Benton Mayor gets little support for agenda items

Mayor Fred Kondritz presented an A-to-Z laundry list of items for consideration at Monday's city council meeting. However, the mayor received little to no support.
Of the 26 items presented by the mayor, several were tabled, including a proposal to raise the mayor's salary to $28,000 by the year 2019.
"I'm not complaining as mayor because I love my job, but I make $2.34 per hour. If you're going to get a good mayor in here to run this city, you're going to have to bring the salary up," Kondritz reasoned. He said he spends his $11,000 salary on buying tires for his vehicle and fuel.
Commissioner Ronnie Baumgarte "lectured" the mayor on the proposal, indicating he needed proof before taking any action. The matter was tabled.
"I want to see proof of everything," Baumgarte said. "I'm not for giving you or whoever is the mayor $28,000. You talk about doing this and that for Benton. Do you not think I get calls at 2 o'clock in the morning. I'll give my salary up, tonight. But I'm tired of talking airport, liquor laws when we don't have one thing coming into this town, no heavy industry. Let's go talk to some people and get industry in here."
Commissioner Donnie Wyant echoed Baumgarte's comments, although not as strongly, indicating he gets a number of calls from residents.
"I get all kinds of calls, constantly," Wyant said.
Baumgarte threatened to table every item on Kondritz's agenda, calling it "crap."
Kondritz said all of his proposals could be paid for with the approval of pour licenses for gaming. He indicated if three licenses were issued, the city would receive $150,000 in annual revenue and up to $1.2 million in five years. With five issued licenses, the revenue would go up to $250,000 annually and $1.7 million in five years.
Kondritz requested an "attractive" SUV or late-model car to conduct city business and travels. The council told the mayor he could share a car driven by the zoning administrator.
On motions approved, Wyant was given authorization to seek estimates for remodeling Twin Oaks bathrooms and kitchen; and to pave the unloading area by the back door at Twin Oaks; to replace the spillway at Lake Benton; and to investigate and get estimates for replacing signs at Lake Benton and Lake Hamilton.
Wyant said he was working on several projects brought up by the mayor, including weed spraying of street signs in the city; mowing and maintaining islands between streets and sidewalks; and placing directional signs in the parking lot at city hall.
Commissioner Dennis Miller argued that when the city conducts an auction July 1 of surplus real estate and personal property, the city could receive as much as $360,000 on 12 pieces of property. He said the appraised value of the properties has been placed at $451,000. Properties have to be sold for 80 percent of the appraised value.
Miller also took issue with the mayor's comments two weeks ago, when Kondritz said the city was being out-hustled by nearby communities when it comes to gaming licenses.