Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Top Job Still Open At City Hall

The naming of a new Kimball City administrator is still in limbo as Mayor Keith Prunty informed the Observer on Monday that he has been “in contact with candidate and hopes to have it finalized by this week.”

In other news from the November Kimball City Council meeting, all members were in attendance for two public hearing at the top of the agenda.

Public hearings on a dog kennel license at 600 Jefferson and the rezoning at 905 E. 3rd Street (Cottage Garden) took just minutes and neither public hearing had anyone speak in opposition, although five area residents expressed opposition in written form to the dog kennel license.

Requesting the license was Deb Hays, 600 Jefferson. She had already been through the planning commission and they approved the dog kennel request.

Hays briefly explained that she had recently moved here and was the new postmaster. She said she has four dogs while her fiancé has two dogs, thus causing the need for a dog kennel license. Hays explained that the dogs were elderly and they wanted to keep them. The council voted 3-1 to approve the conditional use permit, dog kennel license, at 600 S. Jefferson, with Matt Bright voting nay.

The council voted 4-0 to approve the rezoning of 905 E. 3rd (Cottage Garden). The application for rezoning was completed by owner Toni Buettner of Minatare. The application reported that they were trying to sell property and that all inquiries are interested in it as a residence, not as a commercial site.

The council discussed whether to move forward with action on RV and boat parking on city streets. Council members were in agreement to move forward to study the issue and make some kind of recommendation.

A Landfill/Wastewater tractor purchase was recommended by the Board of Public Works and the City Council voted 4-0 to purchase a Case Farm-All tractor in the amount of $85,520.08. Following the purchase, the council voted to pay off a 2015 series utility bond to the tune of $545,000.

Finally, Mayor Prunty acknowledged James Shields as he concluded his eight years of service as a city council member. Shields briefly spoke about his experience citing that he had learned a lot and felt as though good things had been accomplished in his years on the council.