Hillsboro moves clerk
to top job

By JUDD WEIL

Staff writer

Hillsboro City Council offered city clerk Danielle Bartel the position of city administrator after two executive sessions totaling around 40 minutes Tuesday.

“It is my pleasure to announce that we are extending an offer to Danielle Bartel to be our next city administrator,” Mayor Lou Thurston said. “We couldn’t be more excited.”

Council members unanimously approved Bartel’s employment agreement and authorized Thurston to sign it.

Interim city administrator Michael Webb told council members they had made “a wise decision” and said he would continue assisting the city during the transition.

Bartel will assume the position July 1 while Webb remains in his interim role until then.

Outside of executive sessions, Tuesday’s meeting was brief, with no regular business items on the agenda.

Council members approved vouchers totaling $186,160.80 along with minutes from May 5 and May 6 meetings.

They also convened as the city land bank board, approving February meeting minutes and $1,750 in vouchers tied to lawn care work.

Webb said the city’s AMI utmetering system would be used for utility billing in June and that budget preparations were underway. He said he and Bartel planned to attend a state budget workshop in Wichita.

Webb also discussed recent hailstorm damage.

He said insurance adjusters had spent multiple days inspecting city buildings, vehicles, and equipment.

Thurston said reports indicated widespread damage throughout Hillsboro and urged residents to verify that contractors and solicitors carried proper city permits before hiring them.