Guests included councilwoman Doncella Liggins who spoke on behalf of the Student Advisory Committee. She sought permission for a pickleball tournament set for June 27th; permission granted and more details about the event will be released in coming days.
Guest Layne Anderson presented the council and city attorney with his citizen audit of the Butler airport. As many concerns were included, Anderson questioned when (and how) did it come into play that aircraft owners at the airport now must have 2 million dollars of liability insurance when it was previously stated that 1 million was all that was required. He went on to say the the FAA only requires 1 million of coverage for general aviation and noted that his cost for 2 million will double his premium to about $3200 annually if the city sticks by the 2 million figure. The council agreed to investigate and get back to him on that subject, as well as what action will be taken regarding the audit.
On a related note, Mayor Jim Henry made appointments to the airport commission which included Paul French, Matt Poland and Bill DelliPaoli.
A considerable amount of time was devoted to discussion regarding rezoning of property at 904 W. Fort Scott street as the property owner requested it be changed from commercial back to residential. The owner admitted that when he purchased the property it was recommended that he zone it commercial as there are many businesses nearby, to which he agreed. Now however, in selling the home it cannot be be zoned commercial if the buyer is securing an FHA loan, which is the case.
Councilman Jeff Hall voiced concerns about the city 'flip-flopping' on zoning matters, thus making changes every time an issue comes up. Following a lengthy debate, the change to residential was approved despite no votes by Hall and councilwoman Doncella Liggins.
In a previous council meeting, frustration was voiced regarding court delays in processing city code violations. This week, councilman Jon Dudley asked if there was some type of report available from the court so the city can see where they are at with closing some of the cases. Mayor Henry said he believed that some type of information should be available however, it may require a discussion with those at the courthouse to verify.
When the Butler city hall was repainted last year, it was discovered some of the windows needed to be resealed, separate from the painting project. The council approved the repairs to the tune of $5,781.26 which should insure the building is 'good to go' for some time to come.
The council paid kudos to city crews for the many long hours spent restoring power and cleanup following last week's storm. It was also noted that cleanup remains to be done at Oak Hill cemetery however, due to super soft ground, it likely will be after Memorial Day before heavy equipment can be brought in to do the job.
Remember, the Butler city council meets on the first and third Tuesdays, 7 pm, at city hall. The public is highly encouraged to attend.
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