Ulysses City Council decided not to spend an additional $115,000 towards the State Highway Phase II Addendum during their regular meeting February 22.
City Clerk Sarah Britton explained to the council they had previously paid about $110,600 towards the State’s highway project. This highway project is located on Highway 160/Oklahoma Avenue from the intersection of Missouri St. to Stubbs Road; between Casey’s and the Corporate East Hotel.
Mayor Tim McCauley reminded the council the state is planning on combining two project phases to create one project. A motion was made at the council's January 25 meeting to notify the State that the city is willing to combine both projects. McCauley said the state had previously said they would pay for 90 percent of the project, leaving 10 percent for city funding. “The 90/10 issue went away with the State,” McCauley said, “(The state) is telling us what they will pay, and that’s it.”
McCauley reminded the council they have the right to refuse the project if it becomes too expensive.
The council and Britton asked Ulysses City Attorney Lynn Koehn if the previous funding would be refundable. Koehn said the city would not be refunded that amount, explaining when the State came out it caused some municipality issues with surrounding communities by lowering their funding and raising the price for the project.
McCauley commented, “It’s the state’s highway, and we have no say and no control over it.”
With the previous agreement, McCauley said the state was going to give the city $1 million for the first phase, and about $1.5 Million for phase two.
Koehn asked what the estimate for the project was, with McCauley saying they did not know. Caleb Woods commented on the dangers of the Oklahoma/Stubbs intersection, stating the State’s proposed project “did not really fix any of the safety issue.”
Woods asked if the council could refuse to fund the additional $115,000. Britton said the state would not continue without that amount. Koehn mentioned there is an additional inspection fee estimated at $200,000, not included in the previous funds. Britton said the 90/10 split was well budgeted, but the project had been pushed back since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Warner said after the additional amount, he was not sure if he would want to move on with the project due to the unknown final cost. Warner made the motion, and the council moved and passed the motion to not proceed with funding Phase II of the Highway Project.
During the meeting, the council moved and passed the motion to keep their grandfathered Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plan.
David Norton from Grant County Economic Development presented the new bylaw. In this new bylaw, effective February 16, the city and county will have one representative on the economic development board each, with the other vacant positions open to corporate membership. There will now be a minimum of seven members on the board, with no maximum member cap. Current appointees will still have their seat on the board, and the council moved and passed the motion to make Norton their representative.
City Inspector Natalie Anguiano presented Resolution 2023-1 to the Council. This resolution is over the condemnation of 1225 E. Texas. Anguiano showed examples of the lot, explaining the owners had been deceased for some time. Koehn stated there will be a published notice of interest, and there will be a hearing March 15 on the lot. The council moved and passed the motion to approve Resolution 2023-1.
Britton presented the quarterly report to council members. Britton said at the beginning of the quarter, the city started with $10,729,979.44, and ended with $10,140,424.94. She said the total indebtedness is $1,460,968.70. Britton said the city’s sales tax was predicted at $1,350,000, and is currently at $1,910,014.80.
The next regular meeting of the Ulysses City Council is 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 8, at City Hall.
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