On Tuesday, April 23rd the Liberal City Commission addressed the following items during their regularly scheduled meeting:
Consent Agenda items (airport leases, Convention and Visitors’ Bureau advisory board minutes, and Liberal Board of Zoning Appeals minutes) were approved by the Commission.
Commissioners received a report from Oxford House Kansas, which assists individuals with housing while rebuilding their lives after drug and alcohol addiction. This clean housing option provides benefit to sober tenants, is entirely self-supported, and compliments services provided through Liberal’s Treatment Court program. Oxford House expressed their goal to open a men’s home and women’s home in Liberal, and provided education for the Commission on their housing model.
City Commissioners next passed a series of votes to move forward establishing the Ortuno Addition Rural Housing Incentive District and adopting the development plan for the construction of eight multi-family homes and 37 single-family homes. Commissioners rescinded Ordinance No. 4613 due to finding the initial public notice request had not been published. Commissioners next opened a new public hearing for the Ortuno Addition. Following the public hearing, Commissioners voted to approve Ordinance No. 4615, establishing the Ortuno Addition RHID. This housing development project will be located in South Liberal, along Harold Boulevard and Linn Boulevard near Larabee Road.
Commissioners approved Ordinance No. 4616 vacating a portion of Seneca Street space in North Liberal near the Holly Ridge housing addition. The area designated for a connective street is no longer needed following further residential development, with the exception of a utility easement to be retained by the city.
The Commission also approved Resolution No. 2413 for the abatement of an unregistered nuisance vehicle near 23 W. 3rd Street.
City Commissioners next reviewed and approved splash pad project installations for McCray and Mahuron parks. Each splash pad will include 2,200 square feet of recreation water space, in addition to covered seating areas and protective fencing. The McCray Park splash pad installation will replace the aging and underutilized pool at the park. The projects are anticipated to be completed by the end of summer in 2024. The project will be funded with remaining ARPA funds and dollars from the Housing and Community Development portion of Liberal’s one-cent sales tax.
Commissioners also reviewed and approved animal control ordinance changes which implement pet registration requirements for all cats and dogs over the age of six months living within city limits beginning January 2025. Annual registration and verification of rabies vaccination were proposed following two public surveys issued to collect community feedback regarding roaming and stray animal populations in Liberal. Holding pet owners accountable for responsible ownership by issuing fines for noncompliance was a consistent opinion expressed. This newly approved ordinance also requires owners to immediately remove waste deposited by their pet on public right of ways, public property, or private property of another person.
The Commission also voted to approve a memorandum of understanding for the Liberal Police Department to join a regional drug task force in collaboration with the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office and Seward County Sheriff’s Office to address illicit drug activities. The task force will assist these agencies to more easily collaborate with shared records and employee resources to work cases involving drug trafficking and distribution.
The next regularly scheduled Liberal City Commission meeting will take place May 14th at 5:30 p.m.