The matter of a contract for Bailey Saylor to be the permanent City Administrator for Lyons is still not settled.
During Tuesday’s City Council meeting Sayler and two Council members raised concerns about provisions in the contract, particularly as they relate to a 12 month probationary period Council member Cecil Burdette said that was uncalled for, and something that had not been included in any prior employer agreements for administrators or other appointed city officials. He also objected to provisions he felt put too much power in the hands of Mayor Alicia Hommon. Council member Jim Cedeno said he agreed with Burdette on this.
Saylor also addressed most of those same concerns. She also raised concerns about employee discipline, bypassing established hiring policies, and other provisions within the contract that differed from the organizational structures used by most Kansas cities having a city administrator. She also addressed concerns about executive sessions that took place during the May 5th meeting, two of those sessions only included the Council, Mayor Hommon and City Attorney Remington Dalke, and the third included Sayler.
After a 15 minute executive session that included Dalke and Sayler, The Council voted to direct Dalke and Sayler to meet and come up with a contract both could agree to, and bring that contract back to the Council.
Public Works Director Jared Jones gave the council a report on a water main break last week in the 700 block of West Lyon that re-emphasized the need for the city to address infrastructure matters. Jones said they turned eight different valves in an attempt to cut off water in that area, and none of them worked. A track pump was used to pump out enough water so they could work on the leak.
Jones said his heart about stopped during repairs, as he nearly lost an employee in the process. In the area of the leak there was a ten-foot deep and three feet wide hole under the main. When the employee stepped down in the area he was sucked into that hole, saved only by the fact he sat down on the pipe.
On Thursday crews had to return to that area because the pressure on that line was so high the clamp that initially was installed would not hold. They eventually found a “ghost valve” that was not on any maps they had, which allowed the pressure to be reduced.
A five-year lease agreement with White Star Machinery and Supply of Wichita was approved for a Bobcat Skid Steer Loder. The Lease agreement calls for an annual payment of $8,500 per year, allowing 250 hours of use annually, not to exceed 1,250 hours for the life of the lease. White Star will also provide a full machine warranty and make all warranty repairs.
This is a budgeted capital equipment purchase for 2026, Metzger objected to the purchase based on other needs of the city, which lead to comments from Hommon that they can’t keep up with infrastructure without the proper equipment to do so. The lease agreement was approved with a no vote from Metzger.
The Council approved an addendum to the Memorandum of Agreement with the Rice County Sheriff’s Office related to law enforcement services while the Police Department is short staffed. This addendum sets out services to be provided when no Lyons Police office is on duty.
A scheduled public hearing regarding unsafe and dangerous structures at 116 E. Lyons was removed from the agenda at the start of the meeting.
Assistant City Administrator Elizabeth Fuller reviewed for the council the Land Use section within a revised Comprehensive Plan for the city. This includes zoning jurisdiction, current and future land use maps including definition of use types, and future potential annexation.
The proposed plan, developed by a group of Kansas State University students last year, includes a goal to promote a vibrant and denser development, encourage mixed-use and infill development, and preservation of historic assets and community character.
