Direct from City Hall

Your twice-monthly source on city news, decisions, and projects —  all in one place.

Each edition gives you:

• What’s Been Decided
  Key actions from recent City Commission meetings and other decisions affecting our community.
• What’s Happening
  Updates on projects currently underway.
• What’s Next
  A look ahead at upcoming projects, opportunities for input, and other things on the horizon for Abilene.

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Police Department Spotlight

Earlier this month, the Abilene Police Department held its annual Pack a Police Car collection event, filling a patrol vehicle with non-perishable food items and raising more than $400 in cash donations. All contributions were delivered to Kids in Crisis, supporting local youth and families during the holiday season.

Officer Ragsdale recently visited the “Paws-itive Purpose” leadership group at Abilene Middle School, answering questions and sharing insight into his animal control duties. Students were fully engaged—hands raised and ready to learn about the many ways officers serve the community.

This month, Chief Wilkins presented a Citizen Life Saving Award to Kristal Pena of Abilene. On November 10, 2025, Kristal observed a 10-year-old child in distress at a local bus stop and believed the child was choking. She immediately began performing the Heimlich maneuver, and a short time later, the child was able to dislodge the food that had been obstructing their airway.
Kristal’s prompt actions directly contributed to the positive outcome of the situation, and the department expressed its appreciation for her decisive response.

Many thanks to the Abilene Police Department for going above and beyond—on the streets, in our schools, and throughout the community.

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Cowtown Christmas Returns December 5–7

Abilene is gearing up for Cowtown Christmas, a three-day celebration filled with long-standing traditions, festive lights, and seasonal activities for all ages.

Visitors and residents can enjoy a ride aboard the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad’s Cowtown Santa Express, explore historic homes dressed for the holidays, browse Christmas markets, and take in dazzling light displays across the community.

Event highlights

Friday, December 5

• Historic Seelye Mansion tours
• Cowtown Santa Express
• Old Fashioned Christmas at the Dickinson County Heritage Center
• Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn at Great Plains Theatre

Saturday, December 6

• Breakfast with Santa
• 50th Annual Abilene Handcrafters Winter Market
• Historic Seelye Mansion tours
• Festival of Trees
• Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn (matinee)
• Cowtown Santa Express
• Cowboy Christmas at Old Abilene Town

Sunday, December 7

• Historic Seelye Mansion tours
• Homes for the Holidays tour
• Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn
• Abilene Municipal Band concert
• Cowtown Santa Express

“Cowtown Christmas is a special weekend that showcases why Abilene is a place people love to visit during the holidays,” said Julie Roller Weeks, director of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Full schedule and details available at AbileneKansas.org/Christmas

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Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements

Work began last week on planned improvements at the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. These upgrades are part of the City’s ongoing commitment to maintaining essential infrastructure and ensuring that wastewater operations remain reliable, efficient, and compliant with regulatory standards.

The project includes structural and facility updates to the main plant building. While crews will be on-site during daytime work hours, no interruption to sewer service is expected for residents or businesses.

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Park Restrooms Closing for the Season

As colder weather moves in, restroom facilities at Eisenhower Park, Bicentennial Park, and the Bill Gravette Sports Complex are being winterized and closed for the season. This seasonal closure helps protect plumbing and equipment during freezing temperatures.

Restrooms will reopen in the spring once conditions allow. Thank you for your understanding as we prepare our parks and facilities for winter.
                                                                                                 

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Parks & Recreation Receives Grant for Restroom Renovations

The Abilene Parks & Recreation Department is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Dickinson County to support renovations of the public restrooms at Eisenhower Park and Bicentennial Park.

This funding will allow the City to make much-needed updates that improve accessibility, safety, and overall user experience in two of our most frequently visited parks.

Planned Renovations

Eisenhower Park Restrooms:

• Installation of new toilets, urinals, sinks, and counters
• Fresh interior paint to brighten the space
• Updated lighting
• New stall partitions and doors
• Baby changing stations in each restroom
• New entrance doors
• ADA-compliant stalls in each restroom
• New exterior soffit and trim
• New floor coating

Bicentennial Park Restrooms:

• Fresh interior paint
• Updated lighting
• New stall partitions and doors
• Baby changing stations in each restroom
• New entrance doors
• ADA-compliant stalls in each restroom
• New exterior soffit and trim
• Replacement of the broken window with a new glass block window
• New floor coating

Renovation work will take place over the winter months while the restrooms are closed for seasonal winterization. The Parks & Recreation Department is grateful for the generosity of the Community Foundation and looks forward to unveiling the improved facilities this spring.

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Staying Safe This Winter: Tips and Training from the Abilene Fire Department

As colder weather settles in, the Abilene Fire Department encourages residents to take a few extra precautions to keep their homes and families safe. Winter is one of the busiest times of year for preventable fires, many of which stem from well-intended efforts to stay warm during power outages or extreme cold.

Winter Safety Reminders

Space heaters:
 • Keep at least three feet of clearance from anything that can burn.
 • Plug heaters directly into a wall outlet — never a power strip.
 • Turn them off when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Electric blankets and heating pads:
 • Replace older or damaged blankets.
 • Never tuck them under mattresses or place other blankets on top.
 • Avoid falling asleep with a heating pad turned on.

Candles:
 • Consider battery-powered alternatives.
 • If using real candles, keep them away from decorations and extinguish them before leaving the room.

Gas stoves and ovens:
 • Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home during a power outage.
 • This can create dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

Taking a moment to double-check these items can prevent emergencies and keep your household safe throughout the winter season.

Fire Department Completes Specialized Training 

In October, members of the Abilene Fire Department had a valuable training opportunity at a house scheduled for demolition. Training in a real structure helps firefighters sharpen the essential skills they rely on year-round, especially during the winter months, when fire risks increase and response conditions can be more challenging. 

Vent Enter Isolate Search (VEIS)

Firefighters practiced VEIS, a rapid search technique that can be performed without a hose line to speed up the process of finding and rescuing victims. This skill reinforces ventilating and completely clearing a window, either from a ground ladder or an aerial ladder truck. 

VEIS involves four key steps:

• Vent: Clearing a window from a ground ladder or an aerial ladder truck to create an access point.
• Enter: Checking the floor below the window for victims, then entering the room.
• Isolate: Quickly isolate the room from the rest of the house by locating the door and closing it to keep fire and smoke out of the room.
• Search: Conducting a targeted search and exiting through the same window.

This method allows firefighters to reach victims faster and avoid forcing them to crawl through smoke or superheated gases created by the fire. 

Wall Breach Training

After completing VEIS, crews practiced wall breaching, a skill used when firefighters need to escape a room but the normal exit is blocked. Using hand tools, they learn how to safely create an opening between interior walls to reach an adjacent room or safer area.

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Be Prepared for Winter Season

With a winter weather upon us, we continue to encourage to take a few simple steps to stay safe and prepared throughout the season.

Give Yourself Extra Travel Time
Road conditions can change quickly when precipitation and freezing temperatures combine. If you must travel, allow extra time, reduce your speed, and increase your following distance.

Park Off-Street When Possible
Keeping vehicles off the roadway helps plow crews clear streets more efficiently if snow or ice begins to accumulate. Please avoid parking along priority routes when possible.

Clear Sidewalks Safely
Residents and business owners are responsible for clearing adjacent sidewalks within 24 hours after precipitation ends. Use ice melt products carefully and avoid pushing snow into the street.

Keep Trash and Recycling Bins Out of the Roadway
If service falls on a snowy or icy day, place carts at the end of your driveway—not in the street—to help crews navigate safely.

Check In and Stay Informed
If you must travel during winter weather, remember to check KanDrive.org for real-time road conditions and make sure your vehicle has a winter emergency kit with blankets, water, and essentials. 

For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergent assistance, contact Dispatch at 785-263-1212.

Stay warm, stay aware, and travel cautiously.

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2025 Holiday Hours

Non-essential city offices will observe the following hours for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Please note that emergency services remain available at all times.

For emergencies, always call 911.
For non-emergent needs, you may contact Dispatch at 785-263-1212.

City Hall
 • December 24 – Closed
 • December 25 – Closed
 • January 1, 2026 – Closed

Community Center
 • December 22 – 7:00am to 8:00pm
 • December 23 – 7:00am to 8:00pm
 • December 24 – Closed
 • December 25 – Closed
 • December 26 – 8:00am to 5:00pm
 • December 31 – 7:00am to 5:00pm
 • January 1, 2026 – Closed

Senior Center
 • December 22 – 8:00am to 4:00pm
 • December 23 – 8:00am to 4:00pm
 • December 24 – 8:00am to 4:00pm
 • December 25 – Closed
 • December 26 – Closed
 • January 1, 2026 – Closed

Recycling Center
 • December 24 – Closed at 3:00pm
 • December 25 – Closed
 • December 26 – Closed
 • December 31 – Closed at 3:00pm
 • January 1, 2026 – Closed           

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City Commission Actions: November 24, 2025

The following is a brief summary of action taken at the November 24, 2025, City Commission meeting, and does not represent the official minutes. This recap highlights Commission actions and provides background for context. Full details, staff reports, and supporting documents are available in the official agenda packet in the Agenda Center.

CONSENT AGENDA: 

• November 10, 2025, Meeting Minutes – Formal record of actions taken at the previous City Commission meeting. [Approved]
• Appropriation Ordinance A-112425– Routine approval of scheduled city expenditures. [Approved]

• AP Payment Register – 112425– List of accounts payable (vendor invoices and bills) authorized for payment. [Approved]

• Prioritized Stormwater Drainage List – The Commission approved a prioritized list of stormwater drainage improvement areas presented by Public Works Director Brad Anderson. The list will help guide future planning and funding for drainage-related needs. [Approved]

• Disposal of City-Owned Property – The Commission authorized the disposal of select City-owned property as presented by Interim City Manager Jon Quinday. [Approved] 

• Concession Structures and Tenancy at City-Owned Fairgrounds – Reviewed the status of two concession buildings at the City-owned fairgrounds occupied by a tenant at will. Discussion focused on clarifying tenancy, potential lease terms, and future use of the buildings. Staff received direction from the Commission. [No Action Taken]

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: 

• City Manager Search Agreement – Reviewed a proposed agreement with the Kansas League of Municipalities to conduct the search for a permanent City Manager. [Approved]
• Swimming Pool Painting & Crack Repair Bids – Parks and Recreation Director Kellee Timbrook presented bids for upcoming pool maintenance and repair.  [Approved]
• Farmland Lease Review – City Clerk Mohr presented information on current farmland lease agreements under review. [Discussion only - will appear on future agenda.]
• Revised Purchasing Policy – Interim City Manager Quinday reviewed updates to the City’s purchasing policy and received Commission feedback. [Discussion only.]
• Reallocation of Unused Temporary Note Proceeds – Reviewed options for reallocating unused proceeds from 2025 General Obligation Temporary Notes to eligible projects and equipment needs. [Discussion only.]
• Code Amendments Under Consideration. Staff presented potential amendments for Commission review. [Discussion only.] 
  • Article 13 - Open Records
  • Article 11 - Solid Waste Collectors

STAFF REPORTS:

• The following departments provided their regular monthly updates for October:
  • Fire Department 
  •  Community Development/Inspection- Code Violation Summary 
  • Community Development/Inspection - Permit Summary 
  • Police Department 
  • Public Works

STUDY SESSION:  
Study sessions are information only — No actions are taken.

• Review and Discussion of Extraterritorial Water and Sewer Connections – Discussion led by Interim City Manager Quinday on how the City handles water and sewer service outside city limits.

• Review and Discussion of City Code References to “City Engineer” – Review of locations in the City Code where “City Engineer” is referenced and how those responsibilities are currently fulfilled.

• Discussion Clarifying the City’s Agenda Structure and Study Session Purpose – Conversation about how regular meeting and study session agendas are organized and the intended role of study sessions.
  
  

For more in-depth information on agenda items, including staff reports and supporting documents, visit the full agenda packet in the Agenda Center.
A recording of the meeting is also available on the city's YouTube channel. 

• December 8, 2025 — 4:00 p.m., City Commission Meeting & Study Session
• December 22, 2025 — 4:00 p.m., City Commission Meeting & Study Session

Residents are encouraged to be active participants in their city government by attending City Commission meetings at the Abilene Public Library or by watching live on the city's YouTube channel on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month at 4:00 p.m.

Meeting agendas are posted on the city website the week before each meeting. Each agenda includes time for general public comments under Item 6, allowing residents to address the Commission on topics not listed on the agenda.  Many agenda items may also allow time for topic specific public comment.  

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