LYONS, Kan. — City Clerk Bailey Saylor was designated as Interim City Administrator by the Lyons City Council during Monday evening’s meeting. This is one of a number of actions taken in the wake of the resignation of Troy Houtman on Nov. 17. As part of a motion setting out interim duties and responsibilities, Steven Thomas was designated as deputy city clerk, with Elizabeth Ramsey to continue in her role as assistant city administrator.
The Council also as part of that motion eliminated the position of Human Resources Director, which they will re-evaluate in June. In a related action, the Council authorized Mayor Alicia Hommon, Council President Rick Miller, and City Attorney Patrick Hoffman to negotiate a contract with Sayler for interim duties.
The Council approved a $15,700 payment to the current court clerk for work done since her hiring, and directed staff to prepare an amendment regarding court clerk compensation.
Following a public hearing the Council approved an amended budget for 2025. Sayler said the amendment is needed due to grant funds that were received in 2024 but not included in the adopted 2025 general administration budget. It also reflects insurance costs that exceeded what was projected when the 2025 budget was prepared in the summer of 2024, and additional expenses from the cemetery fund. This will not have any impact on property tax rates for either 2025 or 2026.
Fire Department-related matters were a major part of the meeting, including a presentation from Fire Chief Brad Reid on ladder truck options. There are three companies that make these trucks, and all three are backlogged on orders, with periods ranging from 18 to 36 months, the longer time frames are on any sort of custom manufactured trucks
To purchase a new ladder truck would cost between $1.8 million and $2.3 million. At least two of the companies provide lease options ranging from 3-12 years. Reed said used trucks, 15 years old and newer, generally come in a price range of $500,000 and up. The potential of asking Rice County to assist with this purchase was also discussed.
Reid also presented a proposal to establish a fire department reserve program. This program would be to ensure firefighters have the necessary skills to perform safely for their own personal safety and the protection of the rest of the department and to provide the best possible service to the community.
It’s designed for members who have not been to their weekly training nights or on runs for some time. As proposed, a firefighter would be put on reserve status after non-attendance of four meetings or making runs during that time span. There would be specific criteria to be followed for a firefighter on reserve to be removed from that status.
The Council discussed a grant the city received for firefighting equipment, and concerns about timelines and legal liability if that equipment is not purchased by the end of the month. As part of this there was discussion about foregoing the grant and purchasing equipment outright using inspection money.
The Council also approved the appointment of Ethan Luck to the Fire Department.
Public Works Director Jared Jones gave the Council an update on hydrant work in the city. Including a number of hydrants that are currently out of service or needing repair or replacement.
Council members reviewed the city’s snow removal policy. This plan, which has been part of city policy for many years, sets out priorities for snow removal, starting with the highways through Lyons and emergency routes, then streets leading to around schools, followed by the downtown district.
The downtown plowed area also includes East Avenue south to Taylor and north to 4th, the full length of West Avenue North West Commercial from the Square west to Douglas, and Lyon Street from West Avenue to Grand.
Sections of East Avenue, West Avenue and 4th Street along with West Commercial extending from the Square. Other streets will be addressed once snow is removed from the downtown area.
The plan sets out the amount of time and equipment required for snow removal and salt spreading in each specific area included in the policy, along with removal of plowed snow in the downtown area, which is hauled to the Cemetery grounds. It also states the entrances to the hospital will not have snow plowed in front of them to allow for emergency vehicle movement.
A revised drug and alcohol policy was adopted. This had been discussed at an earlier council meeting, and incorporates changes to DOT testing requirements taking effect in 2026 including the addition of fentanyl and other opioids to the list of drugs tested for.
The revised policy will include all full-time staff in the pool from which random testing is done Up to now only half of the city workforce was subject to random testing. The city will also continue pre-employment drug screening requirements for all applicants.
Security concerns for the Airport and Public Works were raised by Mayor Hommon. It was reported during a recent check 42 open doors and two safes within the main office were open with documentation inside. The involvement of airport management and potential involvement of Rice County was also discussed as it relates to a need for better security measures.
Carryover of unused vacation time from 2025 to 2026 above the usual 40-hour limit was approved. Ramsey said this one time change relates in part to operational constraints related to year-end project deadlines and staffing challenges.
It also addresses a situation that came up in October when multiple employees reached tenure milestones that resulted in additional vacation hours being credited at a time of high operational demand that left them unable to use these hours before the end of the year.
The city is currently in the process of transition from the current “bank” system to a true accrual-based leave system. Because of the timeline for procurement and implementation of new accounting software this transition will not take place until 2027.
The Council approved expenditure of up to 20 thousand dollars to replace the ballistic vests for Police Officers.
Approval was given to a resolution that adopts the by-laws and cooperation agreement with the Kansas Municipal Insurance Trust, which the city will be obtaining health insurance through starting in January.
The Council approved a special event permit for the Lyons Christmas Parade on Dec. 13 and a 2026 memorandum of agreement with the Lyons Chamber of Commerce
There were also discussions about sending street department employees to a training in Hutchinson to improve their skills in things ranging from fixing streets to curb and gutter work and laying of pavement bricks.
Another topic brought up was the number of registered chickens and dogs in the city, including a discussion on the effectiveness of current ordinances, with a suggestion on a review of current ordinances before next spring and a need for better enforcement.
