Mayor Fred Kondritz is bringing every letter in the alphabet to tonight's city council meeting to lay out a breathless agenda that includes boosting the salary of future mayors, buying the mayor "an attractive SUV" and Internet-connected television, replacing a parking lot and a spillway, and even "straightening all street signs."
Kondritz used all 26 letters to itemize business listed for his public affairs report at tonight's meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at Benton City Hall.
Among the items he lists for discussion are increasing the mayor's salary to $28,000 per year beginning in 2019 and providing the mayor with "an attractive SUV or comparable late model car for him to conduct city business and travels," according to the published meeting agenda. Also listed for discussion is obtaining three flat-screen televisions for city hall, including one for the mayor's office.
Elsewhere, Kondritz asks for discussion and possible action on straightening street signs, requiring city-owned vehicles to be washed at least once a week, and purchasing a drone to be used by the police and fire departments.
The mayor also seeks replacement of "the entire spillway at Lake Benton as previously discussed" and the repaving or complete replacement of the parking lot at city hall. Other items on Kondritz's agenda include improvements at Twin Oaks and assorted maintenance issues.
"The reason I listed most of my agenda items is that the council has been aware of a lot of items they need to act on to move forward for two years," Kondritz told the Evening News Sunday. "I will present my program that will pay for the items listed without costing the tax payers one cent. Another example of the council not being proactive, ignoring the future and preventing me to implement programs that is cost free and cost effective for our citizens. I call the council being 'stuck in the '60s."
The complete agenda is available on the city's website. Other business to be considered tonight includes a discussion of adding personnel at the police department and the formal swearing-in of Commissioner Don Storey, who retained his seat in last month's election.
