State fund may provide loan for water project
A state loan may be the most cost-effective way to fund improvements at the water plant, Marion City Administrator Dennis Nichols reported Monday at a meeting of the city commission.
The revolving loan fund provides 20-year loans at a rate of interest lower than general obligation bonds. Currently, they charge about four percent. Lower fees are charged as well.
Applications related to water quality issues are a priority, Nichols said. The city project, estimated to cost $400,000, is to meet new state and federal water quality requirements by 2004.
The application deadline is Sept. 15 with notification in December. Final cost estimates are due Aug. 7 so the city may submit an application if a better option isn't found, Nichols said.
However, the city wouldn't be able to use these funds to pay for a fire truck. When general obligation bonds were considered, the plan was for the bonds to also pay for a truck, estimated at $185,000 to $200,000. Instead, Nichols suggested to set aside a portion of the amount for two or three years, then buy a truck through a lease-purchase arrangement.
Police report
Chief David Mayfield attended the meeting briefly, reporting the department was completing several investigations.
Officer Dean Keyes discovered a fire burning at a home, Mayfield said. He extinguished the fire. Charges of aggravated arson are pending against two individuals, he said.
"There were residents at the home and they were asleep when the fire was started," Mayfield said. "If Dean hadn't seen the fire when driving by, I don't know what would have happened."
In other reports:
Checks totaling $49,127 were approved to pay bills.
Commissioners approved adding Harvey Sanders and Angela Lange to the list of authorized signatures. Primary signatures are Nichols, treasurer Linda Holub, and Mayor Eloise Mueller. Sanders and Lange will sign checks only if Nichols or Holub are unavailable.
A total of 121 tons of solid waste was delivered to the transfer station in June. Commissioners agreed to a plan to study the option of contracting with a private business to haul trash instead of using city employees and equipment.
City crews continue to trim and remove trees that grow into the power lines. When a branch comes in contact with a line, electricity races through the tree into the ground.
Sanders said members of the public often contact the city to report trees rubbing lines. "That helps a lot," he said.
City officials complimented Miesse Construction, Wichita, for its work on water and sewer lines throughout the community. Superintendent Marty Fredrickson said the city had received "not one complaint from a resident or customer" during the project.
Commissioner Larry McLain said residents appreciated being kept informed by the city when water or sewer systems were going to be off.
"They were part of the plan and were involved in the plan," he said. "Marty did an excellent job."
