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Residents, board appreciate storm shelter

Staff reporter

Hilltop Manor of Marion had another successful year in 2006 with full occupancy.

Charles Heerey of the Marion Housing Authority Board, reported Monday to Marion City Council there was one vacancy at the current time because a resident had recently died but Heerey was confident the apartment would be filled soon by one of the 13 people on the waiting list.

The facility's new storm shelter also has been an asset. Currently there are nine males living at the facility which is unusual. A snooker table was purchased and placed in the storm shelter, still leaving sufficient space for chairs in case of a weather warning.

Twenty-eight front doors, storm doors, and frames were replaced on the apartments with grant funds from 2005. Other improvements are planned in the future, Heerey said.

Other board members are Jean Case, Harold Conyers, Ralph Kreutziger, and Leonard Klassen.

In other business:

— City public works director Harvey Sanders was re-appointed to a two-year term on Kansas Municipal Energy Agency board of directors. City administrator David Mayfield and Fredrickson also are board members.

— A payment of $81,278 was approved to Walters Morgan for water treatment plant upgrades.

— A bid sheet was approved for a dike mowing contract.

— The February billing tie-out was approved. City treasurer Becky Makovec reported there was a higher bad debt amount because of the city's new "no tolerance" policy for overdue bills.

— Fredrickson announced tree dump hours are 1 to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

— Contractors are hesitant to bid on street projects because the city did not have the project engineered which will delay the improvements, Fredrickson said.

— Sanders reported city crews are removing the fence around the swimming pool and was tearing down the pool house. A switch was replaced at the transfer station which caused a major citywide outage a few weeks ago.

— Fredrickson announced a new employee had been hired to take care of the cemetery and work part-time in the water plant.

— City economic development director Jami Williams reported she had met with Marion Advancement Campaign board of directors regarding a community center, was contacted by a business owner wanting to expand, attended a week-long school for applying for a Community Development Block Grant, contacted Rep. Don Dahl regarding a call center, contacted Kansas Historical Society for assistance with the Country Lakes Café building issues, and announced the former Main Street Flowers building had sold and will open April 1.

— An executive session for attorney-client privilege was on the agenda but when city officials were questioned by city attorney Dan Baldwin regarding the topic of the session, it was determined it should not be discussed in closed session.

The topic was the usage of the city building. Tice said he wanted to wait until Mayfield was in attendance.

The next council meeting is at 5:30 p.m. March 26 in the city building.

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