Locust, Elm Sts. to get repair
Staff writer
Marion city council members signed a contract Monday to have repairs made to Locust and Elm just north of Main St.
Vogts Parga Construction was awarded a $290,691.50 contract to have the repair completed by April 15.
Work will include removing and replacing curbing along a damaged portion of Elm St., repairing a pipe and box where water passes underneath the street, repairing headwall on Locust St., and removing and replacing damaged curb on Locust St.
Curbs and drives must be replaced within 14 days of removal.
Council members also reviewed a flyer seeking a city administrator as produced by John Deardoff with the Kansas League of Municipalities.
Council member Zach Collett told Deardoff that he thought the salary range on the flyer should be higher than the $90,000 to $110,000 it lists. Offering more money will get better candidates, Collett said.
He wanted the baseline salary moved up to $100,000.
Deardoff said he’d studied what cities of comparable size pay administrators, and the range in the flyer complies with comparable cities. Hillsboro pays more, but most other cities do not, he said.
Interim city administrator Mark McAnarney said the city could always negotiate salary once candidates are narrowed to finalists.
Powers asked Deardoff if there was a rule of thumb as to how many applicants to interview. Deardoff said a maximum number should be five.