarding that building, but both he and myself were told to ... I forget what they said. Basically, we (the board of health) don’t like you (Erdman and Ritchie). We (the board of health) don’t want to talk to you (Erdman and Ritchie).”

Ritchie said Erdman wasn’t at the council meeting.

“I’m sure that comment that she just made regarding Dan, he would have loved to rebutted himself, but he’s not here, so I’m going to chime in,” Ritchie said.

• During a board of health update, Taylor said the property at 718-720 26th St. has been taken care of. Approval was then given to remove the property from the board of health violations list.

• During an update on inoperable vehicles, Taylor said the two vehicles at 808 28th St. were served on Aug. 29, but are still there. Approval was then given to a resolution for the two vehicles, stating they must be brought in compliance.

• Taylor gave a brief update on the city sewer lagoon project.

“The sewer lagoon is getting closer,” he said. “Hopefully, we’re well on track with that one.”

• Approval was given to purchase a submergible chopper pump for the sewer lift station from Fluid Equipment, Wichita, for $22,485. It will serve as a backup chopper pump. The funds will be taken from the American Rescue Plan Act funds the city previously received.

• Approval was given to set up a $1,000 budget for City Superintendent Joe Soukup to use to purchase water meters at $88 apiece.

“We’re out of water meters,” Soukup said, before he requested the budget.

Soukup said he plans to keep the meters on the shelf so he has them when he needs them.

The meters will be purchased from Municipal Supply, Nebraska.

• Council member Jeremy Hlad thanked the members of the city board of health for all they do.

“It’s greatly appreciated,” he said. “It’s a thankless job,” Council Member Jessica Loveland added, “so thank you.”

The next meeting of the Wilson City Council will be at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, at city hall.