The Ellsworth City Council is one step closer to adding a $3 charge to residents’ water bills for stormwater projects and flooding mitigation.

At Monday’s regular meeting conducted via Zoom, officials approved a Charter Ordinance to provide for the creation of a Stormwater Management Program and add a charge to the water bills. The full Charter Ordinance No. 25 can be seen on page B2 of this week’s I-R.

A charter ordinance allows a city to exempt itself from Kansas legislation and provide substitute or additional provisions. In this case, the charter ordinance exempts the city from following the Kansas Water Pollution Act and create its own program for stormwater management.

The ordinance takes effect 61 days from the final publication in the I-R, unless a petition is filed by residents. According to city attorney Patrick Hoffman, “Charter ordinances are simply procedurally different but not necessarily more controversial than other ordinances:’

Passing this ordinance does not necessarily mean the council will enact the fee. It simply is a first step in allowing the possibility of doing so. A second ordinance will need to be passed and published if the council decides to continue.

In other business:

• After the Dec. 28 meeting, city administrator Rusty Varnado called Carl Brown of Get Great Rates about completing a study of water and sewer rates. The subject surfaced after Sarah and Clint Freeman, owners of K & K Car Wash, brought to the council’s attention to the water bill for the car wash. The last rate study was in 2017 at a cost of $3,800.

Varnado said a new study could cost up to $12,000. After discussion, the council approved Varnado going back to Brown about the possibility of doing just a water rate study at a cost not to exceed $5,000.

• Approval was given to the police department to purchase a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup from the General Services Administration Partners Program at a cost not to exceed $25,000. This will replace the 2014 Ford Taurus that is starting to have repeated repair issues. A total of $32,000 was budgeted to replace a vehicle this year which will allow for purchase of the vehicle plus any equipment that will be needed.

The department is switching to pickups to be able to pass the vehicles on to other departments such as the water or street department after its use as a police vehicle.

• The budgeted public transportation funds in the amount of $11,000 for the Ellsworth County Council on Aging was approved for release to the group.

• A condemnation resolution for the property at 1105 N. Park St. was approved. The house was destroyed by fire Dec. 28. A public hearing on the property will be at 5:25 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, at city hall.

• Varnado reviewed the Personnel Policy and Guidelines with the council and noted changes or deletions he would like to make. The matter was tabled until the Jan. 25 meeting to allow the council time to review the policy.

• No action was taken after a five minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel.