Interim Lyons City Administrator Bailey Sayler could soon drop the interim part of that title.
Following an executive session at Monday’s Lyons City Council meeting, the Council voted to authorize Mayor Alicia Hommon, Council President Rick Miller, and City Counselor Remington Dalke to negotiate a contract with Sayler to become the permanent City Administrator.
Sayler, who also currently serves as City Clerk, assumed the administrator duties on an interim basis in December 2025 after then administrator Troy Houtman resigned two weeks prior, one day prior to his one-year anniversary in the position. If a contract can be agreed upon, Sayler would become the 4th City Administrator for Lyons in the span of about three years.
Earlier in the meeting, the Council adopted ordinances authorizing the city to proceed with demolition of structures at two properties. On Feb. 2, the Council had adopted orders directing structures at 308 N. State and 330 E. 1st be repaired or removed. No work has taken place on either since then.
Going forward on both properties, the city will advertise for bids from demolition contractors as provided under the city’s procurement policy. Once a bid has been awarded and demolition completed, the owner of the property will be billed for the costs. If the owner doesn’t pay, this will be submitted to the Rice County Clerk to be added to property tax statements as a special assessment.
A resolution that will begin the process of possible demolition of a building at 116 E Lyon was also adopted. The show cause hearing on this property was set for a city council meeting on May 18.
On a 5-3 vote, purchase of a metal storage system for the Public Works building was approved. This purchase, budgeted as a capital outlay item for 2026, includes a variety of bolts, nuts, screws, washers and other items utilized in various maintenance work. Public Works Director Jared Jones has been looking at this purchase for a couple of years, and the proposed system would fit their needs.
Council members Cecil Burdette and Debbie Metzger question the purchase, citing both the initial cost and a desire to purchase items locally. Council member Shirlene Cook questioned the purchase, saying the city needs to focus instead on paying down debt. He looked at a number of other options before settling on a system being purchased for a cost, including shipping of $9,000 from Online Fastener Group of Perry, Ohio.
It also accepted a bid from OPI of Great Bend for replacement of two desktop and two laptop computers and related accessories in the Police Department. This purchase is necessitated by a technology requirement related to cybersecurity protection for the Kansas Criminal Justice Information System (KCJIS) maintained by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which the department’s current computers do not meet.
The KBI estimates there are around 1,200 terminals statewide that will require upgrading to maintain security requirements for KJCIS, which is a statewide database used for such things as record checks. Interim Police Chief Cory Ryan said that of the five desktop computers they have, two are inoperable, and the newest of those was purchased in 2021. OPI submitted the lowest of three quotes for the purchase, which, including installation and battery backups they don’t currently have, came to $7,168.
The Council reviewed and approved a proposed job description for the Chief of Police, including additions to the job description related to qualifications and enforcing disciplinary measures. At the Council’s suggestion, annual training requirements and oversight of maintenance and inventory are being added to the job descriptions along with a requirement in the position summary that he or she perform patrol and any other duties in the department as required.
The Council tabled for two weeks action on mowing bids for 2026. Six bids were submitted, each of which had varying costs, some containing a minimum charge per mowing, and two including quotes for edging and trimming. Staff was directed to contact two of the bidders, Jones Professional Lawn Care and Scott Hogan, to clarify if their proposals will meet city expectations.
Sayler reviewed for the council the city’s bond and interest schedule for 2026. The city currently has seven outstanding bond issuances, one of which for infrastructure on the Quivira Housing Development from 2008 is scheduled to be paid off next year. The next bonds to be paid off will be in 2029, involving bonds for construction of the City Hall/Library complex and the Swimming pool.
Bonds for water system upgrades issued in 2013 will be paid off in 2033, and the bonds issued in 2025 to replace the city’s natural gas system will be paid off in 2040.The city also has a loan outstanding related to a 2021 natural gas price spike that is scheduled to be paid off Jan. 1, 2031, and two current lease purchase agreements, one of which will paid off in September and the other in March 2028.
The council approved a request from Ben Tillman to waive vendor fees for the 2026 Farmers Market. Vendors would still have to fill out the city permit forms, but they would not have to pay the usual fee for it.
Proclamations were presented for Arbor Day and Child Abuse Awareness Month. The latter proclamation was brought forward by Braeley Hammeke from the Rice County Child Advocacy Center. Prior to reading the proclamation, Hammeke told the Council some of the things they are seeing at the center are, as she described, “appalling.”
“Kids are going through a really hard time right now. Things are very scary and unsure, and I just really want to let you know as adults, kids are watching us, as we need to lead the way in creating a better future for them,” Hammeke said.
In addition to the executive session on personnel matters, a second session was held for preliminary discussion of property acquisition with no action taken.
