May 24, 2013

Council meeting canceled for lack of quorum

Danedri Thompson
dthompson@gardnernews.com
City officials canceled a city council meeting due to lack of a quorum on May 6. The cancellation came within hours of the meeting’s scheduled start time.
There are only four members of the five-person council. The …

Council debates approval of tax credits for income-based housing

Danedri Thompson
dthompson@gardnernews.com
City council members agreed to support an application for tax credits for the construction of income-based, single family housing in Gardner.
David Rhodes is the developer of the proposed Willow Brooke Estates, to be located at the …

Public officials attend KOMA training workshop

Danedri Thompson
dthompson@gardnernews.com
Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe hosted dozens of public and appointed officials at a workshop on the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA).
More than 90 people, including Gardner City Council members Larry Fotovich and Randy Gregorcyk …

Gardner City Council members clash over 2013 budget concerns

Mark Taylor
mtaylor@gardnernews.com
The Gardner City Council has two weeks to hash out its differences over the city budget before voting to publish it.
Council members debated the budget for nearly three hours on July 2 before agreeing to disagree …

Gardner restarts city administrator search

Danedri Thompson
dthompson@gardnernews.com
Gardner is again seeking city administrator applicants.
Mike Press, interim city administrator, told council members he had received 35 resumes as of Feb. 6. He anticipates about 100 applicants by the end of February.
Mayor Dave Drovetta …

Council approves Pugh replacement

Danedri Thompson

dthompson@gardnernews.com

Heath Freeman will replace Dennis Pugh on the Gardner City Council.

Council members, in a 3-1 vote, approved Mayor Dave Drovetta’s appointment to the council, but not before council member Larry Fotovich asked Freeman a number of …

Pugh appears in court; added to diversion docket

Former Gardner City Council member Dennis Pugh

Dennis Pugh, who resigned from the Gardner City Council after being charged

with battery and criminal deprivation of property, has applied for diversion.

“As I understand, it is being granted,” his attorney, Mark Lewis, told the court Jan. 12.

Pugh …

Gardner city council considers communication policy

Danedri Thompson
dthompson@gardnernews.com
Council members will continue to discuss a communication policy once they’ve all had the opportunity to read the Kansas League of Municipalities recommended policy.
Monday night’s work session was the second meeting in which council members set …

Residents address council about meeting dysfunction

Danedri Thompson
dthompson@gardnernews.com
A subdued city council listened as three citizens, including the former mayor, asked that council members learn to work together with civility.
“You have a chance from this moment on to change the tenor of these council …

Pugh charged with battery, criminal deprivation of property

The Johnson County District Attorney’s Office has filed charges against Gardner City Council member Dennis Pugh for criminal deprivation of property and battery for an alleged altercation that occurred between Pugh and council member Larry Fotovich after a council meeting …