Contributing writer
Angie Schwerdtfeger of Tri-County Telephone Association attended the Tampa City Council meeting Oct. 3 to explain some developments in connection with the Rural Universal Service Fund. This is a cash pool funded by a small extra charge on every customer’s phone bill to help phone companies pay expenses, assuring services to everyone, regardless of location.
The Federal Communications Commission wants to change this to something they call Connect America. They want to provide less service to rural areas than to cities. Tri-County feels this is unfair.
Schwerdtfeger presented a resolution she wanted the council to consider passing. She would then send copies of the resolution to the FCC, the governor, the President, and Kansas congressional representatives and senators.
Since two council members, Russ Kerbs and Ty Peterson, were absent, the council decided to table the matter until the November meeting.
Donna Backhus, city clerk, read the minutes of a special meeting called to make a decision about the streets. Hi-Plains Sand from Kanopolis will chip and seal Main and Third streets and the streets south of the track for $35,308.26. The council decided to borrow $18,000 for one year to facilitate the street work.
Mayor Tim Svoboda told the council Hi-Plains had informed him the last shipment of their usual paving material was sub-standard. They offered to use the fabricated material the state uses. Although that material is normally more expensive, the company will use it for the price already agreed upon.
The company that cleaned the sewer system several years ago submitted a proposal to the mayor to clean the entire system for $5,906.12. The matter was tabled.
Jane Vajnar raised the question of providing better access to the books in a community library kept at the senior center. She volunteered to be present from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday afternoons, so people could borrow books. The council accepted her proposal.