By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

A waterline in the 300 block of Peabody’s W. 2nd St. has eight stuck valves, but public works superintendent Lucas Larsen is unsure whether they are open or closed.

If he cannot loosen the valves, then half of Peabody’s water will need to be shut off when repairs are made, he said at Monday’s city council meeting.

“The valves we have in this town need attention, period,” Larsen said. “I guess I don’t know where to start on the valves. I guarantee there are more than eight valves that are stuck.”

The best option might be shutting off the water if Larsen cannot get the valves unstuck in a few weeks, mayor Tom Spencer said.

A shutdown would drop the water pressure below Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s standards, spurring the need for Peabody to issue a boil-water advisory.

“Week three, if you know ahead of time and get the proper notice generated that this date we are going to repair at the co-op on 2nd St., and we will have a boil-water advisory so citizens prepare as much as they can,” he said. “I think after two weeks we’re just pushing it down the line. It’s already been three or four months.”

The council denied a request to waive Peabody Dentistry’s monthly water and sewer bill, which the business requested because it hasn’t been open.

“While I understand they don’t have any patients, I don’t feel like we should waive it,” councilman Lindsay Hutchison said. “There are several people who don’t have jobs and we’re not waiving their bills.”

The bill Peabody Dentistry is paying is a base fee for water and sewer, treasurer Lori Pickens said.

The city needs a new lawn mower, and should consider buying a new 72-inch one and use its 56-inch mower to take care of abatement properties, Larsen said.

“I’m just worried if go we buy a used mower through somebody, we’re going to mow with it twice and it’s going to junk out on us,” Larsen said.

Buying a used mower for less money for abatement properties would be preferable it’s unknown what might be found on those properties, councilman Rick Reynolds said.

“I’d much rather junk a $1,500 mower instead of going to spend on another new mower and moving down the one that’s three years old, because that mower on retail was pretty expensive,” he said. “We could throw away four or five $1,500 mowers before we’re in the same ballpark as damaging the deck on that one.”