Police Chief Robert Wahwasuck, right, presents Officer Ethan Hertzler, left, with a certificate of commendation for his lifesaving actions during an Aug. 24 emergency.

Dustin Gruber and Shane Dillon display their Wastewater Operator IV certification certificates after being recognized by City Administrator Nick Rizzio on Tuesday, September 8, during the City Commission meeting. Pictured are FRONT ROW (L-R) Director of Utilities Dennis Enneking, Shane Dillon and Dustin Gruber; BACK ROW (L-R) Commissioners Jason Enneking and Nick Aberle, Mayor Cody Bletscher, and Commissioners Austin Wasinger and Trevin Edelman.

The Sabetha City Commission met at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Sabetha City Hall. Present for the meeting were Mayor Cody Bletscher, Commissioners Nick Aberle, Jason Enneking, Austin Wasinger and Trevin Edelman, City Administrator Nick Rizzio, and City Clerk Steve Compo. Also present were Director of Utilities Dennis Enneking, Director of Operations Jeremy Haverkamp, Fire Chief Gary Elliott and Police Chief Robert Wahwasuck. Guests present were Shane and Bobbi Dillon, Dustin Gruber, Officer Ethan Hertzler, Ed Steinlage, Rodney Joe Scoggins Jr., Teresa McAnerney, David Key and Lynn Goodman.

Mayor Cody Bletscher opened the public hearing on the wastewater plant renovation. With no public comments, Bletscher closed the public hearing.

Sabetha citizen Rodney Joe Scoggins Jr. voiced concerns about three separate interactions involving Chief Wahwasuck, Officer Daniel Ross and Kevin Wiltz. He alleged that Wahwasuck had expressed a bias toward him, and he described separate incidents involving Ross at his apartment and at Dollar General. He also described an incident at Sabetha Lake involving Wiltz, whom he said confronted him after mistaking a wave from the vehicle in which he was riding for an obscene gesture.

Mayor Bletscher thanked Scoggins for coming to the meeting.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement

The city’s aging wastewater treatment plant needs to be upgraded and replaced to meet NPDES permit requirements. A pre-application for a low-interest Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan has been approved, and Ranson Financial is working with the city to complete the application by the Oct. 15 deadline.

Rizzio said the existing plant is outdated and already experiencing issues.

“Our wastewater plant is outdated,” Rizzio said. “We’re currently experiencing issues even today. We’re looking at roughly 2 percent interest rate, which will fluctuate over time. We’re hoping to keep it at $5 million or less. That is the goal.”

Northeast Kansas Enterprise Facilitation

Enterprise facilitator, McAnerney, with the Northeast Kansas Enterprise Facilitation Initiative, and board member Goodman and board president Key gave updates on their client numbers and asked the commission to renew the city’s three-year funding commitment of $6,000.

The nonprofit, which has operated in Northeast Kansas since 2003, provides one-on-one assistance to people starting, expanding or transitioning out of businesses. McAnerney said assistance is tailored to each client and can include developing business plans and financials, marketing assistance, connecting clients with regional resources and helping businesses identify financing opportunities.

The organization has worked with nearly 2,000 clients throughout the region, which includes Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson and Nemaha counties. McAnerney said recent efforts include helping small businesses make informed decisions through new market-research tools and providing information about using artificial intelligence in business.

McAnerney thanked the commissioners for their continued support.

Police Commendation

Police Chief Wahwasuck addressed the commissioners with a brief report that they are looking to hire more officers for the department.

Wahwasuck presented Officer Ethan Hertzler with a certificate of commendation for his actions during an emergency on Aug. 24. Wahwasuck said Hertzler demonstrated “exceptional courage, quick judgment and unwavering commitment to the safety of our community” and credited his actions with saving a Sabetha resident’s life.

Wahwasuck said Hertzler immediately began and maintained CPR until EMS arrived, noting that without his efforts, the patient would likely not have survived long enough to reach the hospital. Hertzler also received a CPR save pin to wear with his uniform.

Operator Certifications

City Administrator Rizzio recognized Dustin Gruber and Shane Dillon for earning their Wastewater Operator IV certifications. Rizzio said the certifications are a significant professional achievement requiring extensive knowledge of wastewater treatment processes, regulations, operations and troubleshooting.

Rizzio thanked the two employees for their time and effort and said their commitment will help ensure the city’s wastewater services remain safe, reliable and professional.

City Projects Update

Rizzio also provided updates on several city projects:

• Commission and management training: Consultant Kathleen Sexton of Wichita State University will work with commissioners and city management teams on Nov. 2, 3. The training will focus on improving commission meetings, staff communication and leadership.

• City website: The city’s website is now live. Rizzio described it as “very clean, updated, crisp” and said staff will continue updating and adding information.

• Employee appreciation lunch: An employee appreciation lunch is planned for noon on Oct. 16 at The Main Event. Rizzio encouraged commissioners to attend and said it is an opportunity to recognize employees for work that “sometimes just goes unnoticed.”

• Electronic timekeeping: The electronic timekeeping system is operational and being beta tested. Rizzio expects it to be fully implemented for all employees within two to three weeks. Employees will be able to view pay stubs and request time off electronically.

• Field 4 press box: Demolition of the Field 4 press box has been completed, and the area has been cleaned and topsoil added. The remaining work is to prepare and seed the area.

• Sidewalk project: The sidewalk improvement project is expected to begin in late October. Homeowners will pay 50 percent of the material cost, with the city covering the remaining 50 percent; there is no labor cost to the homeowner.

• Eleventh Street waterline project: Work is expected to begin the week of Sept. 14, after being delayed by rain and other projects. The project includes replacing the remaining brick portion of the intersection with concrete. Rizzio estimated the concrete will need 10-15 days to cure before the intersection is fully operational.

• Street improvements: The city plans to begin a two-inch asphalt mill-and-overlay project on Timberlane the week of Sept. 21, weather and plant availability permitting. Rizzio said the city is moving away from chip seal and called the asphalt a “better product” that should hold up better to heavy traffic and harsh weather. The city will use its own staff and equipment along with a specialized contractor.

D. Enneking explained that Timberlane was selected because it was already scheduled as part of this year’s chip-and-seal route. He said the city is evaluating streets on a four-year cycle, considering both the scheduled route and the condition of the roads.

“I don’t want people to think we’re just picking a spot here,” D. Enneking said.

Rizzio said the city plans to use micro seal to extend the life of streets after improvements are made. He said the goal is to be “very aggressive” with street improvements and preservation rather than replacing streets every three to five years.

• Street painting: Line painting is expected to continue into October, including work on Main Street, Old Highway 75, the NorthRidge Church entrance and Oregon Street crosswalks.

• Oregon Street sealing: The work has been delayed and has a possible start date of Sept. 28.

• Covered bridge roof replacement: A roof replacement for the covered bridge on Timberlane is scheduled for late October. A $5,000 donation will help with the project. Rizzio said sagging sheathing and deteriorating soffit and fascia need to be addressed to protect the bridge’s integrity.

Also at the meeting:

The commissioners approved the meeting minutes from Monday, Aug. 3.

The commissioners approved John Tijerina as a volunteer firefighter.

The commissioners approved burn dates for Sept. 25 to Nov. 20.

The commissioners approved a public hearing date of Oct. 5 for Triple C.

The commissioners approved a raise of $2 to Dustin Gruber for passing his Wastewater IV classification.

The commissioners approved a raise of $2 to Shane Dillon for passing his Wastewater IV classification.

The commissioners approved Resolution No. 2026-21, authorizing the filing of an application with the KDHE SRF Loan.

The commissioners approved the administrative services agreement with Ranson Financial regarding the KDHE Project No. C20-3199-01 Wastewater Plant renovation.

Rizzio said Ranson Financial has a strong history working with Sabetha and is “one of the top tiers that you can work with in the state of Kansas.” They will assist city staff and consultants with the extensive documentation required for the State Revolving Fund loan and KDHE. The fee of $35,000 is a standard fee to handle such a sizable improvement for the City of Sabetha.

Work Session

The work session was held prior to the regular meeting at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8 with Bletscher, Aberle, J. Enneking, Edelman, Wasinger, Rizzio and Compo present. No guests were present.

The commissioners discussed Priority Power, potential locations for tiny homes, the general fund and budgeting, employee departures, replacement of the wastewater treatment plant, bidding hay bale contracts on city property and code enforcement practices. The commission emphasized the goal of code enforcement is to help residents rather than issue fines.

No action was taken, as the meeting was held for discussion purposes only.