KANOPOLIS — Line-by-line, city council Member Theresa Kyler reviewed a portion of the city employee handbook with fellow council members during the March 10 meeting.

“I’ve got a lot of questions,” she said.

With two recent hires, employee evaluations topped Kyler’s list of questions.

“I don’t know if we have one anywhere,” she said of a formal evaluation form. “We should have a uniform evaluation plan is what it says.

“If we don’t, we need to do one. I feel like we should have (a form) so it’s always the same. So that it’s documented for all current and future employees. So they know in 90 days they’ll get an eval, in a year they’ll get an eval and every year beyond that. It says every year there will be an evaluation for compensation.

“I think we need to get an evaluation plan established.”

City Clerk Khrystal Serrien said previous city clerk Debbie Kralik wasn’t aware of any evaluation forms. “I think we need to get that developed so we are following this,” Kyler said.

Council President Michelle Schwerdtfeger pointed out the evaluations would need to be different because job tasks aren’t the same for every employee.

“I’ll be happy to look some things up; maybe more than one scenario,” Kyler said. “I did talk to the city administrator in Ellsworth. He gave me a little direction on where to look. He encouraged (us) to use the league of municipalities for a lot of this. They have good resources for this.”

Kyler will assemble some options and present to the council at the next meeting.

Kyler also asked if the city has job classifications in its handbook.

“Do we have any pay scales that have been approved by the council?” she asked.

Council member Levi Schneider said he doesn’t want to be inflexible with employees.

“I don’t want to tell someone, ‘Here’s what this job is topped out at,’” he said.

“They have to earn it by the evaluation to get there,” Kyler said. “You can maybe move the scale down the road or create another level.”

Schwerdtfeger suggested the council not review the entire handbook during the March meeting.

“Do we want to do a couple pages each meeting?” she asked.

“I think we need to address a couple of things because we have new employees,” Kyler said.

She pointed to evaluation, pay scale and benefits.

“It says accumulated leave (is) not taken until in service cumulative for six months,” Kyler said.

“I’m not for that,” Schneider said.

Kyler pointed out the handbook reads sick leave and vacation cannot be used for six months.

“If it’s 90-day probation, I’m fine with that,” Schneider said.

“Some things come up in 90 days,” Schwerdtfeger said.

“You never know when an emergency comes up,” Kyler said. “It has to take priority.

“I think it has to be a priority to take care of our employees, that when they need something like that they get it.”

Schneider suggested council members bring questions or suggestions about the handbook to the April meeting.

“I want to get those things rectified soon,” Kyler said. “I don’t think we can kick the can down the road.”

Council member Tanner Rippen asked if the discussion impacted any current employees.

“No, we can’t walk those back,” Kyler said. “But evaluations, the rate scales, classifications, that all would be right now. We need to have that in order to do evals and decide what pay scales are.”

Mayor Tom Wilkinson said it won’t change anything for current employees.

“Moving forward, we can add things that were meant to be added,” he said. “So when the next guys come we can follow a plan and be consistent.

“The process needs some clarification in my opinion.”

Maintenance Supervisor Mike Bunch asked if council wants to wait 90 days before new employees are eligible for insurance.

“For most places, they do,” Kyler said. “There is a probationary period.”

Bunch said the policy could cut down on applicants.

Bunch’s last day with the city of Kanopolis will be March 20.

In other business:

• The council delayed approving the treasurer’s report until the next meeting.

• Rippen was sworn in as the council’s newest member.

• Greg Heller, curator at Fort Harker Guardhouse Museum, updated council about the movie filming scheduled for March 14. The city provided barricades to close off traffic periodically throughout the day.

Heller also discussed the upcoming Fort Harker Living History Days, which will be the first weekend in May. He asked for a donation to assist with the cost of mileage and food for the reenactors who attend.

The council approved a $1,000 donation.

• During discussion about the water tower project, Bunch said a drain underneath a driveway was disrupted during the project.

“Do you want us to take care of that, or contractor?” he asked.

Wilkinson said the contractor should repair the issue.

• Serrien said two residences are not in compliance.

“I have to post and mail to them before we clean up,” she said.

Council approved abatements at the Weaver and Kramer properties.

• Council discussed the city’s insurance policy renewal with Lucas Barta.

Council approved a policy with EMC Insurance for $33,567, pending a review of the equipment listed.

• Serrien reminded council the city pays the Fire Department Relief Fund twice a year. The amount of $4,449.47 will be paid in March and again in September.

• Council asked Serrien to inquire about two weekends for citywide cleanup. She said she will put information in water bills, as well as distribute additional fliers around town once the date is set.

• Bunch said the city needs to purchase additional chemical pumps.

Council approved the purchase of three pumps, not to exceed $2,000 for all three.

• Kyler said she wanted to discuss the city’s vehicles.

“I was wondering if we could use a used side-byside instead of one or two of them pickups,” she said.

Bunch said it would be handy for spraying for mosquitoes.

Schneider said it could come in handy when staff reads water meters.

“It’s something we should look into for sure,” he said.

• Kyler said she is still working with local representatives in Topeka about the potential of money to assist with street improvements.

• Bunch said water well No. 1 is repaired.

• Wilkinson said an issue arose with water, but it was paid for.

• Serrien said some people requested permission to search the area around the new water tower with metal detectors for bullet casings or historical artifacts.

“They said it’s the perfect time because the dirt has been overturned,” she said. “With it being a construction site, I said it would be best to present it to you guys.”

Council agreed and did not grant permission because the area is an active construction site.

• Serrien said the owners of the Kanopolis Drive-In asked about donating some money to help refurbish the Kanopolis sign on Highway 111 coming into town.

Schneider said council previously considered applying for a grant to assist with the project.

• Schneider thanked Bunch for his service to Kanopolis. He will retire March 20.

“We hate to see you leave. We understand,” he said.

• Schneider also asked Bunch to move forward with an additional property for abatement.

“I would like to keep three moving,” he said. “We had one taken care of.”

• Council went into two executive sessions, for 10 minutes each, to discuss nonelected personnel. The purpose was to conduct 90-day evaluations for new employees.

The next meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. April 14 at city hall.