City will pay school $100,000 per year for pool bond years ago
Staff reporter
A letter of intent per an interlocal agreement was approved Monday by Marion City Council between the city and USD #408 for the new indoor pool.
The pool will be owned by the school district and operated by the city.
The city will pay $100,000 per year for 18 years as its portion of the bond payment. Operating expenses have not been determined.
More specifics will be established as the project advances.
In other business:
— City administrator David Mayfield reported that the city's bond council had notified him Monday afternoon that USDA Rural Development has offered a decrease in interest rate for the city's water plant improvement bonds. Mayfield was concerned about the timing issue, stating the project had begun and the documents to issue the bonds need to be finalized.
If the city is able to capitalize on the interest rate reduction, it would mean a savings of $400,000 during the life of the bond.
"We'll try to do our best but time constraints may not allow it," Mayfield said.
A special meeting will be called, probably for Monday. No definite time was set before press time.
— A compactor for the city's new trash truck was approved. The purchase was in the 2007 budget but because of changes in the emissions control equipment that will be on the new truck chassis, the council approved at its last meeting the purchase of the chassis. Now with anticipated cost increases at the first of the year for the compactor, Mayfield recommended the purchase.
The total cost of the truck is $105,280 with $120,000 budgeted.
— The council approved a franchise agreement Eagle Communications, the company that purchased Galaxy Cablevision.
The previous Galaxy Cablevision franchise was at three percent. The proposed franchise with Eagle Communications was five percent. Dennis Weese of Eagle Communications said the state franchise law was five percent and there was no need to negotiate.
The council also approved antenna and utility pole agreements.
— Superior Wine and Liquor, being constructed in Marion Business Park, was approved for a liquor license.
— Mayor Martin Tice read a proclamation for Boy Scouts of America, Quivera Council, which encouraged youth to sign up for Scouts.
— An engineer has been found to seek grant funding for the lighting project on Main Street, Mayfield said.
— Councilman Bill Holdeman asked if there was an ordinance to prohibit parking of vehicles in the front yards of residents. City attorney Dan Baldwin said there was not.
— Economic development director Jami Williams reported she spoke to a Marion High School careers class, helped with a seat belt safety check lane, plans to provide customer service training to interested businesses, continues negotiations with Mike Fruechting for the city to purchase marionks.com for $5,000, has three applicants for the city's business grant, plans to attend a symposium in Halstead and a community development academy in Manhattan.
An individual will purchase Lot 13 at Marion Business Park for an open storage business.
— Harvey Sanders, public utilities director, reported underground electrical lines and a pole were installed at Marion Historical Museum and stop lights have been removed from the intersection of Main and Freeborn streets.
— The council recessed for 30 minutes in executive session to discuss non-elected personnel. Mayfield, Williams, and Baldwin were present.
The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
The next regular meeting of the council is 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at the city building.
