Waterline changes approaching
Staff writer
Waterline replacement took top priority at Monday’s city council meeting, with six resolutions to lay financial groundwork for the project being passed.
The $4.3 million project is hoped to be underway in spring 2019. Council members passed five resolutions laying the groundwork to apply for a USDA rural development loan and Community Development Block Grant for the work.
The resolutions passed were in anticipation of a $1.5 million CDBG grant and the balance in the form of a low-interest loan.
City administrator Roger Holter asked the council to approve a workshop focusing on a community visioning update. The last time council members held a formal session creating a vision for the community was in April 2015.
City electric superintendent Clayton Garnica showed council members the damage report for an electrical outage caused by an Aug. 2 failure of a Westar Energy breaker in the Florence area. When Westar got electricity flowing again, switches at Marion’s antiquated substation began to fail. Lightning arresters just south of the substation exploded when the power surged back on.
Eaton Engineering service estimated $26,105 to repair needed components and install a new power meter.
Council members approved making the repairs.
In other business, council members:
- Passed an ordinance withdrawing membership in Kansas Municipal Energy Agency.
- Designated voting delegates to League of Kansas Municipalities.
- Approved a lease for a bucket truck.
- Heard that Marion was approved for a $300,000 grant from Kansas Department of Transportation as part of KDOT’s city connecting link improvement program.