Marion will apply for grant to encourage youth exercise
Council will consider 4% pay increase in 2008
Staff reporter
Marion Mayor Mary Olson said the Safe Routes to School Program was important to Marion and made the motion for the council to proceed with the grant application. The council agreed and the motion passed, 5-0.
During Monday's Marion City Council meeting, David Johnson of Bucher, Willis, and Ratliff, presented information about the route and the Kansas Department of Transportation Program.
The program was designed as an effort to encourage children to walk to school as a means of exercise. Hopefully, with more children walking the obesity rate would be reduced.
The City of Marion had applied and received a $15,000 grant to research the need for a special route. The council approved the second application of up to $250,000 to implement the plan with sidewalks, ramps, and bike racks. The city would be required to pay the engineering portion of the grant, approximately 10 percent of the total grant.
Johnson said only about 10 percent of Marion students walked to school this past spring; nationwide the average is 15 percent.
A route would be designated with sidewalks and ramps constructed to make the walking safe for children.
A proposed route met some opposition from city officials and the council. Johnson was quick to point out that the route can be changed and KDOT will do an on-site review of the route to determine the best possible route.
Olson said she has heard complaints from parents regarding children crossing some streets.
The grant deadline is July 27 with grants being awarded in January. It was noted that if the city is awarded a grant, actual construction probably wouldn't take place until 2009.
In other business:
— Budget information for 2008 was discussed. In the proposed 2008 budget, city employees could receive up to a four percent raise. The council did not designate if the pay increase would be across the board or based on merit.
Other preliminary decisions were the same allocations of $1,000 to Communities in Schools, $7,000 to Marion Chamber of Commerce for tourism, $17,000 to Marion Recreation Commission, $1,000 for an employee Christmas party, and $100 Christmas bonuses to city employees.
— The council approved $15,243 for an asphalt overlay of some main cemetery roads.
— A joint resolution with USD #408 was approved regarding the use of the new indoor swimming pool. The resolution will allow the two entities to develop agreements to address various issues such as schedules, usage, fees and charges, security, and other concerns.
— To streamline sometimes marathon city council meetings, the council approved the use of a consent agenda that would include the approval of the agenda, minutes, financial statements, and warrants with one motion.
— A public hearing will be at 5:30 p.m. July 30 to amend the 2007 budget. The amendment is necessary to make a payment on a bond for the water plant. When the budget was prepared, the bond had not been issued.
— The council approved a contract with Rick Miller for part of Lot 12 in Marion Business Park.
— The June financial statements, investment and collateral report, quarterly financial statement, warrants, and payroll were approved.
— The council approved the change of hours for police chief Josh Whitwell to noon to 8 p.m. on those days he attends classes at Tabor College.
— The council entered into two executive sessions of 20 minutes each. The first was for trade secrets with Mayfield, economic development director Jami Williams, and attorney Dan Baldwin. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
The second session was for personnel with Baldwin. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
— The council recessed to the police department to tour the facility.
The city council will meet for a work session at 7 p.m. July 26 at the city building. The purpose of the session will be a budget workshop and to meet with economic development representative Todd Heitschmidt.
The next city council meeting is at 5:30 p.m. July 30 at the city building.
