Marion Die and Fixture granted abatement
DuWayne Suffield to replace Cooper on Marion County Economic Development board
The Marion City Commission, at the beginning of its meeting Monday, held a public hearing on a proposal to grant a limited property tax exemption to Marion Die and Fixture.
No one had any comments or objections, so commissioners enacted an ordinance establishing a 10-year abatement of the tax for the firm, for economic development purposes.
It applies only to two pieces of equipment purchased by the firm, with a total value of about $240,000, Susan Cooper, city director of economic development, said.
City Administrator David Mayfield, Cooper, and city commissioners were to travel to Topeka Tuesday for a state agency's hearing on the $400,000 grant the city has applied for.
The Community Development Block Grant would be used to help pay for a major upgrade of the city's water treatment plant.
Since Cooper has resigned her position effective Friday, she also will be leaving the Marion County Economic Development, Inc., board of directors.
Mayfield recommended DuWayne Suffield be named to replace Cooper on the board, representing the city. Commissioners approved the appointment, 3-0.
John and Susan Howell, proprietors of Kansas on the Net, Wichita, made a presentation on creating a city government Web site for the city.
Cooper, introducing the couple, said they are well-known in tourism and economic development circles.
Susan Howell said they started the firm eight years ago, after both retired from their longtime jobs. They specialize in designing small, community-friendly sites, she said.
"People expect to find you on the Web now," she said. A few years ago, that was not the case.
City services and institutions that would be featured on a Web site of up to 23 pages would include the airport, the cemetery, city officials, boards, municipal court data, parks and recreation information, agendas before and minutes after city meetings, a newcomer's guide to the city, perhaps a history of city government in Marion, a listing of current city job openings, information on all city departments, and a summary of city ordinances.
"We can help you put the Web to use to make your jobs easier," Susan Howell said to city department heads.
How to get zoning and building permits could also be on the site, along with information about the industrial park.
Design of the site would cost $3,500, she said. Maintaining and updating it are crucial, she added. The site will need to be accessible to the handicapped — blind and visually handicapped people, for instance, she said.
It will take three months to design the site, she said. They will charge $60 per hour, with no minimum, for further work, such as adding to the site, scanning, etc.
Bill Meyer, editor and publisher of the Marion County Record and two other county newspapers, has offered the city use of the domain name marionks.com, Cooper noted.
Commissioners made no decision Monday, but are expected to do so in a week or so. Mayor Eloise Mueller said she wanted a written contract to exist between the city and whoever is chosen to design the site.
Susan Howell said KOTN usually works without a formal contract, but if chosen, they will be glad to sign one.
They will charge an additional $400 to train one or two people to maintain and update the site, she said.
Harvey Sanders, director of public utilities, said his crews have been busy checking the Christmas lights downtown and hauling dirt to Country Club Drive and Kellison Street, sites of ongoing or upcoming curb-and-gutter installation work.
Police Chief Michel Soyez said he has hired a new officer who will be here next week. The officer is well-qualified and has been serving as an officer in Kinsley.
He hopes to have the new officer with him and to introduce him at Monday's commission meeting.
City Attorney Dan Baldwin said the explanation by Bob Gibb at last week's commission meeting, on the purpose of the $25,000 pledge sought from the city, was not correct.
Gibb, of Chapman Securities, said the $25,000 pledge, given by the city, would be used to help with legal expenses if the developer, Bob Brooks, were to default on the assisted living facility slated to be built here soon.
Baldwin said that is not what the $25,000 would be used for, should it be needed. Rather, it would be used for bond and interest payment, to help preserve the project from imminent default, should such a thing occur.
In the unlikely event of such a default by Brooks, the pledged money could help preserve the facility for a subsequent buyer, for instance, Baldwin said.
The way Gibb explained or characterized the purpose of the pledged funds was wrong, Baldwin said.
Cooper said she knew Gibb was explaining the pledge's purpose incorrectly, and was trying to interject comments to that effect at last week's meeting, but was unable to get the attention of Gibb, who held the floor, to do so.
Commissioners approved payment of warrants totaling $93,391.92. Mayfield said the reason for the large sum was a payment of $60,020.32 to Westar for electricity.
