Callie Haxton was sworn in as the new city clerk during Monday night’s Ellsworth City Council meeting. A performance and training report on Haxton will be brought to the council after 90 days.

“We’ve had some transitions; she’s very qualified,” Mayor Dan Finnegan said. “This is the right thing for us to do.”

Brittany Kasper resigned from the position in November, with an effective date of Dec.

2. With the added responsibility, a raise was given to the position of $45,281.60 annually or $21.77 per hour.

Haxton, 25, has worked as the city’s deputy clerk for 26 months.

Petitions & delegations Lucas Scott, a resident on Webb Street, told the council that his water bill had a major discrepancy. His bill, which is usually under $100, was $1,968 this month. The city will look into it Tuesday.

Unfinished Business

At the top of the list of unfinished business was a discussion on the Krizek Park detention basin.

The basin was intended to ease flooding during major rains. The basin functions correctly, however, its appearance has been criticized, especially when water levels are high. At times, a large amount of standing water is left with nowhere to go.

Underdrain pipes have been discussed as a solution by Kirkham Michael & Associates. The majority of the basin project was paid for by the Kansas Department of Transportation. Kirkham Michael has also spent $20,000 of its own money to attempt to rectify the situation.

The KDT has instructed Kirkham Michael to complete the contract closeout documentation and process final payment to the contractor. Finnegan asked for all documentation from beginning to end be brought to the council so they can see the progression of the project.

According to Finnegan, discussions have taken place, but more information is needed to really understand decisions can be made.

“It became clear that we needed more information,” Finnegan said.

“We need to be very decisive.”

Kirkham Michael submitted a final check for the Neighborhood Multi-Use Path project in November. They realigned the path to avoid the need for rightof- way acquisition. Both temporary construction easements have been acquired. Vyve will relocate a buried cable in January. AT&T will move their utilities as well, but they have not given a timeframe.

KDOT has scheduled the letting date for the project to be in April.

Multicon has returned signed contracts for execution of the KDOT spring 2023 cost share project to improve multiple sidewalks in town.

The bid was awarded to Multicon for $248,447.

They will not start the project until after Jan. 1.

Council members approved Kirkham Michael to provide parttime, limited construction administration services for the project.

“We don’t have any idea of when the contractor will start or finish this project, but this scope is for Kirkham Michael to facilitate a pre-construction conference between the contractor and city, infrequently check on the contractor’s quality of work and project progress, process contractor change orders and pay requests and answer plan-related questions,” City Administrator Dustin Stambaugh said.

Kirkland Michael is completing field check plans on the KDOT City Connecting Link Improvement Program to resurface Kansas Highway 14 (North Douglas Avenue).

KDOT awarded up to $600,000 for the project, and the bid is scheduled for some time in 2023.

Kirkham Michael was contracted to produce plans and specifications, as well as an application to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, to construct a sewer main extension to service the new Rolling Hills Electric facility. The plan was completed and submitted.

Work on the Kansas Hwy. 156/140 turn lanes will begin in 2023. The bid for the project was awarded to APAC for $774,320.

The council approved Kirkham Michael to collect a topographical survey then complete design plans and a KDHE permit to extend a city sewer main to a residential property at 1401 W.

11th St.

“I would anticipate we could get the survey done in the next couple of weeks, and then have the plans sent to KDHE in January for permit review,” Stambaugh said.

“We are proposing $10,000 to complete this work.”

The council voted to give the city’s information technology contract to Nex-Tech Communications. Over the past months, a number of bids were received and multiple proposals were brought to council.

Of the 766 IT vendors reached, 66 saw the request and nine submitted bids. Four companies were chosen for a final round of proposals, and Nex-Tech was selected from those. They will fully manage the city’s IT.

“That’s pretty exciting,” Finnegan said. “I think that’s a really wise decision.”

New Business

With the merger of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce and Ellsworth County Economic Development, the transient guest tax ordinance needs to be amended. More details will be brought to the council about how the funds will be utilized and who will head the committee.

“We wanted to make sure this [merger] really was the right move for our county,” ECED Executive Director Stacie Schmidt said.

The next city council meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 27.