Marion City Council kills cat ordinance
When Marion Mayor Martin Tice came to the agenda item Monday regarding an ordinance to require cat registration, he made a motion not to proceed with the ordinance and move forward with other business. Councilman Jerry Kline seconded the motion and it passed 3-2 with Bill Holdeman and Stacey Collett against.
After the vote was taken, the mayor moved on to the next agenda item.
In other business:
- City administrator David Mayfield reported a pre-construction conference for the city's water treatment plant upgrades will be at 10 a.m. Aug. 24. He said it was not a public meeting but he wanted one member of the council to attend. Councilman Jerry Kline volunteered to represent the council at the meeting.
- A WRAPS grant assistance work session will be at 7:30 p.m. Aug 23 in the city building basement with members of the city councils from Hillsboro, Marion, and Peabody in attendance.
Civic leaders will discuss options in splitting costs of a grant for a comprehensive study regarding sediment and algae issues at Marion Reservoir.
No public comments will be allowed, said Mayfield.
- Marion Police Chief Michel Soyez reported his department had been approved for $495 in federal grant funds to network a hardware firewall for the department's network.
- Recreation Commission Director Margo Yates provided the following report: Jan Helmer has been elected president of the commission; there were 25 baseball and softball teams that participated this summer; concessions from the ball park stay within the program and are used for equipment and improvements at the baseball complex; the commission has an opportunity to host an 11-year-old Cal Ripkin tournament next year which could bring eight teams and 100-125 players to Marion; the swim team had another successful summer with new coach Molly Rhodes; the theatre program continues to grow with the direction of Cathy Whitaker and family; and preparations are being made for fall activities that include basketball.
- Councilman Gene Winkler reported MAC (Marion Advancement Campaign) is no longer planning to build a movie theater. The Kan-STEP program no longer provides grant funds more than $100,000. Donations are being sought for a community center. Three $250 scholarships were awarded in May by MAC.
- Street superintendent Marty Fredrickson reported bids are being obtained for a new trash truck. A new truck was in the 2007 budget but the city may consider purchasing a vehicle yet this year due to increased costs.
- Mayfield reported he recently attended an Atmos Energy Customer Advisory Board meeting at Amarillo, Texas. He toured a call center and obtained valuable information. Of the 300 employees, 150 were single mothers with the number one issue of day-care availability.
- Marion Economic Development Director Jami Williams reported she met with a representative of SCKEDD (South Central Kansas Economic Development District) to obtain more information about the county's microloan program.
Williams also would like to start a SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) chapter in Marion, she recently purchased a customer service video to show business owners, contacted the owner of the marionks Internet domain name, contacted a company from Russia about moving a warehouse to Marion, met with a business owner interested in expanding, and contacted someone about building apartments.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, applications for signs along Kansas highways will cost $250 each, said Williams. She plans to apply for new signs on U.S.-77 and within the city limits yet this year to beat the new application fees.
- Mayfield reported a water plant operator had resigned and the city continues to seek a cemetery sexton.
- Mayor Tice proclaimed Marion as the Rhino Capital of Kansas.
The next commission meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 28 in the city building.
