Marion provides funding to BCC for lighting upgrade
Staff reporter
Marion City Commission approved a request from Butler Community College for funding assistance to upgrade light fixtures at the Marion building.
Marvin Dodson, director of facilities management, said he had a bid for $16,000 to retro-fit light fixtures in the former Bown Corby Building.
The bid request also included installation of lighting in a building on the El Dorado campus.
Dodson requested a 20 percent funding match totaling $4,000 from the city to offset expenses.
In 1999, the city helped provide funding for a heating and air conditioning system in the building.
Commissioner Jim Crofoot said the city had replaced the roof, boiler, and provided funding for other upgrades.
David Mayfield, city administrator, said the funds would be drawn from the capital outlay fund since it was not a budgeted item.
Mayfield said he was concerned about the fund because expenses for the water plant feasibility study and a water line replacement project would be taken from the fund.
"It'll cut it pretty close," Mayfield said. He added the expense to BCC wouldn't deplete the account but it concerned him since that account was for emergencies and unexpected expenses.
Crofoot asked Mayfield if $2,000 could be done and Mayfield said it could.
Dodson asked if the city could contribute to the project from next year's budget. Mayfield said the budget had already been set and it wouldn't make much difference.
Mayfield requested a capital plan of anticipated expenses from Dodson. Mayfield said he could budget for the expense in 2006, but doubted if the college wanted to wait that long.
Mayfield said the city could do the full amount but "it's going to be tight."
Dodson said the new lighting will provide an energy savings that will pay for the upgrade in four years.
In other business:
— A new Westar Energy contract will cost the city $82,000 per year.
Mayfield reported city representatives met with a representative from Westar Energy to discuss a contract agreement. The city's contract with the electric company expires July 1, 2005.
The additional fees are for transmission charges that were not in the contract when drawn 20 years ago.
Options are to purchase electricity from another company but Mayfield said the city would still be required to pay transmission charges.
Mayfield said he talked with a representative from the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency regarding the Westar contract. The representative will review the analysis and will meet with Mayfield to discuss other options. Mayfield said the KMEA representative stated it would difficult to obtain a better rate than what Westar was offering.
"We could agree to the new contract today," Mayfield said. "If rates are expected to increase, we may want to consider going into a contract before July."
Mayfield added the increase in cost may cause the city to look at a rate increase. He said the last rate increase for kilowatt per hour was in 1985. The base price for electricity was increased in 1999, to cover expense of the city's new 12.5 line.
— Casey Case of Case and Son Insurance delivered a dividend check to the city in the amount of $3,858. The refund was through EMC Insurance Companies, the city's workers' comprehension insurance company.
Case said the refund was possible because of the city's participation in safety programs.
— Mayfield reported the wholesale water district feasibility study has been completed. Mayor Martin Tice and Mayfield will meet with officials from the City of Hillsboro, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Rural Water Association, and USDA Rural Development.
— A $30,000 transfer was approved by the commission with $15,000 from the water plant and $15,000 from the sewer budgets. The budgeted transfer will be used for future purchases.
— Warrants in the amount of $23,326 and payroll in the amount of $23,566 were approved.
— Harvey Sanders, public utilities director, reported a total of nearly 75 tons of refuse removed by city crews this past week.
The semi-annual cleanup week did not net as much refuse as previous years, Sanders said.
— Mayfield will be attending an agritourism meeting in Great Bend and city clerk Linda Holub will be attending a city clerk's school in Wichita.
The commission will meet at 4 p.m. Monday in the city building.
