City of Marion reviews strategic plan
Marion City officials spent most of their two-hour meeting Monday reviewing a strategic plan, proposed budgets, and equipment needs.
The strategic plan focuses on five objectives, in order of importance:
1. Encourage growth and stability of existing businesses and recruit new businesses.
2. Complete all necessary upgrades to water treatment plant by Dec. 1, 2003, the date new state and federal water quality standards take effect.
3. Complete the 12.5 electrical line upgrade by the end of 2007.
4. Resurface Eisenhower Drive by the end of 2005.
5. Consider possibility of ending city garbage collection, and instead hire a private company to do so. A study of this issue will begin before the year ends.
Nichols said the first issue had to involve a commitment by all residents. The city would take the lead by reducing economic development director Susan Cooper's responsibilities in other areas.
The water treatment plant improvements, expected to cost $400,000 and be paid through a bond issue, are required by the new standards. Residential rates are expected to increase $5 to $6 next year to fund the bonds.
Electrical system
The electrical line improvements will carry 7200 volts of electricity. The current system uses 2400 volt lines. Harvey Sanders, electrical superintendent, said 2400 lines were standard "in the 1920s."
The new system will require fewer amps to deliver more volts, reducing power outages while providing service to more homes and businesses. Eventually the new service will loop around the community. Currently it extends from the power plant to the new library.
Nichols said the improvements, while critical to the long-term success of the town, are shoved aside for other projects. That's why it belongs on the strategic plan, so it doesn't fall through the cracks.
Commissioner Larry McLain asked if the city should contract out part of the work. Sanders said it was too expensive, and that the city had the employees with the expertise to make the change.
"But it will take time," he said. "By fall, we'll be across the creek, and that's the hardest part."
Improvements to Eisenhower Drive include curb and gutter from Main to Kellison, and storm sewers between Main and Denver. The north half of the street is county responsibility. Cost is estimated at $150,000.
Nichols said most of the cost would be borne by a road fund that includes payments from the state. However, the city has to postpone any extensive improvements to other streets until after Eisenhower Drive is completed, he said.
"This will be a high traffic area more and more as the town grows," he said.
Trash collection
Garbage collection is driven by the fact the truck is due for replacement in 2005. Cost is $95,000.
Florence, Hillsboro, and Marion are the only cities in the county with city-operated trash disposal. The rest use private contractors who handle all billing and collection directly.
Mayor Eloise Mueller noted that the city would save money and that it would provide two more employees to help on other city commitments.
"If the county would do its job and open a landfill somewhere, the problem would go away," Commissioner Larry McLain said.
Budget
In many departments the proposed 2003 budget maintains or is lower than in the past two years, Nichols said. Nevertheless, it calls for higher water rates to cover those improvements and a mill levy increase of 2.5 mills dedicated to library operations.
Budget projections limit expected equipment purchases to no more than $55,000. Commissioners will review department head requests to determine a priority.
Nichols noted that many of the requests lead to further costs. For example, the museum shouldn't have central heat and air unless the building is insulated and windows are sealed. Then, if the city does go to that expense, it probably should become a year-round facility with full-time employees, he said.
The city may gain some flexibility in 2004, when the last of the street bonds are paid off, but bonds for water plant and industrial park improvements will be in place.
While reviewing the list, Mueller and McLain said the recreation budget requests were "significant," though they appreciated the work the recreation commission was doing.
Also, they wondered if the city's tourism budget, $7,000 paid to the chamber, could be reduced since the chamber would take over an office in the municipal building (city offices will move to the former library).
Commissioner Jim Crofoot said the chamber had paid little or no rent in recent years. The money went for tourism activities.
"I don't know if the chamber can survive without it," he said.
Nichols noted the renovations to the city building probably wouldn't cost more than $10,000.
"It won't be beautiful or fancy, but city offices shouldn't be beautiful or fancy, just functional," he said.
Mueller asked about police cars. Chief David Mayfield said the department would have one car per officer, meaning the fleet would grow to five if a federal grant to add another officer is received.
Mayfield said the former Kansas Highway Patrol cars are less expensive than new ones and trading them off regularly keeps maintenance costs low. The city spends about the same amount of money but operates more cars with fewer problems.
Allowing each officer to have a car prevents disagreements about maintenance responsibilities and ensures officers have all equipment at hand if they are off duty but called in an emergency, Mayfield said.
No action was taken on the budget. Commissioners will discuss the issues in more detail in upcoming meetings.
