The Sabetha City Commission met at Sabetha City Hall at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23. Present for the meeting were Commissioners Norm Schmitt, Nick Aberle, Julie Burenheide and Maridel Wittmer. City Administrator Doug Allen, Assistant City Administrator Bill Shroyer, City Clerk Steve Compo and City Attorney Martin Mishler also were present. Guests attending the meeting were Todd and Cole Grimes.

Emerson Montgomery, Mya Grimes, Alexa Kaufman, Nyah Strahm, Bayley Wasinger, Alexia Hayden and Jenna Rokey also attended the meeting to observe civic engagement for their AP Government Class at Sabetha High School. Mayor Cody Bletscher was absent for the meeting. The meeting was called to order by Wittmer due to Bletcher’s absence and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

The minutes from the Jan. 9 meeting were approved. Eagle Scout candidate C. Grimes addressed the commissioners and presented a proposal for a rifle shooting range to be constructed on the city property that lies on the west side of Triple C Manufacturing and north of U.S. Highway 246. The city currently uses this location as a storage site for accumulated materials from city projects. The range would establish capabilities of shooting at ranges from 25 yards for handguns and out to a possible 200 yards for rifles. The project, if approved, would begin in the spring of this year with an estimated completion date of September 2023.

Grimes requested assistance in the cleanup of the area and the construction of dirt mounds to be used as backstops for targets. Schmitt motioned to approve the project with a second from Burenheide, and the motion passed, 4-0.

City Attorney Mishler addressed the commissioners and explained the Ordinance 2023-2, which is a resolution to authorize signatures on the Rural Development USDA Loan Application. The resolution is required for the moving forward on the application for the Sabetha Community Hospital to obtain the loan for the proposed new construction and expansion for the hospital.

Allen explained to the commissioners that the loan sought by the hospital has now increased from $38,000,000 to an estimated $43,000,000 due to inflation. He explained that the $43,000,000 is in fact just an estimation and not a definitive figure. Schmitt motioned to approve the resolution with a second from Burenheide. The motion passed 3-1, with Aberle in opposition.

In old business, Allen presented a request from Wenger Manufacturing to renew for five years an option agreement for purchasing of land in the Sabetha Industrial Park. Wenger had this option agreement in place for five years, and it is currently expired. Burenheide motioned to approve the extension of the option agreement for another five years with a second from Aberle. Motion passed, 4-0. The meeting was adjourned.