Marion has 30 days to provide tree dump plan years ago
Money will fund mandated water plant upgrade
A mandate from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment requiring the City of Marion to upgrade its water system translates into increased water rates.
Marion City Commission voted Monday to establish new water rates effective Jan. 15, the first billing cycle of 2003. Under the new rates, a minimum usage charge of $24, up from $15 previously, will be billed to all residential customers for the first 1,000 gallons of water per month. Those using in excess of 1,000 gallons per month will be billed at $2.50 per 1,000 gallons. Water customers living outside the city limits will be charged $28 for the first 1,000 gallons and $3 per 1,000 gallons of usage thereafter.
Customers purchasing water by the vehicular tank load will have be charged the minimum rate of $24 for up to 1,000 gallons. Thereafter, the charge will be $2.50 per each 1,000 gallons of portions thereof, according to the new city ordinance.
Commissioner Jim Crofoot questioned the initial wording of the ordinance as it concerned the billing for customers purchasing water by the tank load. The wording indicated customers would be billed per load, although it did note l ,000 gallons was the basis for the minimum charge.
"You don't want to penalize the guy who only has a 500 gallon tank," Crofoot explained. "The way it's worded now if you made three loads in one day, you'd pay $24 per load."
City Attorney Dan Baldwin said he understood Crofoot's point, and the wording was changed.
The increased water rates will fund state requirements for the upgrade on the city water plant. The required upgrades will cost approximately $800,000, said City Administrator David Mayfield.
Health insurance
Noting it would give the City of Marion an edge when it came to hiring quality employees, Mayfield asked commissioners to offer its employees a 50 percent co-pay on family, spouse, or child insurance. Currently, employees pay the entire expense for family insurance, although the city does pay a single coverage membership.
Mayfield said the cost would amount to $12,499.28 per year.
"We currently have a position that is funded by the budget this year and next that is not currently filled and will not be filled in 2003," Mayfield said. "There will be more than enough money to fund this proposal."
Commissioners unanimously approved the proposal.
Water, water everywhere
Director of Public Utilities Harvey Sanders said the cleaning person at the city office discovered water in the basement and contacted his department around 11 p.m. Dec. 11. "An upstairs urinal was stuck open," Sanders said.
Water ran down the north side of the auditorium, under the stage, and ruined four packages of ceiling tile. Workers shut off the water that night and spent Thursday morning cleaning up.
"We had to replace the ceiling in the women's restroom and in the basement," Sanders said.
He reported his crews fixed a water leak Sunday at Main and Walnut streets which required a 20 ft. piece of pipe and took until noon to fix. There also was a service line leak at the county shop. Sanders also said crews were trying to sweep leaves and had sprayed herbicide near the substation to control weeds.
In other matters:
— Heard from Mayfield the city would be keeping the tree dump open during January and February rather than closing it as is usually done.
"It's been pretty nice weather and people still are cleaning up their yards and picking up leaves," Mayfield told commissioners. "Personnel there are willing to work."
The tree dump will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m. in January and February, then will return to regular hours beginning March 1. The new schedule begins Jan. 1, Mayfield said.
— Approved the appointment of Mayfield to the Marion County Economic Development Council filling the position formerly held by Dennis Nichols.
— Approved transfers amounting to $46,000 from the utility fund to the equipment reserve fund to purchase equipment next year.
— Approved warrants amounting to $24,609.79, and payroll in the amount of $20,677.32.
