Highlights from Lyons City Council Meeting 8/4/2025
LYONS, Kan. — Following an executive session, the Lyons City Council Monday night authorized City Administrator Troy Houtman to contract with a temp agency to provide assistance in the Administration Department. That department has seen a number of departures in the past few years, including retirements and people accepting other positions which has left the department short-staffed. Related to this, the Council has contracted for an audit to review procedures and policies to see where improvements can be made.
The Council received the 2024 financial audit report from Jared. Gilmore and Phillips, which carried an unmodified, or clean opinion based on the regulatory basis of accounting that is used by nearly every governmental unit in Kansas to show compliance with cash basis laws. In preparing the audit there were a few items the auditors were not immediately able to find but those were taken care of satisfactorily.
A hearing was set for Sept. 1 on the city’s proposed 2026 budget, prior to which a hearing will be held on exceeding the Revenue Neutral Rate for that budget, which as published will be around four mills over the levy that would raise the same amount of revenue from property taxes as was raised for 2025.
Council members approved another section of revisions to personnel policies and procedures; this related to other employee benefits. This includes such things as social security, workers compensation, health insurance, and the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Additions to the policy include a new employee assistance program and other benefits, a section dealing with funeral memorials for current city employees, their spouse/significant other, or a child, and a new policy related to employees transitioning from part time to full time employment with the city.
The Council approved amendments to city codes to permit use of micro-work trucks within the city. This will add the small sized worksite trucks to existing codes related to four-wheeled utility vehicles within the city.
The ordinance sets a maximum speed of 40 miles an hour and prohibits their use on either of the state highways passing through Lyons, though they can cross those streets. They will be required to have electric turn signals and at least one rear-view mirror and meet seat belt restraints including those for child restraint seats.
Registration will be handed on a by-appointment basis at City Hall, as it’s not legal for those vehicles to be driven to the Police Department location.
The Council approved waiver of all permit and vendor fees for participants in the 2025 Fair on the Square next month. While vendors, solicitors, peddlers and canvassers will still have to obtain city-required permits, there will be no fees charged.
The Council also approved waiver of permit fees to allow Lyons High School to have fireworks at home football games this season, which will be set off after touchdowns, field goals, and at the end of the game. The fireworks will be set off from a property east of the school which they have received permission for and will be set off by the same pyrotechnic crew that does BoomFest on the 4th of July.
