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City Council: streets, improvements cause heartburn

Staff reporter

If persistence could build streets, there would be two paved roads with curbs and gutters to Country Club Heights.

Developers and property owners Roger Hannaford III and Doug Sharp again petitioned Marion City Council Monday evening to allow them and other property owners along Country Club and Fairway drives to pay for a four-inch asphalt street with rock shoulders.

If the city permitted the project, it would violate city ordinances which require all new streets to have a minimum of a six-inch asphalt overlay with curb and gutter.

Hannaford said the area was platted 10-12 years ago and land owners have been waiting for a paved street.

City administrator David Mayfield noted the plat indicated a street could be built after four houses were constructed in the addition. That has occurred and property owners are eager to have hard-topped roads.

A recent engineer's study of city streets indicated a cost estimate of $180,000 for the two streets. Sharp said he had been in contact with a contractor who could do the four-inch asphalt overlay for $58,000.

There are seven landowners who would share the cost of the street project.

"There's no homeowner in this town who could afford this type of assessment," Sharp said, referring to the $180,000 estimate.

Chris and Janet Killough, who also own a home in the addition, were in attendance. Janet Killough said the council was prohibiting growth by requiring curb and gutter.

"Whatever we decide today will influence what's done in the future," Mayor Martin Tice said.

Another issue discussed was a larger drainage pipe in a flood plain on Country Club Drive. Currently there is a tube within a tube, said Sharp, which restricts water flow.

The council also discussed other possible street improvements. Each councilman had his own idea of what streets need the most attention. Some wanted to see Eisenhower Drive and those streets with petitions for improvements from property owners.

Councilman Stacey Collett said he didn't want a mill increase to take care of the streets.

Tice disagreed.

"The first thing people see in a community are streets," Tice said.

All street-related issues were tabled until the next meeting. The council will have to determine which streets should be included in the project to determine if there are adequate city funds available or the need to seek a bond.

In other business:

— Economic development director Jami Williams announced the city was the recipient of a grant for $14,500 as part of the Safe Routes to Schools for Kids program. The funds will be used to conduct a study to determine if there is a need for change. If a need is determined, the city then would be in line to receive grant funds for Phase II of the project for implementation.

The program is administered through Kansas Department of Transportation.

— J Photos and the Mini Spa received grants from the city.

Diane Jeffrey, owner of J Photos, will open a photo shop in Marion Business Park in the former U.S.-56 Car Wash building. She was awarded $3,165 for improvements to the building.

Lisa Wildin plans to open a business in a downtown building, the former The Hair Company building, to provide massages, pedicures, and other personal needs. She was awarded a $5,000 grant.

— David and Laura Yates, owners of Mid-America Marble and Superior Liquor asked the city to give them a minimum of 15 feet on either side of their property.

When plans were developed for the liquor store, convenience store, hair salon building, an area for truck deliveries and the city's refuse truck was not allotted.

The couple also is considering adding fuel pumps at some point but is not ready to purchase additional lots at this time.

After much discussion, Councilman Bill Holdeman made a motion to sell Lot 4, located east of the building, to the Yates for $2,000; Kline seconded. Laura Yates told the council they didn't have the funds at this time to purchase anything. Councilman Gene Winkler said there wasn't any point in making the offer if the business owners weren't interested in purchasing the lot.

The motion failed 2-3 with Holdeman and Kline voting for it.

— In keeping with the theme of street projects and city funds, Mayfield informed the council that it could cost the city $1 million to complete a downtown streetscape project.

Grant funds from KDOT TEA (Transportation Enhancement Act) are not available at the present time and it will not be known until November if any funds will be available in the near future.

The reimbursement grant would require the city to pay 20 percent of the project plus engineering costs which is 12 percent of the total project plus the writing of the grant by the engineer for a total $326,500.

Since Main Street is a state highway, KDOT requires the street to meet specific standards. Discussion was heard regarding reducing the size of the sidewalk in the 400 block of East Main Street instead of widening the other sidewalks and making parking parallel.

The council followed Mayfield's suggestion of waiting to take action until it is known whether KDOT grant funds will be available.

— Melissa Parmley, representing the retail sales committee of Marion Chamber of Commerce, asked and received permission to stage a Christmas parade on Main Street.

"Jingle Bells" parade will be held at 1 p.m. Nov. 26 from First to Fifth streets. The parade will be in conjunction with open houses, sponsored by local businesses.

— The council approved the third-quarter financial statement, September financial, investment, and collateral reports, warrants, and payroll.

— A 10-minute executive session was requested and granted for attorney-client privilege. Williams, Mayfield, and attorney Dan Baldwin were in attendance. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.

The next council meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 6 in the city building.

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