Burlingame City Council
Council questions interpretation
of city policies

Gabe Faimon | Reporter

BURLINGAME—What is the difference between a “budgeted item” and a “non-budgeted item” when the city needs to make a purchase? Who has authority to make a purchase for the city of $100 or less, or $1,000 or less? Which city employee may accumulate more than 480 hours of paid sick leave? Those questions are examples of policy interpretation that challenged Burlingame City Council members during their meeting Monday night.

Since consensus for interpretation of the city purchasing policy could not be reached, the council adopted a motion by Burlingame City Council Member Vikki DeMars to table discussion for further study of the issue. The council also adopted a motion by Burlingame City Council Member Noman Bloomquist to table interpretation of the employee sick leave policy, pending further review of the policy and the city’s employee manual.

The council also considered an issue from its Jan. 5 meeting – the waiver of utility charges to the Burlingame Historical Preservation Society for the Schuyler Museum. To proceed with the council’s decision to hold a non-binding advisory election regarding the issue, Burlingame Mayor Brenda Dorr requested each council member prepare a draft ballot question for consideration at the next regular council meeting.

In other discussion, city attorney Rick Godderz reminded the council that several issues related to the ongoing water system project “needed to be cleared up,” including the fact that the contractor, J& H Construction, Inc., had failed to meet the Jan. 31 deadline for substantial completion of the project.

Since neither a representative of the contractor nor engineering firm Bartlett & West were present, the council adopted a motion by council member Dustin Swander to conduct a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 9, to address numerous outstanding issues. The council directed Burlingame City Clerk Patti Gilbert to invite each firm to send a representative to the meeting.

In other business, the council:

• tabled discussion regarding auditor services, pending submittal of additional information by Stephen Connelly, CPA.

• rejected a proposed connecting links agreement with Osage County. The agreement stipulated whether the city or the county would maintain county roads that lead into the city.

The next regular meeting of the council will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 17, in the council chamber.