CITY COUNCIL HEARS DEBATE ON 3RD STREET BLDGS; ZAC JOHNSON STEPS DOWN
CITY COUNCIL HEARS CONCERNS and accepts surprise resignation of UTILITIES director
By Mark McLaughlin
Editor in Chief, Citizen-Observer
CAMERON—The Cameron City Council met in regular session Monday, October 7, with Council members Karen Hamlet, John Feighurt, Gina Reed-Hibler and Mayor Becky Curtis present. John Breckenridge was absent.
City Manager Steve Rasmussen, City Clerk Shelly Blades and all Department Heads were present for the meeting.
Perhaps the biggest news of the night was the surprise announcement of UTILITIUESDirector Zac Johnson, who announced his resignation to take a Director’s position with Alliance Waste Water Management, which manages the City’s wastewater treatment system.
Much discussion centered around the 3rd Street Buildings controversy, with two sets of public remarks by past Building Inspector Paul Beckwith, City Councilwoman Gina Reed-Hibler and Manion properties owner Sue Manion offering compelling public comments.
The tone of public sentiment is that the City and citizens are both weary of the continuing drama as a drag on city morale, and an imminent public safety concern.
Reed-Hibler announced her purchase of the 3rd Street Buildings for $8,000 last week, the story appearing elsewhere in the Citizen-Observer.
In public comment, Beckwith addressed his concern to calling out the Council for not acting on pending code requirements requiring action be taken on the buildings.
“Why didn’t the Council act when the CHPS failed to meet their contractual requirements with the city?”Beckwith said.”We were told that there was nothing there to be concerned about.”
Beckwith noted that two separate collapses within the involved buildings represented an imminent threat to public safety, citing similar problems resulting in total building collapses in Jamesport, Mound City and Polo. A similar building collapse occurred two decades ago in buildings on the square in Grant City, following a devastating fire in the same space in 2010 that leveled an entire city block.
“By code, this should be addressed.”Beckwith said.”We have both a safety risk of collapse and a health risk of vermin, rodents, and mold…Surrounding buildings are at risk of infestation.”
Beckwith pointed to the upcoming Marchfest Parade that will travel through downtown, when the city wants to be putting its best foot forward.
“My prayer is simply that no one gets hurt.”Beckwith said.”We can replace the buildings, but we cannot replace a life.”
“According to section 3 of City Code, the Council should have acted, abating the problem through demolition.”
Beckwith also called attention to a partial collapse of the Eggleson building on the old City Water Plant property. City Manager Rasmussen and the Council thanked Beckwith for bringing it to their attention and said it would be addressed.
In the later part of the meeting, with Council public comments, Reed-Hibler informed the Council that she would be closing on the sale October 15th and would be ready to start work on the 16th.
The initial work would be to deal with the vegetation, security and pest problems, noting that her initial approach will be to stabilize the buildings, and then begin work on restoring them.
Manion Properties President Sue Manion challenged Reed-Hibler on the hiring of Leif Johnson as her construction engineer.
Manion and other citizens questioned whether Johnson was licensed and certified as an engineer. Reed-Hibler assured the group it was under control.
Manion countered that, “Gina, I don’t think you have a timeline, I think you have a dream.”
“We’re in the next chapter of someone who wants to “try something”.Manion said.”I just don’t know how we got to this point.”
Reed-Hibler responded,”This is something that I feel led to do, and I think it will be fine.”
“I listened to all the talk that ‘someone should do something about this’ and now that I’ve done it, I’m catching some hate on social media.”Reed-Hibler said.”I don’t have a timeline, and in the end, the buildings may end up needing to be demolished.”
Reed-Hibler, when fully in ownership of the buildings, will have until June of 2026 to obtain progress and resolution on the condition of the buildings.
When asked if fences and barriers around the buildings would come down anytime soon, Reed-Hibler indicated that they would not.
City Manager Rasmussen said previously that Reed-Hibler would need to work out a contract for the city detailing plans and timelines, and a drop-dead date for conclusion, not unlike the one the CHPS constructed in trying to obtain grants as part of their non-profit status.
Reed-Hibler, returning the buildings to the private sector, will be free to pursue investors and fundraising support towards completion of the project.
In other business, the Cameron R-I school district dispatched third-year FFA/AG instructor Wyatt Ellis to speak to the council regarding a pending lease agreement with the city o construct a trap-shooting range on the old landfill property.
In the previous Council meeting, council members expressed surprise at the process between the City and the School, and concern about supervision, upkeep, and safety in such a setting.
Ellis, a South Harrison graduate and past State FFA Trap-Shooting competitor, who initiated the program at Cameron last year, has raised participation in the program to 38-students in the second year, and propelled CHS to the top five of area teams in a very short time.
When Mayor Curtis asked for a motion to approve the lease between the Council and the School, the Mayor failed to receive a motion or a second. Rasmussen intervened to allow Ellis to make his presentation to the Council.
It was further learned in Public Comments that the Cameron Dragonflies model flying Club already had a lease on adjoining landfill property for students fliers to fly their remote aircraft.
Program Director Joey Kerns expressed concern about the competition for space, safety, and whether or not the school would do an adequate job of upkeep and maintenance.
Ellis countered by offering assistance to the Dragonflies in the construction of runways and other infrastructure improvements that construction-inclined students could assist with on the Dragonflies property.
It was decided to postpone a vote on the lease, and for Ellis and Kerns to meet to discuss how such an arrangement would work and then to return to the Council’s Public Safety Committee to deliver the results of their discussions.
Ellis talked about the school’s ultimate plan to construct four concrete “shooting bunkers” that would accommodate up to 250-competitors in trap-shooting competitions.
The last, somewhat contentious matter of the Council’s work was discussion of the hiring of an Internet Technology director for the City.
Councilman Feighurt raised the point once again that the position, a new one for the city, needed to be hired on a 6-month contract basis, citing the concern of whether or not the person procured would work out.
City Manager Rasmussen indicated that the position had been offered and accepted as a FTE(Full-time employee), but pressed the Council that if it had concerns, he’d ask for another vote.
“We’ve already voted on this three times, but if we need to vote on it again, we will.”Rassmussen said.
Following a bit more discussion, the Council acquiesced and directed Rasmussen to move forward with the hiring.
In other business:
The City approved Bill 2024-39 to conclude an agreement with PFM Financial Services to begin investing excess city monies in liquid funds, term funds, and larger funds up to $250,000 which would pay a fixed rate of interest. The measure passed 4-0.
The City approved Bill 2024-42 to purchase a “recloser” system that would assist with fusing issues with the City’s electric distribution system. The measure passed 4-0.
The City approved bill 2024-43 to purchase a new Public Works Truck from Shawnee Mission Ford for $85,681, with flatbed an, utility box and other equipment complete and included. The measure passed 4-0.
In department head comments, City Economic Development Director Lance Rains said that an appraisal was underway and nearing completion on the City’s Industrial Park, which the City hopes to sell in order to fund repairs and restoration of City Hall.
City Clerk Shelly Blades also reminded citizens that Wednesday, October 9 is the last day to register to vote.
The Council adjourned at 7:21 PM.
