By Lucky Kidd
LYONS, Kan. — The Lyons City Council has approved an ordinance regulating solicitors, canvassers and peddlers that has been under discussion for the past several months. The ordinance amends existing city codes related to the application process for required licenses and sets out an investigation fee for applicants not currently residents of Rice County. As adopted, this fee will not be charged to current Rice County residents. It also allows some additional flexibility for scheduling of permit days and will reduce costs for annual permitting.
Tied to this ordinance was approval of a resolution amending the city’s fee schedule, action on which could not be taken until the peddlers ordinance was approved. The fee schedule does not include increased boarding fees for impounded dogs, but it will increase the charge for exchange of lots or spaces at the cemetery to reflect the cost of recording those transfers with the Rice County Register of Deeds and changes the fee for sidewalk permits.
The revised schedule also incorporates a number of fees that are otherwise specified in other parts of the code. This includes solid waste charges, various fees imposed at the Cemetery, occupational licenses, and fireworks permits. Under a resolution, the process of revising fees in the future will be simplified.
The Council accepted a $221,342,05 bid from P. B. Hoidale Company of Wichita for a new fueling system at Lyons-Rice County Airport that is being largely funded through a grant.
Hoidale was the only bidder on the project, the bid for which was also approved by Rice County Commissioners at their Monday meeting.
An application was approved for submission to the Kansas Department of Transportation for a fiscal year 2026 City Connecting Link Improvement Program (CCLIP) project. The requested project would be for a mill and overlay of Grand Street or K-14/96 from Blair to Taylor Streets. CCLIP funds would cover 95 percent of construction and allowable costs with the city covering preliminary engineering and other non-participating costs, which would amount to nearly $74,000.
The Council approved a 12-month lease agreement for a loader at the Landfill through Prairieland Partners. The cost of the lease would be $9,450, which would be paid in a lump sum, based on an hourly rate of $27 an hour for 350 hours of use.
A representative of Apptegy gave a presentation to the council on website services it can provide.
Apptegy currently provides the websites for USD 405 and other school districts in Rice County as well as a number of communities around Kansas. A proposed contract to change website providers is expected to be presented to the Council at their March 18th meeting.
The Council accepted the resignation of Charlie Milburn from the Library Board and appointment of Pat Briggs to fill the unexpired term that will run through April 30.
City Administrator Ed Truelove told the Council a letter the council directed be sent to the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation requesting closeout of 2019 Community Development Block Grant was for some reason never sent but is being sent now. He also told the council due to an oversight, a Planning Commission recommendation to approve a zoning change for the Lumberyard was not placed on last night’s agenda but will be on the March 18th agenda.
Also, on the March 18th agenda will be a discussion on the issue of chickens in the city of Lyons. Council member Debbie Metzger said she does have some ideas on the subject she will present during that discussion.
