Staff writer
It probably isn’t feasible for the City of Marion to participate with other cities in persuading Westar Energy to approve shorter contracts.
Previously, city administrator David Mayfield had informed Marion City Council that the energy giant no longer was interested in shorter contracts with its customers, like the city. Instead it was requiring all cities to enter into 20-year contracts which would reduce any other electrical options during that time frame.
One way to thwart this long-term contract would be for the City of Marion to team up with other cities and hire lawyers to take their case to court. Unfortunately, it would cost the city more than $30,000 to participate in the fight and there was no guarantee the cities would win, Mayfield said at Monday’s meeting.
The council agreed.
In other business:
- Mayor Mary Olson recognized Clark Whitwell, Angela Lange, and Becky Makovec for an article that was printed in the Kansas Government magazine regarding the fund-raising efforts for new playground equipment at Central Park.
- Councilman Steve Smith will attend planning commission meetings while the commission is updating the city’s comprehensive plan.
- Mayfield and Lange were approved as voting delegate and alternate during the League of Kansas Municipalities annual conference.
- Planning commission chairman Roger Schwab advised the council that current accessory building ordinances that have been approved were not done properly because the former accessory building ordinance should have been repealed.
- Transfers were approved for $9,202 from the sewer fund to bond and interest and $58,799 from the water plant fund also to the bond and interest fund.
- A contractor license was approved for Jason Vogel DBA Simpson and Associates.
- A 10-minute executive session was held for attorney-client privilege with city attorney Dan Baldwin and Mayfield also in attendance. There were no decisions.
- The next council meeting is at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 22 at the city building.