Special Meeting

BOARD OF ALDERMEN

CITY OF PARKVILLE, MISSOURI

May 18, 2000

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Mayor William M. Quitmeier at the west shelter in English Landing Park at 7:10 p.m. It had been called at the request of Alderman Brian Atkinson to discuss the purchase of a second tornado siren. City Administrator Pat Hawver asked that it include reconsideration of the electrical easement to KCP&L for the railroad depot. Notice was posted at City Hall and faxed to local media.

ROLL CALL

Ward 1 Alderman Jack Friedman - present

Ward 1 Alderman Charlie Poole - present

Ward 2 Alderman David McCoy - not present

Ward 2 Alderman Dave Rittman - present

Ward 3 Alderman Marvin Ferguson - present

Ward 3 Alderman Linda Arnold - not present

Ward 4 Alderman Brian Atkinson - present

Ward 4 Alderman Frank McCoy - present

ALSO PRESENT: City Administrator Patrick Hawver

Resident Charlotte Roush

Resident Twyla Wilson

Resident Cheryl Rittman

Resident Carrie Hampton

Business Owner Tom Hutsler

MEDIA PRESENT:

Nancy Jack, Southern Platte Press

Shani A. Brown, Kansas City Star

TORNADO SIREN

ALDERMAN FERGUSON MOVED THAT BILL 1895, AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF TWO TORNADO SIRENS AND REPEALING ORDINANCE 1876, WHICH AUTHORIZED THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF ONLY ONE TORNADO SIREN, BE APPROVED FOR FIRST READING; ALDERMAN POOLE SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

ALDERMAN FERGUSON MOVED THAT BILL 1895 BE APPROVED ON FIRST READING AND PASSED TO SECOND READING BY TITLE ONLY; ALDERMAN RITTMAN SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

ALDERMAN FERGUSON MOVED THAT BILL 1895 BE APPROVED ON SECOND READING TO BECOME ORDINANCE 1881; ALDERMAN RITTMAN SECONDED; ALL AYE BY ROLL CALL; MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

Mr. Hawver said the Riss Lake siren would be located near the tower. He would work on an easement from Park University or the Riss Lake Homeowners Association.

Mrs. Wilson said she thought this was something that was supposed to be provided. No agency says you have to have it. She asked if it were just up to city government. Mayor Quitmeier said yes, or county government. He talked about weather alert radios, noting again that tornado sirens are not designed to be heard indoors.

Mrs. Wilson asked if police officers go through the city when there is a tornado warning, and asked about the incident last week. Mayor Quitmeier said yes, police will go through the city, but there was no tornado warning in Parkville last week. The warnings were in northern Platte County and in Kansas. Parkville had a severe weather warning only.

Mr. Rittman recommended setting up an ad hoc committee to investigate what happened last time, saying Kansas City thinks they sounded the Platte County siren. Mayor Quitmeier said no, the Platte County Sheriff’s Department handles emergency preparedness here. He suggested we send a liaison to that committee.

Mr. Hawver said there is a procedure. Lieutenant Randy Pittman said we never had a tornado warning in southern Platte County, so the siren was not triggered.

Discussion on safety issues ensued. It was reported that someone wanted fences all along the river and all along the railroad tracks. It was pointed out there is only so much government can do.

Mr. Poole and Mr. Atkinson will attend the Kansas City emergency meetings.

Mrs. Wilson thanked aldermen for revisiting the question of the tornado siren for Riss Lake.

Mayor Quitmeier reported that two constituents who were opposed to the sirens called him. He said both Cable Channels 6 and Channel 12 had stories on the ineffectiveness of tornado sirens.

TRAIN DEPOT ELECTRICAL EASEMENT TO KCP&L

Mr. Hawver said he worked with KCP&L that day – rather than installing the service line to the train depot over the railroad tracks, they’re going to put in a transformer underground at their cost. The city’s only cost is to trench and lay conduit where the overhead wires are, at a cost of less than $2,000. The right of way easement presented at the last meeting will allow the underground service to be installed.

ALDERMAN FERGUSON MOVED THAT BILL 1896, AUTHORIZING AN EASEMENT TO KCP&L TO ACCOMMODATE ELECTRICAL SERVICE TO THE TRAIN DEPOT, BE APPROVED FOR FIRST READING; ALDERMAN POOLE SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

ALDERMAN FERGUSON MOVED THAT BILL 1896 BE APPROVED ON FIRST READING AND PASSED TO SECOND READING BY TITLE ONLY; ALDERMAN RITTMAN SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

ALDERMAN FERGUSON MOVED THAT BILL 1896 BE APPROVED ON SECOND READING TO BECOME ORDINANCE 1882; ALDERMAN RITTMAN SECONDED; ALL AYE BY ROLL CALL; MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

ALDERMAN FERGUSON MOVED TO ADJOURN; ALDERMAN RITTMAN SECONDED; ALL AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Submitted by __________________________________

City Clerk Barbara J. Lance - 5/23/00